Zoo Logic

Zoo Logic features a wife and husband animal care and training team that has successfully worked in the same field and at the same facilities for more than 20 years. Jess and Dave Peranteau are part of the senior team that built the OdySea Aquarium located in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community near Phoenix-- it's the largest aquarium in the desert southwest.

From competing for the same full-time trainer job when they first met at SeaWorld of Ohio to building a life, a family, and most recently, a major AZA accredited aquarium, you'll enjoy their full circle journey from Shamu, to terrestrials, to fish and back to marine mammals.

Plus the latest Zoos News and an all new That Sounds Wild.

Zoo veterinarian Dr. Lara Croft discusses the conflict that arises when new animal laws and regulations crafted by anti-zoo interests place veterinarians at odds with their professional ethics to "do no harm."

In the most notable case to date, when CA Governor Jerry Brown signed the ironically named Orca Protection and Safety Act in 2016, he placed zoo veterinarians at legal odds with their professional ethics. Specifically, this law and increasingly, others like it require veterinarians violate their ethical standards by forcing them to medically treat and manage these animals in such a way as to permanently prevent breeding for years or even decades, regardless of the known and unknown long term risks to animal health and well-being.

The legal implications for veterinarians responsible for other charismatic species, like elephants, primates, and big cats in human care set by this precedent, which essentially circumvents at the state level those federal processes overseeing the care, treatment, and display of wild and endangered species via landmark legislation like the AWA, ESA and MMPA, is unmistakable.

Santa Barbara Zoo's Dr. Julie Barnes joins Zoo Logic's Dr. Grey Stafford to discuss the zoo team's evacuation response to 2017's record-breaking Thomas fire. From evacuating every creature to mobilizing a defensive position within a zoo to protect large, dangerous and not easily relocated animals like elephants and predators, every wildfire is different. Increasingly, zoos and aquariums must adapt and prepare for a variety of crisis situations including having little to no warning of unfolding disasters. Even as zoos become more involved with researching and preserving local threatened and endangered species and habitat, the impact of these intense fires and their aftermath on isolated populations can be devastating and possibly result in local extinctions.

Plus a new Ms. Mallory Minute with animal adventurer and spokesperson, Mallory Lindsay, and an all new That Sounds Wild.

Dr. Marty Haulena, a veterinarian with the Vancouver Aquarium provides Zoo Logic with a breaking Zoos News update about first of its kind medical efforts to help the malnourished wild and endangered southern resident killer whale known as J50.

In a related story, with nearly 70% of all humans depending on the world ocean as their source of protein, Michelle Garis, with McRoberts Sales discusses their efforts to promote sustainable use of fisheries and to provide zoos and aquariums with information to help them better conserve commercial fish stocks commonly used to feed animals living in human care. With the collapse of a number of commercial fisheries in recent years, it is more important than ever for zoological professionals to use a wide range of fish types to ensure a steady supply of food for their animals.

Plus an all new That Sounds Wild.

What is good animal welfare and how do we measure it? Sabrina Brando, Animal Welfare Coordinator for the World Association of Zoos & Aquariums, talks with Zoo Logic host Dr. Grey Stafford about WAZA's work to increase collaboration among animal facilities and professionals to improve the lives of all animals across the globe.

Also, a breaking Zoos News extended update with Marine Mammal veterinarian, Dr. Lydia Staggs on the Red Tide crisis along SW Florida's coastline harming thousands of animals including endangered turtles, manatees, and dolphins and what marine mammal professionals at SeaWorld and elsewhere are doing to help.

Plus an all new That Sounds Wild.

How did an old part from a VW bus and a rock chewing German Shepherd dog named Fritz lead to the most recognizable pet toy on earth? Zoo Logic host Dr. Grey Stafford asks Kong Company cofounder, Joe Markham and lead behavior and training specialist, Mark Hines about the history of the classic dog toy that's still made in the USA, and how it has helped solve problems for animals and people for more than 40 years. Hear how Kong's unique design and quality construction continues to find new behavior training and enrichment applications with police and military canines, zoo species from primates to pumas, and farm animals as big as horses.

Plus the latest Zoos News, a Ms. Mallory Minute with wildlife adventurer Mallory Lindsay, and an all new That Sounds Wild.

Long time Moorpark College professor Gary Wilson joins Zoo Logic host Dr. Grey Stafford to discuss the Exotic Animal Training and Management program, America's oldest professional zookeeping academic curriculum. Gary describes the early history of EATM at Moorpark first as a student and now as a long serving professor. Students develop advanced skills and gain practical experience learning and working at a functioning public zoo with about 130 animals. Gary and Grey discuss the evolution of zookeeping as a multidisciplinary and science-based career that is increasingly reliant on applied animal training principles.

Plus the latest Zoos News, an all new Ms. Mallory Minute with national spokesperson and wildlife adventurer, Mallory Lindsay, and an all new That Sounds Wild.

Animal Law attorney Michelle Pardo joins host Dr. Grey Stafford to discuss legal challenges by animal rights groups using landmark laws such as the ESA, MMPA, and AWA to attack, not just zoos, but all domestic, pet, and wild animal activities, agriculture, and stakeholders. She describes important court rulings like PeTA's defeat in the "monkey selfie" case, the multimillion dollar settlement activist groups had to pay Ringling's parent company, and the evolving litigation strategies of zoo opponents using consumer protection statutes. The implications for animal professionals and zoo fans are scary!

Plus the latest Zoos News, a new feature called Science Fact or Science Fiction, and an all new That Sounds Wild.

Dr. Jason Bruck joins Zoo Logic host Dr. Grey Stafford to talk about the increasingly important collaborative role between scientists and zoological facilities in order to preserve wild species. Jason describes his research on how complex social systems in cetaceans, primates and other vertebrates drive the evolution of complex learning and memory skills. They also discuss the role of a researcher and that of a paid lobbyist to answer whether a scientist can or should publish scientific papers at the same time he or she is lobbying on behalf of a client or issue.

Plus the latest Zoos News and an all new That Sounds Wild.

NOAA Fisheries scientist, Dr. Barbara Taylor, joins Zoo Logic host Dr. Grey Stafford to discuss the progress of women in science, her field work to help endangered marine mammals like the Bowhead whale rebound in numbers, and the recent efforts through vaquitaCPR.org to save the nearly extinct vaquita porpoise. While the fate of the vaquita may be sealed, the cooperative model and painful lessons learned over the past few years by scientists, marine mammal veterinarians, animal trainers and zoological professionals, governments, animal activists, and related conservation organizations to act early and boldly may just save other wild marine species from extinction.