Zoo-notable

Talk about two worlds coming together! I was nervous but very excited to sit down and talk to Jason Morgan, the Wounded Warrior whose book A Dog Called Hope opened my eyes to more than animals and conservation. Jason is SUCH an inspiration, and folks, we need more people like him to give us ALL hope, encouragement, and a call to action.

Want to learn more?

Check out the book for yourself: A Dog Called Hope

Learn more about Canine Companions for Independence

Jason Morgan and Veteran's Outpost

I sat down with the multi-skilled Suzanne Akerman of Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium to discuss her fascinating dystopian adventure novel The Deliverers. We talk about spoilers, her job at Wild Wonders at PDZA, and her involvement with the American Association of Zookeepers. Whew! It's a lot!

I share a spoiler of my own, as well!

We go over A LOT! Basically:

Support Suzanne and pick up a copy of her book The Deliverers (and support local bookstores in the process)

Learn more about AAZK and Point Defiance chapter's events: Rowdy for Rhinos, Drinking for Conservation, other fun events

Check out Extraordinary Creatures and How to Care for Them at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, every day throughout the summer.

As always, if you liked this episode, stay updated with ZooFit's projects, connect with ZooFit online

Today's Zoo-notable was a no-brainer as it is Karen Pryor's birthday. It's also appropriate for Mother's Day because I consider Karen the Mother of positive reinforcement training.

Don't Shoot the Dog is considered the animal trainer's bible. But it isn't just for training animals, it's about teaching and learning for everyone! There's so much to share, and I can't wait to discuss it with you!

Want a copy of Don't Shoot the Dog for yourself (or know someone who needs a copy)? Grab a copy from Karen Pryor Clicker Training, and check out some of the training courses offered at Karen Pryor Academy (I highly recommend courses held at The Ranch!)

Related Zoo-notables: Lads Before the Wind by Karen Pryor

The Eye of the Trainer by Ken Ramirez

Atomic Habits by James Clear- Part One and Part Two

As always, stay connected with ZooFit online, so you can eat clean, live green, and TRAIN POSITIVE everyday!

In this essential book for anyone interested in tapping into and unleashing their true potential as humans and their wild nature, we'll discuss why we have brains (it's not for thinking!), how being mindful helps us both physically and mentally, dealing with stress, and connecting with nature.

Want to be inspired by my inspiration? Check out Heroic and Brian Johnson's Philosopher Notes (you'll see a HUGE similarity)

Related Zoo-notables:

Animals Make Us Human

Zoobiquity

ZooFit Safari

Blue Mind

And connect with ZooFit, so you can shine bright as the best version of yourself, today, tomorrow, and forever!

We're closing Earth Month with yet one more book at ways we can improve our world by improving our relationship with our neighbors...our wild neighbors and connecting with nature in our own backyards: Nature's Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy

Get a copy of Nature's Best Hope yourself, or check it out at your local library (you can listen to it on audio, too)

Related Zoo-notables: Where the Wild Things Were and Last Child in the Woods

Connect with ZooFit for more on how to provide self-care for you and the planet

In The Once and Future World, MacKinnon invites us to remember nature as it was, to reconnect to nature in a meaningful way, and to remake a wilder world everywhere. He goes looking for landscapes untouched by human hands. He revisits a globe exuberant with life, where lions roam North America and ten times more whales swim in the sea. He shows us that the vestiges of lost nature surround us every day: buy an avocado at the grocery store and you have a seed designed to pass through the digestive tracts of huge animals that have been driven extinct.

Celebrate Earth Day Weekend with a book that changes our relationship with nature and encourages us to remember, reconnect, and reignite our love for the planet.

Want this book? Check it out at your local library

Connect with ZooFit for more ways to channel the best version of yourself while promoting a healthy environment and a healthy you.

I LOVED Wisdom from a Humble Jellyfish because it taught me a little about interesting animals (I honestly didn't think about the different types of webs spiders weave, or how dragonflies catch their prey) while also imparting important self-care lessons that can help us all.

I even thought of my own wisdom from nature idea, perfect for April 9, 2023, as we celebrate Easter!

Want to find your own great tips from nature? Grab Wisdom from a Humble Jellyfish and discover how learning from nature can help yourself!

Learn more from nature with these related Zoo-notables: Where the Wild Things Were; Queer Ducks; How to be a Good Creature; and Be a Sloth

Learn even MORE from nature at my ZooFit.net blog: Self-Care Tips from the Animal Kingdom; Life-Lessons from a Sloth; Lessons from a Tiger; I Love Horses (and the lessons they share); and more!

Meet Odder, the Queen of Play:

Nobody has her moves.
She doesn't just swim to the bottom,
she dive-bombs.
She doesn't just somersault,
she triple-doughnuts.
She doesn't just ride the waves,
she makes them.Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she's known. She's a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herself--and about the humans who hope to save her.Inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers, this poignant and humorous tale told in free verse examines bravery and healing through the eyes of one of nature's most beloved and charming animals.

If this book sounds incredible to you (trust me, it really is!) you can nab your own copy here

Check out similar Zoo-notables: The Lorax by Dr. Suess

Clare Meeker and Growing Up Gorilla

Where the Wild Things Were

Reach out to me, PJ with ZooFit and discover ways to improve your life and the world around you by connecting to nature and wildlife in healthy and positive ways

Are you ready to build bridges and create safe spaces where difficult conversations can happen, and REALLY understand one another? I Never Thought of It That Way can open your eyes and show us how curiosity and experiences make us better people, creating a better world.

There is SO MUCH I loved about this book. Enjoy this Zoo-notable and reach out to meet others where they are. It's powerful and empowering!

Ideas discussed that you can take action on:

Virtues in Action Survey

Individual Differences Research- Human Values Test

Grab a copy of the book yourself: I Never Thought of It That Way

Connect with ZooFit (as I explore this topic further on my blog)

We couldn't celebrate Women's Month without a deep discussion of the powerful, and empowering book In the Flo by Alisa Vitti. This book is about unlocking the secrets of our cycle and letting it work WITH us, rather than ignoring it or pushing it back.

Want to get In the Flo yourself? Get it here

Discover In the Flo Living(I myself tried the Flo28 program for a year, and it's really great!)

As always, connect with ZooFit online, and remember to live green and train positive!