Zoo Logic

About 5 years ago, a month old beluga whale calf from the endangered subpopulation of cetaceans native to Cook Inlet Alaska stranded on a mud flat. Much to the surprise of initial responders from the Alaska Sealife Center, the little male was still alive but in serious condition. Over the next serval days and weeks, members of the marine mammal zoological community rallied from across the U.S. to provide medical resources and staffing to provide him around the clock care. By early 2018, NOAA Fisheries deemed the young whale non-releasable due to his young age, health status, and lack of survival skills. The government decided the best location to continue his recovery was with the large beluga pod at SeaWorld of Texas. Curator Katie Kolodziej  describes this remarkable young cetacean named Tyonek and the process of introducing him to his new pod of beluga whales and the instrumental role one special pacific white-sided dolphin played in his success.

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Zoo Logic

How do we describe the last of any living thing, plant or animal? Is there even a word for something, some individual that is the last of its kind?  And does it matter? According to scientist and historian, Dr. Lydia Pyne, one useful word may be, "Endling." In her new book, Endlings: Fables for the Anthropocene, she explains why these “last individuals” are poignant characters in the stories that humans tell themselves about today’s Anthropocene.  From Benjamin the thylacine to Celia the ibex to Lonesome George the Galápagos tortoise, endlings, Pyne argues, have the power to shape how we think about grief, mourning, and loss amid the world’s sixth mass extinction.

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Zoo Logic Podcast

Growing up in the United Kingdom, Will Elgar told his mom he was going to be either an astronaut, dolphin trainer or stunt man.  Given the lack of cetaceans in the UK, working with dolphins seemed unlikely, but Will eventually found a way. It turns out that his real passion was working with and training sea lions, which led him to new opportunities and species around the world. Recently named as the director of Zoo Miami in 2021, Will discusses how learning to train animals with positive reinforcement to develop relationships based on mutual trust has informed his skills as a manager and coach.

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Zoo Logic

Given the lack of familiarity on the current state of animals in research combined with deliberate misinformation by animal rights organizations, it's no wonder people have doubts about the use of animals for biomedical studies. Dr Cindy Buckmaster, Director of Public Outreach for the National Animal Interest Alliance and host of the podcast, GetReal! describes why animals are still necessary to develop therapeutic solutions for human and animal diseases.  She also discusses the various levels of oversight for animals in research as well as the multidisciplinary approach to ensure the best possible husbandry care and welfare for animals. 

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KONG Zoo

Zoo Logic

From time to time Zoo Logic is approached by publishers, animal facilities, and individuals requesting to appear on this podcast. Recently, we were approached by a publisher in what can only be described as the most unexpected guest request ever! The publisher had re-issued an updated 30th anniversary edition of Free the Animals, written by none other than PeTA founder, Ingrid Newkirk. After sending a review copy and scheduling the interview, communications coming from the publisher and PeTA began to decline and eventually cease altogether. Apparently, the team representing Ms. Newkirk developed cold feet. Undaunted, we examine the book which describes the formation of the Animal Liberation Front in North America in the early 1980's. Given the advancements in the law, oversight, and public awareness of animal testing since the book's first release decades ago, the question for Ms Newkirk and the author of her foreword, actor Joaquin Phoenix, is whether their message of resorting to criminal acts and property destruction to achieve animal liberation is relevant today.

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Zoo Logic

Recently, the IUCN Red List announced its findings that the Monarch Butterfly population had declined between 22% and 72% in just the past decade. As a result of this latest census, which largely attributes the dramatic population decline to habitat loss and overuse of pesticides, the species is now listed as endangered by the IUCN. Butterfly Wonderland's director of education, Adriane Grimaldi helps us understand this amazing species and its incredible yearly migration from Canada to Mexico. Plus, she describes what each of us can do to help preserve and restore the monarch.

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Zoo Logic

Emmy winner, best-selling author, and animal advocate Carolyn Hennesy shares news on the launch of her new podcast: Life, Love  and Conservation. We also learn more about her work as an actor and how she's able to channel the light and dark she says lies within each of us to create memorable characters on stage and screen. Plus, she reveals her professional link to the Star Wars universe and her family connection to the original Star Trek series.

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Zoo Logic

After 15 months of constant care to restore JJ the gray whale calf to health and to prepare her for life in the wild, the complex day to return her back to the sea had arrived. Marine mammal expert Keith Yip describes the apprehension he and his team experienced as they attempted to safely transport the largest living creature in history.  

Plus, a moment to remember the passing of a marine mammal medicine and science icon, Dr. Sam Ridgway.

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Zoo Logic

ZOOmility

A quarter of a century ago, SeaWorld San Diego received a days old, nearly one ton gray whale calf whose mother was nowhere to be found and was presumed dead from a possible boat strike. With no previous data or experience on the neonatal nutritional and husbandry needs of a large species of baleen whale, SeaWorld's Keith Yip and the rest of the animal team set about the impossible task of saving an emaciated and dehydrated calf on the verge of death. What began as a long-shot turned into world wide interest in the first-of-its-kind rescue, rehabilitation, study, and eventual return to the ocean of a 31 foot, 19,000 pound gray whale some 15 months later. Part 1.

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Zoo Logic

ZOOmility

Maricopa County Animal Care and Control is one of the largest municipal shelters in the US. Community Outreach Manager, Gina Martino describes the challenges of operating a nearly full public shelter caring for several hundred animals at a time in the fastest growing county in the country. Compounding matters is the July 4th holiday, which invariably leads to more missing and frightened family pets. Gina offers steps the community can take to improve the lives of animals in their care even as we all work to lower the number of animals in need of forever homes.

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Zoo Logic

For the past few weeks, the ZooMontana team has been at the center of a local controversy stemming from a scheduled 406 Pride event featuring drag queens reading family friendly stories to children. Executive Director, Jeff Ewelt who has borne the brunt of the criticism by those opposed to the Pride event being held at the zoo, has eloquently and unapologetically posted on social media defending his decision to host this ticketed event because "ZooMontana prides itself in being inclusive of all living beings."

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Zoo Logic

The New York State court of appeals announced its decision this week supporting lower court rulings that Happy, the Bronx Zoo elephant, was not entitled to legal rights held by human beings such as Habeas Corpus. This is the latest in a series of attempts by groups such as the non Human Rights Project to have charismatic animals like elephants and great apes granted personhood, under which they could then avail themselves of legal rights such as Habeas Corpus. Animal Law attorney, Michelle Pardo, describes the court's ruling and criticism of the plaintiff's petition, as well as, the minority opinion.

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Zoo Logic

Dr. Holley Muraco is the director of research at the Mississippi Aquarium. In addition to starting her career training aquatic and terrestrial animals like dolphins and elephants, she has spent her graduate and post graduate time studying reproduction in marine mammals, especially those that are not as prolific in human care. She also enjoys working with students, particularly girls and minorities from her home state, and exposing them to the possibilities of a marine biology research career. Thanks to circumstances stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, she found herself caring for native wildlife like raccoons and most recently, beaver kits. And according to Holley, there's so much to learn about this once nearly extinct species from their physiology to engineering skills.  

Hickman's Family Farms is a family run egg provider almost as old as the state of Arizona where the company was founded. With approximately 10 million laying hens housed across a half dozen facilities in the Southwest, its husbandry and bio-security measures to protect the collection from hazards such as the current strain of Avian Influenza virus dwarf those of any zoo or aquarium. Compliance Manager, Shari Yeatts describes the American Humane certified company's operations, the tracking of current and future animal welfare regulations which often vary by state, and the growing use of cage-free housing and enrichment.

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Zoo Logic

It's part two of our animal welfare research panel of experts from the recent meeting of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums held at SeaWorld of Florida. First up is researcher, Dr Jason Bruck describing his diverse study interests including the first published evidence that dolphins utilize urine to identify conspecifics--an extraordinary finding making national and international news and even a mention in Stephen Colbert's monologue on the Late Show! Also featured are scientists, Dr Kathleen Dudzinski and Dr. Heather Hill to discuss animal welfare and the future of the marine mammal community.

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Zoo Logic

Recently, the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums held its annual meeting at SeaWorld of Florida. We had the opportunity to hear from several researchers on the latest zoo and aquarium animal welfare studies, with an emphasis on cetaceans. In part one of this two part series, we hear from Dr. Lance Miller from the Chicago Zoological Society on how the organization monitors, assesses, and studies welfare across the entire zoo collection. Dr. Miller also provides an overview of the extensive cetacean welfare study conducted in cooperation with dozens of facilities, which has already resulted in 9 peer-reviewed papers.  Plus, Dr. Kelly Jaakkola from the Dolphin Research Center discusses her passion for cognition research, cognitive welfare for animals in human care, and the importance of providing species appropriate cognitive challenges to animals.

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Zoo Logic

In 1988 two veterinarians launched a dolphin facility on the Big Island of Hawaii that would help usher in a whole new experience between humans and bottlenose dolphins. That company, Dolphin Quest, has been a pioneer in creating guest interactive experiences based on science, conservation and education about the ocean environment and its most well-known cetacean ambassadors. Co-founder, Dr. Rae Stone pierced the once male dominated veterinary profession and lead the way in the use of ultrasound technology to monitor animal health and reproduction. Joining Dr. Stone is long time DQ team member and current VP of Animals, Michelle Campbell. Together, these marine mammal leaders discuss the Dolphin Quest culture and its mission to apply scientific and husbandry lessons learned in human care to meet the growing list of challenges wild marine animals face.

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Zoo Logic

ZOOmility

No one is immune from heart-wrenching video clips of animals in dire conditions, particularly a stranded marine mammal or one ensnared in ghost nets, crab traps, and other ocean debris. While most people want to assist wild animals in need, few of us are trained, experienced, and authorized to intervene in what can be an incredibly dangerous situation for both animals and humans. Keith Yip is an experienced animal care professional with decades of experience in husbandry, transport logistics, and government authorization for disentanglement of large whales and other species.

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Zoo Logic

ZOOmility

According to its website, Wildlife ACT is a non-profit trust on a mission to save endangered wildlife and wild places from extinction. Its professionals, like our guest PJ Roberts, work in the field to monitor endangered and critically endangered species, including lesser known and appreciated animals like vultures. To assist in their conservation and fundraising efforts, Wildlife Act incorporates tourists as part of their data collection and monitoring services to protected areas in South Africa and other range countries. Wildlife ACT uniquely advances conservation by initiating, implementing and managing monitoring projects on reserves which do not have existing monitoring programs in place or by taking over existing monitoring projects on reserves that can no longer fund or manage them.

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KONG Zoo

Zoo Logic

In a world weary of pandemic, we asked Dr. Yvonne Nadler, long time veterinary expert with the ZAHP Fusion Center, to describe the risks to animals from the latest strain of Avian Influenza. This year's strain appears more active than in recent years, which places the nation's poultry industry at greater risk. Other facilities like zoos and aquariums are at heightened risk of an outbreak due to accidental spread through public visitation as well as the mingling of collection and wild species in open air exhibits.  What are the steps facilities can take to prevent the lethal spread of Avian Flu and what species are most vulnerable?  

Plus, an unusual case of rabies.

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KONG Zoo

Zoo Logic

ZOOmility