Rossifari Podcast - Zoos, Aquariums, and Animal Conservation

Dateline: May 13, 2022. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   In Zoo News, we talk about accreditation at The Naples Zoo, mall aquariums, sad stories out of Detroit and Washington, cool hires at the San Diego Zoo and Columbus Zoo, and so much more! In Conservation News, we talk about tiny frogs, baby ele...

Today the Safari heads to Moorpark College to visit America's Teaching Zoo! We sit down with Mara Rodriguez, the Zoo Development Coordinator, to find out exactly how ATZ works and what the experience is like for staff and students alike!  You'll hear about some of the incredible ambassador animals I got to spend time with, and you'll also get to hear from three of the current studen...

Dateline: May 6, 2022. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   In Zoo News, we talk about a new tree roo, share a sad tale from the National Zoo, discuss tamandua rabies, share a unique octopus plan, and so much more! In Conservation News, we talk about a rare subspecies of cheetah, good news for manatees,...

Today the Safari heads back to Mendon, MA, to hang out with longtime friend and guest, Dani Poirier-Larson.  Along with being the "Mother of Birds" at Southwick's, Dani is also now the mother of a human baby! And I thought that with Mother's Day being later this week, this would be the perfect time to sit down and talk about what zookeeping is like while pregnant, what maternit...

Dateline: April 29, 2022. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   In Zoo News, we talk Avian Influenza and ways you can help, amazing coral news out of Sea World, parking issues at zoos, a red panda on the move, and so much more! In Conservation News, we have good news for red wolves, an animal overpass, a...

Today, the Safari continues on our journey through California with a stop at the Gibbon Conservation Center! This is an incredible conservation facility dedicated to the conservation of gibbons (hence the name!). I talk with Gabi Skollar, the director of the facility, about her incredible journey from Hungary to California, how a chance encounter led to a life dedicated to gibbons, and about so ma...

Dateline: April 22, 2022. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   In Zoo News, we are talking about an impact our podcast and community had, an update on the Johnson Park animals, good news at Beardsley Zoo, a cool lemur story, a few sad stories, and so much more! In Conservation News, we have good news fo...

Today, the Safari heads back across the country to visit the Aquarium of the Pacific! The same team that brought you (and me) to learn about sea turtles in a river in Los Angeles is now back to take us through the beautiful aquarium! We'll learn about octopuses, cuttlefish, sea turtle ambassadors, a baby sea otter, and so much more!   EPISODE LINKS:  www.aquariumofpacific.org  @aquariumpacifi...

Dateline: April 15, 2022. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   I start off by giving you an in-depth discussion of what I've been going through this last week.  Not embarrassing at all (yes, yes it is)!  In Zoo News, we are talking about the importance of symbolic adoptions, a life saving technique...

Today, the Safari heads back to Camden, NJ, for Part 2 of our five part sit-down with the staff of Adventure Aquarium! And this time, we are here to celebrate Penguin Awareness Month! An entire month of being aware of penguins, and what we can do to help them! And it all starts by learning about the two colonies of penguins that call Adventure Aquarium home.  Mary Elizabeth is known as the "P...

Hey y’all! Just checking in with a quick update for today. You’ll understand if you listen. 

Today, the Safari heads back to California, to Avian Behavior International in sunny Escondido! I talk to Hillary Hankey, the owner of this one-of-a-kind facility and renowned bird trainer.  We talk about some of the birds in her flock, gender norms in the animal world, leadership and training (of people and animals), and all kinds of wild stuff.  You'll also get to hear about Hillary's...

Dateline: April 1, 2022. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   In Zoo News, are talking black bears in North Carolina, maned wolves in Louisiana, bongos in Denver, takins, red pandas, and so much more! In Conservation News, we learn about burrowing owls, orcas, and a HUGE rhino news story! And in Other N...

Today, the Safari heads to our hometown aquarium, Adventure Aquarium, to celebrate their birthday and mine!  This is the start of a really cool series on the pod, where we will be visiting Adventure Aquarium once a month to talk about the amazing animals there. Today, you'll get to meet Alex, a biologist at the aquarium that is here to share all about the big 30th birthday bash, and also some...

Dateline: March 25, 2022. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   In Zoo News, we say hello and goodbye to some zoo animals, talk about a guy breaking into a zoo, discuss peacock attacks, and so much more! In Conservation News, we learn about whale snot, snake taxonomy, and just how smart birds are! And in...

Today, the Safari is getting settled down in Los Angeles, CA, where I spent a month gigging and exploring cool zoos, aquariums, and conservation organizations! And of all the amazing experiences I had, I don't think one surprised me more than this one, because I didn't even know it existed! Did you know that right in Los Angeles, there is a wild population of juvenile green sea turtles?!...

Dateline: March 18, 2022. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   In Zoo News, we talk about a new study looking at the health of captive dolphins and other cetaceans, share some updates from the Columbus Zoo, and so much more! In Conservation News, we learn about drones helping with conservation, have a b...

Today, the Safari heads to Tulsa, OK, to chat with Joe Barkowski of the Tulsa Zoo.  We talk about conservation efforts, some of the amazing animals at the zoo, and even a good bit about why certain buildings are designed the way they are at the zoo.  It's an enlightening chat from a zoo that I have loved for a long time!  EPISODE LINKS:  www.tulsazoo.org  @tulsazoo on socials  ROSSIFARI LINKS...

Dateline: March 11, 2022. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   In Zoo News, we do a deep dive on zoo stories from the war in Ukraine, talk more about the avian disease sweeping the nation, and more!  Then we cut the episode short for personal reason.  Sorry! I explain in the episode.  Love to you all! ...

Today the Safari heads to the world famous San Diego Zoo for a conversation with Nicki Boyd, the Associate Curator of Behavioral Husbandry at the zoo, and also a board member of Red Panda Network! This is a sprawling episode that talks about Nicki's journey, how the recent rebranding to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has had a major impact on the zoo, the unique role that transparency plays...

Dateline: March 3, 2022. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   In Zoo News, we do a deep dive on zoo stories from the war in Ukraine, look at some cool things happening at aquariums, say goodbye to a friend, and more! In Conservation News, we talk turtles, eagles, red wolves, gorillas, and more! In Other...

Today, the Safari continues our trip out west, this time stopping at the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks, OK.  You'll get to hear from Dr. Ann Money, the Director of Development and Research at the aquarium.  She's been there since the beginning, and knows the animals, the space, and the story of the development of the aquarium.  There is a LOT of cool stuff here.  You'll also get to hea...

Dateline: February 25, 2022. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   In Zoo News, we are talking about an idiot at the Franklin Park Zoo, how the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is helping yet another species, and more!  In Conservation News, we talk rhinos, elephants, dolphins, and more!  In Other News, w...

Today, the Safari continues it's trip to the west coast with a stop at the St. Louis Aquarium! This is a new facility, opened in 2019 (and then closed for Covid in 2020), so this podcast has a lot of cool information about designing and opening a new aquarium.  My guest, Erin Clark, also brings a wealth of cool knowledge and experience from her life before St. Louis, including when she lived...

Dateline: February 18, 2022: Zoo News is back with a roundup of the news from the worlds of zoos and conservation!  In Zoo News, we talk about why Billie Eilish is wrong,  a bunch of cool births, an otter attack, and more!   In Conservation News, we touch on koalas, platypus, wolves, Florida, and more! And in Other News, we feature a neat story about chimp first aid, some crazy bird stories, and a...