Zoo-notable

After reading this book a couple of years ago, I re-read it and had to add it to my top 20 all-time favorite books. Every chapter is filled with fantastic wisdom, you can check out more from this book on my blog: ZooFit . It takes discipline. It takes commitment. It takes time and effort. It takes what it takes. Love this Zoo-notable? Check out the book at your local library or community bookstore...

I'm a published author! In 2021, I joined a program called the Narrative Project , where I met my guests for today-- Isabel Castro, Lauren Trantham, and Carrie Kenner. Throughout the year, we helped each other finish our stories, and now one of the fruits of our labor is out in the real world with the release of True Stories Vol. 5 .   With the release of our new book, I gathered my group of...

In Part 1 of my Zoo-notable on Atomic Habits, I discussed the grand ideas that resonated the most with me, personally ( Check it out here ). In Part 2, we delve more into the science of how these principles and ideas are used with training animals, and why they are life-changing for us, too. We'll discuss why becoming aware of our behaviors is so important, how to bridge our effort and success, an...

Our habits build our identity; we are what we repeatedly do. Let's create a system for success and make it easy, attractive, and satisfying by delving into Atomic Habits by James Clear. Atomic Habits needs no real introduction. It is one of the most popular books on habits ever written, with over 10 million copies sold world-wide. But today, we'll peel the skin off this amazing book and dive into...

Want to go from ordinary to EXTRAordinary, gain superpowers, and show up as the best version of yourself for the new year? The best way to close the gap from where you are to where you want to be is through implementing HABITS. We're kicking off the new year with a great little book on habits-- Superhuman by Habit. It's by a guy named simply Tynan ( check out his work here ).  We'll discuss h...

New episodes are dropping starting January 1! We have some incredible books lined up: Atomic Habits by James Clear It Takes What It Takes by Trevor Moawad Unbowed by Wangari Maathai The Tribe of Tiger by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas plus more interviews with authors and friends to "tell me a story." ...and so much more Subscribe to Zoo-notable and never miss a single note!

It's my last Zoo-notable for 2022. As I prepare to go on my reading break, I thought I'd share some of my favorites from this past year. Here are my top 10 favorite Zoo-notables of the year: 10- The Secret Lives of Bats by Merlin Tuttle 9- Planet Palm by Jocelyn Zuckerman 8- On Writing by Stephen King 7- Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown 6- The Eye of the Trainer by Ken Ramirez 5- Finding Eco-...

Happy Vet Tech Week. I'm sharing some really insightful and helpful information for animal care technicians from an expert in the field, Dr. Kimberly Pope-Robinson, who has written an incredible book The Unspoken Life . We sat down to discuss what the Unspoken Life is like, how we can be more "spoken for" through self-care and filling our balloons, and go from broken and battered to resilient and...

To celebrate Indigenous People's Day, I'm sharing the fantastic wisdom from the book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. This is probably the most profound Zoonotable I feel I’ve ever done. I have always revered Native Americans for their relationship with the earth. But to be honest, I’ve never felt connected to their way of life. It was THEIR way, and while I feel more connected to natur...

While I have discussed this incredible book before, I'm revisiting it in honor of Butterfly and Hummingbird Day (10/3). This book is essential reading for anyone in the conservation or animal care field, doing what we can to make a difference in the animals' lives and the world around us. Visit us and become a part of ZooFit's Pride online at zoofit.net or on Patreon If you are struggling with com...

We discuss being animalish, not being alone, finding your legacy, being objective, and conservation's long game. Check out your local library or local bookstore to grab your copy. Support ZooFit and Zoo-notable on Patreon and at ZooFit.net

Welcome back to Zoo-notable. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve shared a new note, but I’m back for the next month or so before I go on my reading break. This week is National Dog Week, and today’s book is perfect to celebrate our canine best pals. I recently read some of Steven Kotler’s work, who wrote a great book called the Art of Impossible and other books. But I was intrigued by a title in his...

August is National Park Month, and what better way to celebrate than by discussing a book which discusses the positive benefits of experiencing nature, Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. Today, we'll discuss Talking the Talk versus Walking the (Nature) Walk, the Bogeyman Syndrome, Our Intelligence Type, Paying Attention versus Being Careful, and Movement Makes Us Smarter. Learn more about Ri...

Do animals feel anxiety? Do they cave under pressure, overeat certain foods, do risky behavior, become addicted to substances? More important than the specific answer to these questions is what can we learn as humans from the idea that wild animals can feel anxiety, cave under pressure, overeat, do risky behaviors, and become addicted to certain substances? That’s what we’re going to tackle today...

To close up National Zookeeper Week, I'm sitting down with my good friend and mentor, Stephanie Miller, to discuss her 30 year career working with animals in Atlanta and Seattle. We discuss empathy, what it means to be a keeper, and how to connect our audience to conservation in meaningful ways.  Visit Woodland Park Zoo (in-person or online), or find your local zoo and thank a keeper for all...

National Zookeeper Week is here! On this special episode of Zoo-notable, I sit down with Ken Ramirez, animal trainer extraordinaire, Vice President of Karen Pryor Clicker Training, and author of The Eye of the Trainer. We discuss training animal trainers, meeting people (and animals) where they are, how punishment works and doesn't work, and not jumping to conclusions, among many other topics cove...

What better way to celebrate Plastic Free July than learning how to be more mindful in our consumption and daily practices? Thich Nhat Hanh, great Buddhist Zen Master shows us how social justice, compassion, and environmental practices are interwoven in this profound book, Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet. Grab your copy here: Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet Learn more about Thich Nhat Ha...

We end June with a special Pride Month celebration of LGBTQ representation in the animal kingdom and the fascinating book Queer Ducks by Eliot Schrefer.  This groundbreaking illustrated nonfiction title from two-time National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer is a well-researched and teen-friendly exploration of the gamut of queer behaviors observed in a...

In our second book celebrating World Oceans Month, I sit down to talk to author Erin Pyne to discuss her book Dolphin Journey. We discuss empathy and how we can help dolphins to save the oceans and other marine animals, plus we geek out about Harry Potter (because of course we did!) and take trips down memory lane. Erin also shares a special story with her animals, inspiring me to work on building...

To celebrate World Ocean Day, I'm diving into a fantastic book that inspired me and motivated me to get in touch with nature, myself, and connect with others in a nurturing way.  Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols celebrates and honors the way being near, in, on, or under water makes us happier, healthier, more connected, and better at what we do!  Check out Blue Mind and Jay's work at wall...

On this International Day of Biodiversity, I show how we are all connected, and how you have a special purpose in life, no matter who you are. You can make a difference. Our Big Ideas: Everyone has a special and important purpose (Lessons from a Sea Star), Everything is Connected (Lessons from Reintroducing Wolves to Yellowstone), Keystone Species and Keystone Habits (Lessons from a Sea Otter), We...

This is part two of one of my favorite books of all time, Animal Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Last week we delved into the general Big Ideas from the book; this week I'm having some fun and sharing some of my own personal stories that mirror or parallel Barbara's. We'll talk about growing zucchini, cooking pumpkin, and how to talk to restaurant and store managers about conservation is...

To celebrate Mother's Day, here's one of my mom's favorite authors and our favorite book, Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. This is Part one, focusing a little more on Mother Earth (for Mother's Day) and next week I'll share some more fun ideas and stories inspired from the book. Animal Vegetable Miracle is a chronicle of one family's journey to eat closer to home, literally, and bri...

We're heading to the kitchen (my favorite room in the house!) to learn how our eating and cooking habits impact the environment with today's book Cooking Green by Kate Heyhoe. Connect with her at New Green Basics. Check out ZooFit for some Eating Green recipes! Support us on Patreon for bonuses such as recipe demos, eating green tips, and more!

What better way to celebrate Easter and Earth Day than a children's classic environmental tale, The Lorax? We'll share some great insight on environmental practices, but also great life lessons such as never giving up and always trying to do better.  Check out Danny Devito reading The Lorax on YouTube. Check out my blog on the Lessons from a Tiger . And some related Zoo-notables on the subjec...