Rossifari Podcast - Zoos, Aquariums, and Animal Conservation

Today, the Safari heads to Sydney, Australia (by way of Zoom, sadly) to talk to Reneé Howell, a Senior Keeper at Wildlife Sydney Zoo.  Reneé takes care of Kofi, a Goodfellows tree kangaroo I am absolutely in love with.  Oh, also some other animals.  This is a great place to learn more about wombat butts, quokka, and a special dog named Jindy.   EPISODE LINKS:  www.wildlifesydney.com.au  @wildlifes...

Dateline: June 24, 2021: Rossifari Zoo News is back with zoo and conservation news stories for you!  Zoo News topics include diversity initiative announcements and follow-ups, a follow up to a previous story from Zoo Tampa, some amazing births, and some really cool stories about geriatric animals at zoos...and so much more!  Conservation News takes a look at giraffe conservation, shark fins, invas...

Today, the Safari heads to Indianapolis, IN, to talk to senior marine mammal keeper Erika Allen about the dolphins in her care!  Erika was a guest on Episode 38, "I Am The Walrus," and I could not be happier to have her back.  We spend the whole episode talking dolphins, going deep on their amazing adaptations and the awesome care they receive at the zoo!  Stay tuned to the very end to h...

Dateline: June 17, 2021: Rossifari Zoo News is back with a plethora of cool stories from the worlds of zoos, aquariums, and conservation!  Zoo News topics include the winners of USA Today's Best Zoo Exhibit, a quick missive against the New York Times, Castor the bear, the Oakland Zoo being amazing, mermaids, a huge zoo expansion, and a story about the vet at the San Antonio Zoo!   Conservatio...

Today, the Safari stays in Providence, RI, for a second keeper chat at Roger Williams Park Zoo!  Today, I bring you Lauren Puccia, a swing keeper! Along with being a keeper, she's also a fan and a friend, which leads to a really fun discussion of all kinds of random stuff.  Lauren is also very interested in using her presence online to bring joy and encouragement to others, and we discuss tha...

As I'm sure many of you have heard, the New York Times from Friday, June 11, included an opinion piece called "The Case Against Zoos." The digital heading for this piece simply stated "Zoos Are Bad For Animals."  No.  I spent the evening researching, writing, and recording this rebuttal.  Special thanks to Dr. Zoë Vesley-Gross for helping me out with some of the stickier m...

Dateline: June 10, 2021: Rossifari Zoo News is back with a plethora of cool stories from the worlds of zoos, aquariums, and conservation!  Zoo News topics include the winners of USA Today's Best Zoo, Aquarium, and Safari Park contests, some birth and death, and an elephant helping with human conservation! Conservation News topics include some great news for red wolves, bamboo sharks, and P-ho...

Today ,the Safari heads to Providence, RI, to visit Roger Williams Park Zoo! Today I interview Laura Isaacs, a keeper in the Africa region!  We talk all about watusi, zebras, cranes, and cheetahs! The episode ends with around 10 minutes spent hanging out with the cheetahs at their exhibit! And let me tell you, those cats were excited to share their thoughts as I recorded the encounter!  EPISODE LI...

Dateline: June 3, 2021: Rossifari Zoo News is back with all the zoo and conservation news you can use!  Zoo News topics include some sad tales of animals passing away, another idiot human invading an animal enclosure, a viral video from a Japanese zoo, Elephants in Israel, and conservation efforts by Zoo Tampa and Memphis Zoo!  Conservation News topics include whooping cranes, a debate over rhino...

Today, the Safari heads back to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Ohio.  It's the moment many of you have been waiting for since this podcast began: the story of Fiona the hippo, from one of the keepers who lived it.  You'll get to hear, in great detail, what those first few weeks were like for the people involved in taking care of Fiona, including the extraordinary measures th...

Dateline: May 27, 2021: Rossifari Zoo News is back with all the zoo and conservation news you can use!  Zoo News topics include the seizure of big cats from a former Tiger King associate, a person climbing into a spider monkey exhibit, AZA ZHAP, an alligator escape, news from the National Zoo, and more!  Conservation News topics include tasmanian devils, mountain gorillas, and spa fish!  Other New...

Today, the Safari stays at Cape May County Zoo to talk to Amy King! Amy is the dietitian at the zoo, and part of that job includes taking care of the red pandas there, including Luna, the oldest panda in the United States! You'll get to hear all about the geriatric care of this amazing girl, and about her younger friend Benjamin! We also discuss foxes in this episode! Beyond her work at the z...

Dateline: May 20, 2021: Rossifari Zoo News is here with the latest news from the world of zoos and conservation! This week we talk about an amazing new mixed species exhibit coming to a zoo in the UK; the surprising death of a markhor; an update on the Akron red wolf pups and the butterflies mentioned in last week's episode; some exciting beluga movement; and an incredible state of the art ve...

Today, the Safari heads to Cape May Courthouse, NJ, to visit the Cape May County Zoo! I sit down with Jen Berg, the Supervising Animal Keeper of Carnivores and Primates to talk about her favorite animals, the big cats that are at the zoo.  These cats include lions, cheetahs, snow leopards, and Amur leopard, and, of course, a cow!  Ok, the cow isn't a big cat, but she is the star of the show a...

Dateline: May 13, 2021: Rossifari Zoo News is back with this week's headlines in the world of zoos and conservation! This week in Zoo News, we talk about a possible expansion at Reid Park Zoo; an update to last week's Blue at the Zoo story; a new inclusive membership program at Columbus Zoo; some amazing training being done at Zoo Atlanta, and a very important birth at the Akron Zoo! In...

Today, the Safari heads to the Smithsonian to talk to Carly Hornberger, a primate keeper at Smithsonian's National Zoo, and Jenn Donato, the Registrar at the Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute.  While we do talk a little bit about their careers, today both guests are here to talk about the Association of Minority Zoo and Aquarium Professionals (AMZAP).  We talk about what life...

Dateline: May 6, 2021: Rossifari Zoo News is here to talk about Covid vaccines in non-human animal species, new mask guidelines at zoos, introduce you to AMZAP and talk about the involvement of the AZA and ZAA, and so much more.  In Conservation News, we discuss manatees, polar bears, palm oil, bats, chickens, and bison! And in Other News: which bird is the most instagrammable? All this and so muc...

Today, the Safari heads back to Akron, Ohio, to preview the brand new exhibits making up the Wild Asia section of the zoo, opening May 29th! Wild Asia brings three species to the Akron Zoo...red pandas, tigers, and gibbons! This episode features chats with one of the primary keepers of each species (Tyler, Brenna, and Lisa), and an interview with Elena, the director of marketing who gave me my tou...

Dateline: April 29, 2021. Today, Rossifari Zoo News takes a look at last week's Party for the Planet, dissects Fiona the hippo's genetics, talks about how some ingenuity helped avoid total disaster for Maritime Aquarium, tells you about an amazing mouse deer birth, looks more closely at the cause of death of a beloved polar bear, and reminds listeners to vote for their favorite zoo with...

Today, the Safari heads to Namibia, to the headquarters of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. I speak with Stephanie Fennessy, the director of this incredible organization.  Giraffes  are further along the path to extinction than most people realize. Today's episode brings the people at the center of the fight to save them to the forefront.  Hear all about what it takes to learn about giraf...

Today, the Safari heads to Southwick's Zoo in Mendon, Massachusetts, but FOR REAL THIS TIME!  I actually finally got to visit Southwick's Zoo!  After months of friendship, I got to hang out with Emily Begué and Dani Poirier-Larson, and it was a blast! Even more importantly, I got to hang out with some awesome birds, and see the zoo I have heard so much about!  So today, I bring you my fi...

Dateline: April 22, 2021. We are back with another look at the news happening at zoos and in the world of conservation! This week in zoo news, we look at how the vet staff at the Oakland Zoo saved a species they don't normally treat; hear a tale of manatee love; talk about some ways Covid is affecting zoos in the US and UK; and more! In conservation news, we talk about Tasmanian devils, tree...

Today the Safari heads back to Mendon, Massachusetts, to visit Southwick's Zoo! But this time the guest isn't Dani Poirier-Larson, but a different crazy bird lady, Emily Begué! Emily and I talk all about what it's like to start a career as a zookeeper, how a mentor is incredibly important (and what to do when you don't have one), and how different practical experience in the fi...

Dateline: April 15, 2021. For our second episode, Rossifari Zoo News continues to evolve.  Thank you to everyone who has sent me messages about this format, what you love, and what might help make it better!  Also to those who sent in news articles.   Today, we look at zoo news from Columbus, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia. We also examine some trends, both in real life and online, happening in zoos...

G'day!  Today, the Safari heads to Australia for the first ever episode of Rossifari Down Under!  I bring you my interview with Chad Crittle, Senior Keeper of Birds and Free Flight Presentations at the Adelaide Zoo! This interview touches on some of the birds Chad takes care of, but instead we talk a lot about one of my favorite animals, tree kangaroos!  We also have a discussion about the di...