The Toronto Zoo is working to help protect the critically endangered Black-Footed Ferret from going extinct in the wild through a breeding program. Yeshy Beyersbergen joins me on the podcast to tell us about the program that raises the ferrets at the Zoo with the goal of releasing them into the wild to add to the population in North America.
Yeshy describes the program and the criteria that each ferret must have before being released in the wild. She talks about the precautions that she and her colleagues have to take to keep the animals healthy and the number of new kits (babies) the Zoo has this year. The number of kits certainly keeps Yeshy and her fellow keepers busy!
Sophie De Vos joins me on the podcast to discuss her study on the behaviour of Juno, the polar bear, to ensure that the bear is doing well. Sophie is an undergraduate student from the Netherlands who flew over to the Toronto Zoo to study Juno on an overseas internship. Sophie recounts her journey from the Netherlands and how she is adapting to Canadian life. She also details the behaviour study and the type of behaviour patterns she is observing in Juno.
Jason Pootoolal, zookeeper, joins me once again on the podcast to talk about the new giraffe addition at your Toronto Zoo. Jason tells me the behind-the-scenes details of what it’s like to take care of a pregnant giraffe and how the baby is born.
He also discusses what it’s like to take care of a newborn giraffe and how the birth of this newborn will help the conservation of these endangered giraffes in the wild one day.
There are three new cheetah editions at your Toronto Zoo this year so you know I wanted to talk about these cute cubs in this episode.
Keith Pickthorn, a zookeeper in the African Savannah area of your Zoo, joins us on this episode to discuss the pregnancy, birth, and rearing of the cute big cats. He talks about how zookeepers monitor the animals during the pregnancy and rearing period and what he looks forward to you seeing when the babies are introduced to their outdoor habitat.
Heidi Manicki joins me on this episode to help celebrate Charles, the iconic Silverback Gorilla, who turned 50 this year. We discuss how Charles has matured over his years at the Toronto Zoo including his number one fear! We also discuss how important Charles is as an iconic connection for visitors to learn about how we can better protect critically endangered Western Lowland gorillas in the wild.
Keep listening for a surprise announcement to help protect gorillas!
Nigel Parr, Zookeeper, stops by the podcast to tell us about the breeding program that brought us Mila, the Amur tiger cub, to the Toronto Zoo. We go in-depth on the breeding process and Mila’s parents; how the Zookeepers help monitor the health of the cubs; and, how the cub is cared for by Mila’s mom Mazyria and the Zoo staff.
Help protect Amur Tigers: https://www.sumatranrangerproject.com
Toby Thorne, Native Bat Coordinator, and Melissa Mayhew, Senior Environmental Scientist at the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) join me on the podcast to discuss why native bat conservation is so important to the Canadian environment and how the partnership between the Zoo and the NWMO is working to help protect bats and their habitat.
The Oregon Spotted Frog is listed as an Endangered Species under the Canadian Species At Risk Act; therefore, the breeding success and reintroduction of offspring to the natural habitat is of utmost importance. It’s not surprising that the Toronto Zoo is partnering with Laurentian University to help research how to increase the success rate for the Oregon Spotted Frog breeding program at the Toronto Zoo.
Briar Hunter is a Master’s student at Laurentian University who is involved in the research of the breeding program and joins me on today’s episode to discuss her research purpose, collaborators out west, and what she hopes to accomplish after her research. Briar’s supervisors for her Master’s thesis are Dr. David Lesbarreres (Laurentian University) and Dr. Gabriela Mastromonaco (Toronto Zoo).
I am joined by Maria Franke, Manager of Welfare Science at the Toronto Zoo, on today’s episode to discuss how the Zoo monitors and studies animal welfare for its species. Animal welfare is always the number one priority. It uses a holistic approach that includes monitoring the physical, mental, and emotional status of the animals with a focus on quantitative data. Maria discusses how animal welfare at the Zoo is a collaborative effort and how the new Outdoor Orangutan Habitat will help to monitor the species’ welfare and allow comparisons of welfare between indoor and outdoor habitats.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Amanda Corbett today on the podcast to discuss the New Goat World habitat at the Toronto Zoo. The habitat offers goats a chance to climb, cross bridges, and climb the “Toronto Zoo” structure where guests can get a great photo!
Amanda tells you about the goat species we have at the Zoo and how the Zookeepers look after them, including their behavioural husbandry.
Ezekiel Gading joins me on the podcast to discuss his Master’s research thesis of studying the animal behaviour of one of the most charismatic animals in the animal kingdom, the orangutan. Ezekiel in conjunction with the Toronto Zoo has a unique opportunity to study how the Sumatran orangutans at the Zoo will behave after the move from the current indoor habitat to their new outdoor habitat.
Ezekiel and I discuss the science behind studying behaviour and how scientists measure animal welfare. Listen in on this great discussion on orangutan behaviour and how this species will adapt to their new outdoor home.
Ryan Hegarty, the Lead Keeper at the Australasia Pavilion at the Toronto Zoo, joins me to discuss the amazing Tree Kangaroo. These cute animals have adapted to live in trees with their long nails on their front paws and their rigid tail used for balance. Ryan gives us the details on what it’s like to care for Puzzle, the Zoo’s Tree Kangaroo.
Ryan also discusses the threats to the species in the wild and the Species Survival Plan (SSP) that is designed to preserve and protect species.
Brendan Bonner and I sit down to discuss why sloths move so slow and how do they survive in the wilderness. This conversation explores how animals adapt to their surroundings over time (evolution) for the best chances of survival. Brendan and I discuss competition for food, camouflage, teeth, and modified “feet” to help the sloth be successful at surviving in the wild.
Brendan talks about Sally the two-toed sloth who lives in the Americas Pavilion at your Toronto Zoo to provide us with a sense of how the Zoo staff works with her to ensure she receives the best care.
The Toronto Zoo Greenhouse is in the middle of showing off its new Amorphophallus bloom that only blooms once every two years. Amber Vitek, who tends to the tropical plants, joins me today to discuss the bloom, its memorable smell, and why it is important to freeze the reproductive parts of the plant.
Amber also tells me of the new @zoogreenhouse account for the Toronto Zoo that shows off the various plants in the Greenhouse.”
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoogreenhouse/
I had the chance to sit down with Mary-Kate Whibbs, The Great Lakes Program Coordinator, who focuses on coordinating outreach programs on local aquatic species. A part of the program is dedicated towards teaching kids about the migratory fishes of the Great Lakes. Mary-Kate tells me about two of her favourite species, American Eel and Atlantic Salmon, to discuss and their migratory patterns.
We talk about the distance of their migrations, how growth affects their migration, and where they go to reproduce.
Imagine if you could watch orangutans all day to observe their behaviours to better understand their ecological dynamics within a troop dynamic and in their environment. It would take an abundance of scientific observation that a field team could not complete due to the number of resources it would require to complete the study properly. However, new tools in Artificial Intelligence have made it possible to not only observe the behaviours through visual recordings, but it can also log certain behaviours displayed over time. This type of study can give scientists a better understanding of animal behaviour.
Dr. Jenna Congdon is a post-doctoral researcher at York University that is working with the Toronto Zoo to measure the behaviour of orangutans in their Zoo habitat using Artificial Intelligence tools that will help to better understand their behaviours, which could translate into better health and conservation in the wild.
Nutrition is of the utmost importance at the Toronto Zoo and the Nutrition Science Program is always looking for ways to offer food that will ensure the animals at the Zoo are healthy. Jaap Wensvoort, Manager of Nutrition Science at the Zoo, joins me on the podcast today to discuss the Browse Program that helps to keep the animals healthy and mentally stimulated. We discuss the various ways branches, leaves, and the trunks of trees are used by different animals at the Zoo such as giraffes and primates.
We also discuss a new location where the Zoo grows and harvests the browse that saves time, resources, and keeps the raw materials local (environmental savings).
This episode is packed with great information on grizzly bears and how they compare to polar bears.
Have you ever wondered how the animals’ habitats are built at the Toronto Zoo? It seems like all of these complex habitats are built every once and a while, but it seems seamless; however, that can’t be the case…and it isn’t the case. The animal habitats and designs are managed by the diverse team of professionals and led by the Project Management Team at the Toronto Zoo. I had the opportunity to sit down with Ben Knoop to ask him about his role as Project Manager.
We discuss everything from how he ended up working at the Zoo, what his favourite construction job was, and how he is looking forward to the new Outdoor Orangutan Habitat that is currently being built.
If you would like to support the Zoo in building the Orangutan Habitat, click on the link below to donate:
https://www.wildlifeconservancy.ca/habitat
Dr. Jill Bueddefeld joins me on the podcast to talk about her research in Collaboration with the Toronto Zoo to study how visitors at the Zoo receive, and act on, conservation messaging to help protect the planet’s animals. Major issues that are raised, such as the 6th Mass Extinction, are often met by the public with overwhelming feelings as the issue seems too big to tackle as an individual; however, conservation messages that provide the public with specific calls to action to help save an iconic animal can provide more realistic goals.
Your Toronto Zoo aims to continually improve its conservation methods by studying messages that have will inspire their visitors to implement those calls to action.
Jill describes the study’s methods and ways in which they will devise the conservation messages.
The Toronto Zoo participated in a long-term study to observe when their young Sumatran orangutans would lose their baby teeth. The data collection was part of a larger study across many zoos in North America to provide more information surrounding the age range at which the primates lose their teeth. The purpose of the study was to help scientists better protect orangutans in the wild. By getting this data from zoo populations, it helps researchers better understand and rehabilitate wild orangutans who do not have known birth dates.
Amanda Carroll, Zookeeper at the Toronto Zoo, sits down with me to discuss the study and how behavioural husbandry played an important role in collecting the data.
There is a lot of work involved in caring for a newborn animal at the Toronto Zoo. It starts with caring for the pregnant Mom to be and continues with caring for the newborn. Ensuring the new Mom has everything she needs to take care of her new addition. Kim Welfle, Zookeeper at the Zoo, joins me on today’s episode to discuss how the staff works together to make certain the newborn offspring is healthy and happy. She uses the Zoo’s newest addition to the Grevy’s zebra herd, Poe, as an example of how the Zoo works with the entire herd to help care for him.
Kim also tells us about how the different personalities of the newborn Zebras will dictate the approach the Zookeepers will take to provide the best care for the animals.
Brenden Bonner never thought that he would have such a passion for frogs until he started working as a Zookeeper in the Americas Pavilion at the Toronto Zoo. Since then, Brendan has learned a lot about the different species of tropical frogs that he looks after at the Zoo, including the conservation efforts in which the Zoo plays a direct role - where tadpoles are released in Puerto Rico.
I had the chance to sit down with Brendan on his second appearance on the Wild For Life Podcast (he made his debut on episode 17) to discuss why he is so passionate about frogs and how they are cared for at the Toronto Zoo.
Andrew Lentini, Senior Director of Wildlife And Science, and I reflect on some of the great conservation projects and events that took place at your Toronto Zoo in 2020.
We discuss the record number of Blanding’s turtles that were released this year into the wild and why the program has been so successful over the past decade. We talk about the addition of an endangered Masai giraffe calf that helped us all get through the pandemic lockdown in the spring. Finally, we talk about an exciting project that is coming in the new year, the outdoor Sumatran Orangutan Habitat.
Dr. Gabriela Mastromonaco sits down with me today to discuss a pilot project of using reproductive sciences to artificially inseminate wood bison in controlled and semi-controlled environments. This ground-breaking research is happening at your Toronto Zoo and has seen some great success within controlled environments. This past fall, Gaby’s team and project partners attempted to artificially inseminate wood bison at the Zoo within a semi-controlled environment.
Toronto Zoo Zookeepers, Ashley Slack and Deserrai Buunk, sit down with me to discuss the biology and conservation of the greater kudu. Ashley and Deserrai talk about their love for hoofstock animals, how they take care of the kudu at the Zoo, why the mixed-species exhibit is great for enrichment, and their conservation in the wild.
I had the wonderful opportunity to speak to Paula Mackie, a Reproductive Sciences Coordinator at the Toronto Zoo, about what the Reproductive Sciences team does to help drive conservation at the Zoo.
Paula tells me about how her passion for conservation guided her to work at the Zoo after exploring and working in other fields. She discusses the steps (and patience) it takes to create an animal embryo and she also explains to me why it’s so hard to preserve sperm from large cat species.
Episode 3 - Dr. Gabby Mastromonaco - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/wild-for-life/id1456395854?i=1000434606012”
Did you know that the red panda (Ailurus fulgens), known for being cute and cuddly, is an animal that is not related to the giant panda at all? In this episode, I interview keeper, Lisa Termini, who has the joyous opportunity to work with these incredible animals. I had the chance to ask Lisa some questions to find out more about the red pandas including what they eat, how the zookeepers use behavioural husbandry to work closely with the animals, and why they are endangered in the wild which, makes the work at your Toronto Zoo so important.
Jon Spero, Lead Keeper of Birds, joins me on the podcast to talk about the four species of hornbills at the Toronto Zoo. During the episode, Jon and I discuss the unique features of these wonderful birds, their cavity nests, and their conservation. Listen to why these birds are so important and find out what bird they are most often mistaken for.
Use this audio tour while on your Drive-Thru BOOmobile adventure at the Toronto Zoo! This NEW adventure takes you on a tour around the Zoo from the comfort of your own car and with this audio tour, your family can enjoy the beautiful fall foliage and festive décor while listening to a special Halloween-themed podcast!
Book your tickets at torontozoo.com today and use this audio tour while on your Drive-Thru BOOmobile adventure at your Toronto Zoo.
The learning and Engagement team coordinates everything from sign content for our animal habitats to the volunteer and school programs that are designed to help you engage and learn about all of the wonderful conservation work that happens at the Zoo and within the community. Mary Ellen Fraser and Shawn Blackburn join me in today’s episode to discuss how the programming unfolds whether you are visiting the Zoo or connection with us through our virtual content.
Horticulture enthusiasts lined up to take a whiff of the corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum), Vincent Van Gross, whose name describes its smell. With blooms occurring once every 6-10 years and lasting for about 36 hours, this was a must-see at your Toronto Zoo!
Clare Wharton joins me on the podcast to discuss the organization of the plant collection, why the corpse flower has an awful smell, and how it’s linked to the plant's reproduction success.
Brent Huffman is back on the podcast to provide you with great information on the cheetah. We talk about how the cheetah is built for speed as they are the fastest land animal. We also talk about their social dynamics and how it affects the way the Zoo cares for them.
Finally, Brent tells us about the conservation status of cheetahs and how the breeding program at the Zoo is designed to help maintain genetic diversity.
The Eland is a dynamic species that has a varied herbivore diet and an interesting herd dynamic. I wanted to find out more about the Eland so I sat down with Zookeeper, Jason Pootoolal, who passionately describes what it’s like to look after the Eland herd at the Zoo and what challenges wild Eland face in the African Savanna.
When I think about the zebra, I think about another prey item; however, there is so much more to zebra than being prey for African Savanna predators. Amanda Taylor, Zookeeper at the Toronto Zoo, sits down with me to discuss the Grevy’s Zebra, the herd at the Zoo, and why these animals are classified as endangered in the wild.
Jenn Martin sits down with me to discuss Bactrian camels with me. I have great respect for any animal that lives in some of the harshest conditions in the world, where temperatures range from -40C to 40C, but the camel scoffs at those types of conditions as they are built to withstand temperatures, blowing sand, and low water conditions. Jenn talks about the various adaptations that camels have devised for the wild landscapes that make them so hardy.
She also discusses what it’s like to take care of the herd of camels at the Zoo, as well as behavioural husbandry exercises the Wildlife Care team uses to improve their care.
How do you take care of a 2000 pound wood bison at the Toronto Zoo? Well, I sat down with Zookeeper, Amy Goswell, to talk about the Zoo’s wood bison population. We discuss the Behavioural Husbandry work done with the animals to ensure the staff can provide the best care for these magnificent animals.
Amy and I also discuss how these animals fared over the past 200 years as their wild numbers declined from over 150,000 to only a few hundred - rising again to over 10,000 individuals. Amy tells us about the challenges they continue to be faced with while striving to conserve the wood bison and the extraordinary conservation technology the Zoo has used to help increase the bison numbers in the wild.
Link to Dr. Mastromonaco's Wild For Life Episode:
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/wild-for-life/id1456395854?i=1000434606012
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4zkd7fTvt23Nh7riKnb74k
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93aWxkZm9ybGlmZS5saWJzeW4uY29tL3Jzcw/episode/ZDM0ZDQyYmRiZDYyNGJiYTliNGQ1OGE3OWQ5OTZkNmM?ved=0CFkQzsICahcKEwiIu8yPq6jqAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQBg
Do you like crocodiles, snakes, and turtles? How about if they were from the Indo-Malayan Region? Well, you are in luck! I had the chance to sit down and chat with Rick Vos, Lead Keeper of Amphibians and Reptiles at the Toronto Zoo.
Rick tells us about how he became a Zookeeper and describes some of the reptile exhibits in detail. Rick even discusses some of the predatory features of snakes as well as why turtles in the region need to be protected.
Safety and security is a priority at the Toronto Zoo, especially during these unprecedented times where we must practice social distancing and pandemic protocols to ensure our safety. I was wondering how a Conservation facility like that of the Toronto Zoo would handle this pandemic when the province announced a state of emergency.
I sat down with Joanne Eaton, who is the Safety and Security Manager at the Toronto Zoo, to ask her how the safety policies and processes were implemented for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joanne talks about her past as a registered nurse and how she helped (and continues to help) navigate the Zoo through this pandemic.
I meet some amazing Zookeepers at the Toronto Zoo every time I interview them for an episode on this podcast. I always ask the Zookeepers to share stories about the animals they have worked with over the course of their careers. It’s the best part of my day to hear how the various personalities of the animals can make a Zookeeper’s day! Unfortunately, we can’t fit every story into each of the podcast episodes; however, I am pleased to tell you that we included some of the best stories from the careers of three Zookeepers at the Toronto Zoo: Ali Vella-Irving, Brent Huffman, and Aly Pidgen over a three-part series.
This podcast features Aly Pidgen, who decided to take a different approach to Zookeeper Diaries and hand out awards for different parts of her career. Check out some of her amazing stories!
I meet some amazing Zookeepers at the Toronto Zoo every time I interview them for one of the episodes on this podcast. I always ask the Zookeepers to tell me some stories about the animals they have worked with during their careers. It’s the best part of my day to hear how the various personalities of the animals can make a Zookeeper’s day! Unfortunately, we can’t fit every story into each of the podcast episodes; however, I am pleased to tell you that we included some of the best stories from the careers of three Zookeepers at the Toronto Zoo: Ali Vella-Irving, Brent Huffman, and Aly Pidgen over a three-part series.
This podcast features Brent discussing a few of his favourite satires during his career taking care of a variety of different animals from insects to marine mammals.
I meet some amazing Zookeepers at the Toronto Zoo every time I interview them for one of the episodes on this podcast. I always ask the Zookeepers to tell me some stories about their animals. It’s the best part of my day to hear how the various personalities of the animals make the Zookeeper’s day that much more interesting. Unfortunately, we can’t fit every story into each of the podcast episodes; however, I am pleased to tell you that we included some of the best stories from the careers to three Zookeepers at the Toronto Zoo: Ali Vella-Irving, Brent Huffman, and Aly Pidgen over a three-part series.
Each Zookeeper tells their favourite stories from their career at the Toronto Zoo. This podcast features Ali talking about some of her top moments with the Western Lowland gorillas – including how gorillas are afraid of frogs.
In this episode of the Wild For Life Podcast, we are going to learn about the Great Canadian Raccoon. We often see raccoons in Toronto in alleys, curiously peering into garbage bins, and crossing streets, yet we never think about how successful they have been in adapting to human development. Zookeeper Kyle Banton-Jones discusses why raccoons are so adaptable and how they like to be challenged with enrichment at the Toronto Zoo.
Enjoy learning about these amazing creatures and find out about the fun personalities of the raccoons at the Toronto Zoo.
I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with The Toronto Zoo’s Snow Leopard Zookeeper, Jenn Martin, to discuss all things about snow leopards. Jenn explains what it’s like to care for the majestic snow leopards at the Zoo; why it’s so much fun to come to see them during the winter; and why they have such long tails! She also reveals why one particular snow leopard is one of the most famous leopards in the world. This particular big cat is so famous, people come from as far away as Japan to visit with her and take photos of her.
Listen to the episode to find out why.
Snow Leopard Trust: https://www.snowleopard.org/snow-leopard-facts/
Donate To The Zoo To Help Snow Leopards: http://www.torontozoo.com/donate
Paul Gellatly is back on the show to talk about how to take care of orchids. Orchids are a popular plant in many households, but people often don’t know how to take care of them, including me. Paul takes us through the care process step by step from purchase to watering. After this episode, you will have a greater understanding of the care needed for a happy, beautiful and long-living orchid.
Paul also talks about the number of orchids species in the world and where they are located. He also gives you reasons why dense soil in a potted orchid plant is not the right way to take care of an orchid (spoiler: it has to do with where they grow).
The river otters at the Toronto Zoo are always a highlight for me to visit because they are so cute and playful. It seems like they are always up to something, whether it is enjoying a treat, swimming alongside the viewing glass as people interact with them, or sliding on their bellies in the snow! I’m always curious about this species and its conservation story.
Courtney Coons, Zookeeper, sat down with me to record our conversation on the river otters at the Toronto Zoo. We discussed behavioural husbandry and conservation, as well as how the two river otters at the Zoo behave when presented with different opportunities.
Do you like to look at cute and interesting animals on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook? Or do you like to watch videos of animals on YouTube and maybe even listen about conservation initiatives linked to these important animals on podcasts like Wild For Life? Then you have probably come across the wonderful work of the two women I interviewed for today’s episode, Olivia Weaver and Cassandra Thompson.
In our interview, we discussed the strategy and logistics behind creating such wonderful, funny, and educational content for the Toronto Zoo’s audience. Olivia and Cassandra talk about how they leverage the passion of the Zoo staff to help them capture amazing videos and pictures of each animal to bring them to the audience.
Take a look at some of the Social Media Platforms from the Toronto Zoo:
Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/TheTorontoZoo/
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/thetorontozoo
Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/thetorontozoo/
Transferring animals from one zoo to another can be very important to the conservation of a particular species. Individual species are matched within accredited zoos to fulfill the Species Survival Plans (SSP) of specific animals. SSPs are designed to preserve the diversity of species by matching the desired genes of one individual with specific genes of another. Zoos need to have processes in place to ensure the transfer of animals for the SSPs is done properly, which is why the Toronto Zoo has an Animal Logistics Coordinator.
I sit down with Vicki Hardstaff to discuss how animals are transferred from the Toronto Zoo using the example of a white rhino that was transferred the same day we recorded this interview!
I had the chance to sit down with Toronto Zoo Zookeepers Aly Pidgen and Lindsay Vasseur to discuss the Caribou herd at the Zoo. They discussed what it’s like to care for the herd and go into detail on the behavioural husbandry.
Don’t miss the chance to get up close to these wonderful animals at the Zoo during their wildlife encounter: http://www.torontozoo.com/wildencounters/
Have you checked out Terra Lumina yet? It’s phenomenal. I highly recommend it: http://www.torontozoo.com/terralumina
Lauren Ogle, Manager of Guest Operations, joins me on the podcast today to discuss how hard the Zoo works to ensure your visit is the best experience every time you come to the Zoo. Lauren discusses the creative ideas that are implemented at the Zoo that augment your visit and make learning about Wildlife Conservation entertaining.
Lauren also introduces Terra Lumina (http://www.torontozoo.com/terralumina), which opens on Friday, December 13, 2019. Terra Lumina is the eleventh unique experience created in Moment Factory’s Lumina night walk series. Let yourself be transported by vibrant lighting, multimedia effects, breathtaking video projections and an original score to an enchanted world filled with possibility. And explore this bright and hopeful future to reveal the powerful secrets of tomorrow. Listen to the episode to find out more. Tickets on sale now at torontozoo.com/terralumina
You haven’t seen a horse until you have seen the Przewalski’s Horses (P. Horses) at the Toronto Zoo. These rugged wild horses may be shorter than the horses that you are used to seeing in a parade or on the farm, but they are tougher than you would think. Their harsh wild environment demands it. I sit down with Toronto Zookeeper, Jenn Martin, to discuss just how tough P. Horses are in order to survive their harsh environment.
Jenn talks about the P. Horse’s diet, how they change their appearance, and survive in the Mongolian deserts. You won’t want to miss hearing about these wonderful animals.
Gorillas may be one of the most iconic species at the Toronto Zoo and they are the subject of today’s episode. I sit down with Zookeepers Ali Vella-Irving and Heidi Manicki-Claffey to discuss the unique personalities of the gorillas at the Zoo and how Zookeepers take care of such a large and strong animal.
I also ask them questions about the conservation of this critically endangered species, to which they offer some excellent advice on how everyone can help protect them.
Links to organizations listed in the episode: Ape Action Africa: http://apeactionafrica.org/index Phone Apes Program At The Toronto Zoo: http://www.torontozoo.com/tz/phoneapesThe Polar Bears at the Toronto Zoo are always a sight to see when you visit. The massive bears are playful, active, and massive in size and personality. Aly Pidgen is a Zookeeper at the Zoo who takes care of the polar bears and sits down with me to give us a great behind-the-scenes look at these majestic animals. She talks about each of the bear’s own distinct personality, the conservation of polar bears, and what you and I can do to protect these iconic Arctic species.
Giraffes are a unique animal with their long necks and very long and flexible tongues. I wanted to find out more about giraffes at the Toronto Zoo, so I got the chance to sit down with Brent Huffman, Zookeeper, to ask him some questions about the two Masai giraffes at the Zoo.
Brent and I discuss their conservation needs in the wild in light of their massive population decline, the Species Survival Plan, behavioural husbandry implemented for giraffes at the Zoo, and we learn why giraffes have such long and flexible tongues.
Volunteers play an integral role in educating people who visit the Toronto Zoo. In this episode, I interview Karen Conway and Denise Hill-Fox, who are Coordinators of Volunteering and Engagement, to discuss the various volunteer programs at the Zoo and the training that is involved in each volunteer program.
Karen and Denise discuss how they started as volunteers before working for the Zoo full-time coordinating volunteers.
Habitats at the Toronto Zoo are carefully planned, designed, and constructed to make the animals feel at home as well as provide a function in the husbandry of the animals. Dave LaGrotta and Katrina Salvador sit down with me to discuss the details of designing and constructing habitats at the Toronto Zoo. We discuss everything from the design of habitats to the construction of specific African rocks and interactive display items, such as the cast of a gorilla’s hand, to educate visitors.
Dave and Katrina discuss how they became exhibit designers and how they use their creativity to create important habitat pieces that not only help the animals at the Zoo feel at home, but also educate the visitors.
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest barrier reef in the world and it’s a United Nations World Heritage Site; therefore, it is important that you are aware of how to protect this reef. Sam Ironside, Wildlife Care Keeper in the Australasia Pavilion, is here to help you understand how she cares for the live corals and fish from the Great Barrier Reef to show you how sensitive they are to changes in the environment. She also discusses with me how Climate Change, Tourism, and the Marine Aquarium Industry can affect the health of the reef.
Amanda Carroll, a Zookeeper in the Indo-Malaya Area of the Toronto Zoo, joins me on the podcast to discuss the care and conservation of the Sumatran orangutans. During the interview, Amanda talks about the level of care the animals receive at the Zoo and how they rotate the animals on display to mimic how they live in the wild. We also spend some time discussing the Orangutans’ conservation needs in the wild and how we can stop the destruction of their habitats.
One of the best ways to help is to buy sustainable Palm Oil products using this app: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/sustainable-palm-oil-shopping/id671945416
You can help the Toronto Zoo support important organizations that work to help Orangutans by donating to the Zoo: http://www.torontozoo.com/SupportTheZoo/
I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Julie Ward, Lead Keeper of the African Savanna at the Toronto Zoo, to discuss the unique characteristics of the white lions at the Zoo; their personalities; and, how those personalities play a role in their husbandry.
Links Mentioned During The Episode:
Global White Lion Protection Trust Homepage: https://whitelions.org/
Global White Lion Protection Trust photo of their lions: https://whitelions.org/white-lion/meet-the-star-lions/
Lion Recovery Fund: This is the conservation organization that we are supporting this year at lion awareness: https://www.lionrecoveryfund.org/
Lion Recovery Fund and Disney’s involvement with Lion King Movie: https://www.lionrecoveryfund.org/disney-the-lion-recovery-fund/
Disney’s Protect the Pride Campaign: https://www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-announces-the-lion-king-protect-the-pride-campaign/
Lion Recovery Video…. It is on their homepage:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lgD7B9gFvTM
World Lion Day: https://www.worldlionday.com/
Living with Lions: http://www.livingwithlions.org/
I had the pleasure to sit down with Mary-Kate Whibbs and Kat Lucas to discuss the Toronto Zoo’s Great Lakes Aqua-Links Program. Mary-Kate and Kat visit classrooms all across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to educate students on the fish and invertebrates of the Great Lakes Watershed. The students participate and rear their own salmon from eggs to hatchlings and learn how to identify freshwater mussels.
Mary-Kate and Kat also tell me about their Freshwater Mussel Monitoring Program that stretches across the GTA to find and identify mussels and their habitat.
You are going to want to listen to how important mussels are for the Great Lakes and their conservation needs.
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Tigers are one of the most iconic species in the world and the staff at the Toronto Zoo are working hard to make visitors aware of their conservation status in the wild. I interview Bailey Druery and Sarah Stata who are Zoo Keepers of the Amur and Sumatra Tigers, respectively, at the Toronto Zoo. Bailey and Sarah describe each of their tiger species starting with the husbandry of these animals to how each species’ population is struggling in the wild.
In this episode, you will learn why the Siberian tiger is now called the Amur Tiger and how destructive farming practices in Sumatra is leading to the removal of habitat for their tigers.
One of the greatest things about a Zoo is to see how animals behave in an up close and personal environment. The Toronto Zoo produces daily shows that provide you with the opportunity to experience how their behaviours in the wild could be used to demonstrate conservation messages such as picking up litter and putting in the recycling bin.
I had the pleasure to sit down with Ashley Fell and Brendan Bonner, Zoo Keepers at the Toronto Zoo, this week to discuss how they work with the animals to show off their natural abilities. Ashley and Brendan discuss using positive reinforcement in the training as well as making calls as to whether the animals are feeling up for participating in the Wonders of Wildlife Show on a particular day. It’s a very interesting process.
I sit down with Sonia Hojka, who is a Zoo Keeper at the Zoo, to discuss the biology, behaviour, ecology, and conservation of the ring-tailed lemurs. We chat about some interesting facts about the primates including how they like to cuddle, how they use their tails, and how the females are leaders of the troops - and what that means for reproduction!
Paul Gellatly, Curatorial Gardner, and Amanda Theodoridis, Curatorial Assistant, join me on the podcast this week to discuss the Toronto Zoo’s extensive plant collection.
Paul and Amanda explain how they manage the thousands of plant species at the Zoo; how the Zoo is about to finish the process of becoming a Botanical Garden; describe how theAmorphophallus made such a big story last year; and, discuss the importance of plants as habitats in conservation.
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Maria Franke, Manager of Welfare Science at the Toronto Zoo, sits down with me to discuss the conservation of the black-footed ferret and the Vancouver Island marmot, which are two species that are considered to be Species At Risk. The black-footed ferrets are Endangered and the Vancouver Island marmots are critically endangered.
During the episode, Maria tells you why the species’ population has decreased over the past number of years and what the Zoo, and its partners, are doing to not only protect the species, but also repopulate them in their respective habitat.
Today, I am speaking with Paul Yannuzzi and Taylor Tabobondung, who work at the Toronto Zoo as part of the Adopt-A-Pond - Blanding’s Turtle Head Start Programme and Turtle Island Conservation.
Paul discusses how Blanding’s turtle eggs are rescued from the wild and brought into the Zoo to be reared for the next two years before the turtles are released back in the wild where they have a better chance of survival.
Taylor discusses his role as the Indigenous liaison at the Zoo where he works with the Indigenous communities to help rear the turtles on their lands. Taylor also discusses the importance of turtles to the Indigenous communities.
I had the pleasure to sit down with Erica Jacques, Zoo Keeper in the African Rainforest Pavilion, and Alison Babin, Zoo Keeper in the African Savanna, to discuss two species of hippos at the Toronto Zoo. These passionate Keepers give us the details about the personalities, husbandry, and conservation status of the pygmy and river hippos.
I was really interested to know how each species uses its body form to take advantage of their habitat. For example, the pygmy hippo creates a series of tunnels in the thick understory of native plants to be elusive from predators and other harm.
There is much more information provided by Erica and Alison during the episode. Take a listen to find out more.
What was your favourite part? Tag us on Twitter (@TheTorontoZoo) and Instagram (@TheTorontoZoo) to let us know.
Links mentioned during the episode: Support research for Pigmy Hippos: http://www.torontozoo.com/pygmyhippo/Support the Toronto Zoo as it continues to help conserve species at the Zoo: http://www.torontozoo.com/SupportTheZoo/ The Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary: https://www.ghanahippos.com
On this week’s episode, I have a great conversation with Brent Huffman, a Zoo Keeper at the Toronto Zoo with 6 years of experience working with the Kangaroos. We sat down in the New Kangaroo Walk-Thru – Opening this Summer! - to find out more about this lovable animal from Australia. We discuss the differences between Kangaroos and Wallabies; Why Kangaroos are so similar to deer; and, how big an intact male Kangaroo can get…and I mean bodybuilder big!
Have you ever wondered how the Toronto Zoo feeds all of the animals their specific diets that will allow them to grow big and healthy? Well, I had the chance to sit down with the Zoo’s Nutritionist, Jaap Wensvoort, and the Zoo and Wildlife Foundation Nutrition Resident Sarra Gourlie to discuss how they develop balanced diets to ensure the optimal health and wellbeing of a wide variety of species. We also discuss the role nutrition takes when trying to figure out where to repopulate an area of species at risk such as a Blanding’s turtle or Vancouver Island marmot; why browse is so important for gorillas to have while in human care; and, how nutrition is calculated for each individual animal.
Did you ever wonder why the Polar Bears have an empty barrel in their enclosures that they can fill up with water during play time? The barrel is part of the Polar Bears’ behavioural enrichment program to mimic the behaviours they would do in the wild. Behavioural Enrichment is part of the subject of today’s episode, where I sit down with Hollie Ross, the Acting Behavioural Husbandry Supervisor, to discuss programs that are in place to enrich the lives of the animals at the Toronto Zoo. It’s an amazing part of the Zoo that doesn’t get to be discussed that often so it’s good that you are tuning in!
Hollie and I also discuss the NEW Wild Encounters Program that’s available at the Zoo to add that extra special experience to your next visit. There are 16 encounters from which to choose ranging from Caribou encounters to speaking with the Keepers of the Tigers and Polar Bears. You will need to book in advance by clicking in this link: http://www.torontozoo.com/wildencounters/
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I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Kyla Greenham, Manager of Conservation Programs and Environment at the Toronto Zoo. Kyla and I discussed some of the many sustainable programs that are currently implemented at the Zoo. We also had the chance to discuss how the passion to be eco-friendly was initially driven by the staff at the Zoo a number of decades ago. That passion was the driving force for many programs mentioned in this episode and the new Washed Ashore – Art To Save The Sea exhibit, which raises the awareness of plastic pollution in our waters. Washed Ashore is a collection of 10 larger-than-life powerful art installations built completely from plastics found in oceans and waterways around the world.
Take a listen to the episode for more details and come down to the Toronto Zoo to see them yourself.
Dr. Kevin Kerr, Curator of Birds and Invertebrates at the Toronto Zoo, joins me on the podcast to discuss the husbandry and conservation projects at the Zoo. If you are into birds, then this episode is for you!. Kevin talks about how species are chosen to be hosted at the Zoo; which species participate in the breeding programs; and, which species can be seen at the Zoo! He also talks about how some bird species are not visible to the public at the Zoo and why.
We also have a discussion on the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike Conservation Program at the Toronto Zoo that includes a number of collaborators and installing a tracking tower to collect information on the number of individuals that fly close to the area for a larger conservation project. Tune into the episode for more details.
I have the pleasure to sit down with Dr. Christopher Dutton, the Head of Veterinary Services at the Wildlife Centre at the Toronto Zoo, to discuss how a small number of people work with each other, the keepers, and other staff members care for the many species at the Zoo. We discuss what it takes to become a Veterinarian of a variety of species; how the animals’ behaviour is conditioned to be examined without being immobilized; and, the new projects that Chris and his staff are undertaking at the Zoo.
Did you ever wonder what it’s like to track bats during the night in a forest? I sit down with Eryk Matczak and Toby Thorne, two native bat researchers at the Toronto Zoo, to discuss their field work during the summers where they track, catch and release and learn about the native bat species in Ontario. Eryk and Toby have a great passion for bats and are here to bust myths about bats and discuss how they are trying to learn more about bat ecology to help protect them.
Kim Welfle joins me on the podcast today to discuss the care and conservation of the African penguins at the Toronto Zoo. Kim is a Keeper Grade 3 who has been working in the African Savanna area for the past 6 years; however, she has worked at the Zoo since she was a teenager. Kim tells me about the penguins’ natural habitat along the coast of South Africa and how their habitat has shifted from the West to the East. The shift was caused because the penguin prey, sardines, shifted from West to East with shifting currents and heat of the Ocean due to Climate Change. The shift has caused a drastic decrease in the number of African penguins triggering a worldwide response that includes the zoos in North America as well as on the ground organizations such as SANCCOB (link) to help maintain the population.
Conservation at the Zoo starts with perfecting the husbandry of the penguins at the zoo. Kim and her colleagues take pride in providing the best care for the penguins as well as watching over their breeding program. The Toronto Zoo’s African penguin conservation program contributes to the Aquarium and Zoo Association’s (AZA) Safe Species Program The Safe Species program that focuses on the collective expertise of the AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums and leverages their passives audiences to save species.
Disclaimer: It was in the early 1900s (not 90’s) that guano was being collected for use. By the ’90s guano could not be found.
I sit down with Andrew Lentini, the Interim Director of Conservation and Wildlife at the Toronto Zoo, to discuss how the Zoo leads in conservation projects locally and internationally using its facilities as a way to help protect species.
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We are proud to present to you our new podcast. This episode introduces the Wild For Life Podcast to augment the Zoo experience for everyone who visits the Toronto Zoo.
I am your host, Andrew Lewin, and today I am joined by the CEO of the Toronto Zoo, Dolf DeJong. Dolf discusses what the Zoo is all about and his excitement for releasing this podcast to highlight the great conservation work done at this facility.
Enjoy the show!
