Podcasts about Oregon Zoo

Dateline: June 5, 2026. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   We start off talking about the Ecuador trip and the chance to build our community in a new way.Our headline story is about a data center that may open right next to the Nashville Zoo. This is NOT ok, but you can help. Then it's time for Zoo News stories from Louisville Zoo, Rolling Hills Zoo, Hammerton Park Zoo, Oregon Zoo, Smithsonian's National Zoo, Oregon Zoo, Oklahoma City Zoo, Sea World San Diego, ZooMontana, Lehigh Valley Zoo, Zoo Knoxville, Praha Zoo, Edmonton Valley Zoo, Paradise Country, Akron Zoo, Mississippi Aquarium, Birmingham Zoo, and more! Conservation News has two stories, one about Spix macaws that is kind of crazy. Other News has a dog that shot a human!All that and Animal Holidays! ROSSIFARI LINKS: patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod rossifari.com @rossifari on socials @rossifaripod on TikTok 

Dateline: May 29, 2026. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   We start off catching you up on my world, including some good news about the Ecuador trip and discussing the show I'm opening tonight. Our headline story is a sequel to the Sloth World story. No seriously. Then it's time for Zoo News stories from Smithsonian's National Zoo, Edmonton Valley Zoo, Buffalo Zoo, Oregon Zoo, Burgers Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo, San Diego Zoo,  Bronx Zoo, Chattanooga Zoo, Columbus Zoo, Hogle Zoo, Denver Zoo, Virginia Zoo, Wildlife World Zoo, Louisville Zoo, Taipei Zoo, North Carolina Zoo, and more! Conservation News has two quick stories from the states, both of which are positive and hopeful! All that and Animal Holidays! ROSSIFARI LINKS: patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod rossifari.com @rossifari on socials @rossifaripod on TikTok 

California condors, the largest land bird in North America, almost went extinct in the late 1980s. But successful breeding programs such as the one at the Oregon Zoo have helped raise their worldwide population from a low of 22 birds to roughly 600.    Since 2022, the Yurok Tribe has partnered with Redwood National and State Park to release condors bred in captivity into the wild. A pair of those birds are believed to be tending the region’s first egg in more than a century. The nest is too remote for wildlife managers to see the egg itself, but they say the birds’ behavior is consistent with nesting and incubation.   Marti Jenkins is the lead keeper at the Oregon Zoo’s Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation, which hosts its condor breeding program. Chris West is the manager of the Northern California Condor Restoration Program and a senior wildlife biologist with the Yurok Tribe Wildlife Department. They both join us to talk about the significance of returning California condors to the Pacific Northwest.  

The Oregon Zoo might seem like an unlikely setting for true crime and paranormal history, but beneath its family friendly surface lies a past with some unsettling chapters. In 2013, construction crews working on a new elephant habitat unearthed human remains. These undocumented burials trace back to Hillside Farm — a poor farm and sanatorium for the mentally ill and those with infectious diseases. The identities of those found remain unknown, their presence lingering as a quiet reminder of Portland's forgotten dead.The episode also explores two modern tragedies that unfolded at the zoo. In 1970, a late night break-in led to the death of 19-year-old Roger Adams after he fell into a lion enclosure, followed by the controversial shooting of the lions involved. Decades later, in 2019, concertgoer Carl Stanley Ross Sr. was found dead in an uninhabited rhino exhibit days after being reported missing. Though investigators found no evidence of foul play, a lawsuit and court ruling concluded that negligence on both sides contributed to his death. Together, these stories reveal the Oregon Zoo as a place where history, tragedy, and unanswered questions quietly coexist, long after the crowds have gone home.Visit our website! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Patreon, & more! There are so many ways that you can support the show: BuyMeACoffee, Spreaker, or by leaving a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. Sources

Dateline: September 5, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   We start off talking about the vacation I'm currently on, and my glorious plan to not work during it.  And then you'll find out why that didn't work. We then move on to our births for the week, featuring new panda cubs at Buffalo Zoo and Roger Williams Park Zoo, a baby okapi at the San Diego Zoo, plus additional births at Chester Zoo, St. Louis Zoo, Lincoln Children's Zoo, Kansas City Zoo, Central Florida Zoo, and more!We then say goodbye to animals at Sedgwick County Zoo, Potter Park Zoo, and Oklahoma City Zoo. We have additional Zoo News stories from Oregon Zoo and others. Conservation News stories include CCF helping baby cheetahs, a delay on a major Trump Administration attempt to strip protections from marine areas, and more.And in Other News, we talk about the reclassification of giraffes and a song that repeals mosquitoes!ROSSIFARI LINKS: patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod rossifari.com @rossifari on socials @rossifaripod on TikTok 

Dateline: July 18, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   We start off with a quick catch up on me. Then it's time for our headline story featuring a reminder that FOIA exists.We then move on to our births for the week, featuring animals from The Detroit Zoo, The Oregon Zoo, Ripley Wildlife Conservancy, the Denver Zoo, and panda cubs from FOUR facilities!We then say goodbye to animals from the Kansas City Zoo, Mystic Aquarium, the Santa Fe Teaching Zoo, and ZooMontana.We have additional Zoo News stories from the Edinburgh Zoo, the Bronx Zoo, and more! Conservation News stories include good news for sea turtles, a bird going extinct in North Dakota, and The Lord of the Swans! And in Other News, we have a cool story about Dholes and then an update on Colossal Biosciences that annoys me.ROSSIFARI LINKS: patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod rossifari.com @rossifari on socials @rossifaripod on TikTok 

One of our co-hosts just got their dream job as a zookeeper—and in this episode of Reptiles With Podcast, we break down the full story of how they made it happen. We also dive into some wild headlines: a prehistoric sea reptile has been discovered, Australian fossilized footprints reveal the earliest known reptile, and a sea turtle rehab center in Texas is doing incredible work. But it's not all good news—Oregon Zoo was raided by police, uncovering malnourished animals, drugs, and firearms. This episode is a rollercoaster of career inspiration, animal conservation, and shocking zoo crime.Sponsored by:Repticon Reptile Shows: https://repticon.com/MorphMarket: https://www.morphmarket.com/Dubia.com: https://dubiaroaches.com/Coco2Go: https://shop.cocodude.com/MERCH: https://modernreptileshop.com/collections/reptile-merch-for-sale1 Become a Member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaQN1-ZcfQ6ulG2hE41lIKw/joinSubscribe & Hit the Bell to STAY INFORMED!Timestamps:00:00 Erics New Job21:38 The Gecko Gallery NYC24:34 Wet specimen: Komodo Dragon27:04 Sea Reptile Discovered in Canada28:45 Ancient Footprints from Australia reveal earliest-known reptile32:14 Sea Turtle Rehab in Texaas35:30 Oregon Zoo Raid: Malnourished Lions & Tigers, Guns & Drugs foundHostsYoshii @modernreptileshop Chuckey @madbioreptilesEric @reptiverseThe Reptiles With Podcast covers Repti-Culture with a comedic twist. We aim to give different perspectives on all topics, even the controversial ones.#AncientReptile #Zooraid #HognoseSnake #SeaTurtleRehab #reptilehobby #FossilDiscovery #herpetology #wildlife #DreamJobStory #reptilebreeder #reptilekeeper #zookeepers #reptileeducation #reptileswithpodcast #reptilepodcast

Dateline: May 16, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   We start off with a funny story that turns into a heartfelt message.We then move on to our births for the week, featuring animals from Zoo Knoxville, the Dallas Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo, and Nashville Zoo. We say goodbye to animals from the Oregon Zoo, Phoenix Zoo, and Chattanooga Zoo. And then we have one more deeper story with an open question I want to hear your answer to! ROSSIFARI LINKS: patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod rossifari.com @rossifari on socials @rossifaripod on TikTok 

Dateline: May 9, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   We start off with our usual introduction, talking a bit about me. We then move on to our births for the week, featuring animals from Zoo Duisburg, the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, Abilene Zoo, the Bronx Zoo, Aquarium of Niagara, and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo! We say goodbye to beloved animals at Zoo Boise, the Toledo Zoo, Utica Zoo, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and the Oregon Zoo.The rest of our Zoo News stories feature items from Mote Marine Lab, Zoos Victoria, Brevard Zoo, the St. Louis Zoo, the Cincinnati Zoo, and the reveal of the latest SAFE Program! Then in Conservation News we have multiple rediscoveries, multiple stories focused on how new technologies are helping save species, and a discussion about the video game Fortnite!In Other News, we talk about a guy who got bit by a lot of snakes and more! ROSSIFARI LINKS: patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod rossifari.com @rossifari on socials @rossifaripod on TikTok 

Since her birth in February, Asian baby elephant Tula-tu has become a star attraction at the Oregon Zoo. Asian elephants are endangered, with roughly 40,000 of them remaining in the wild, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. With all the attention Tula-tu has been getting, it’s easy to overlook the presence of Chendra, a Bornean elephant who has been in the zoo’s care for more than 25 years and whose relatives in the wild are even more at risk of extinction.  Only about a thousand Bornean elephants remain, mostly in the forested northern tip of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia.  For more than a decade, the Oregon Zoo has been supporting efforts to help save Bornean elephants. Last month, the zoo sponsored a symposium in Borneo attended by government officials; NGOs that are helping to protect habitat and reduce conflicts between people and elephants; representatives from the palm oil and tourism industries and other participants. At the symposium, the Sabah Wildlife Department launched a new plan co-developed by the Oregon Zoo to care for the growing number of calves and juvenile elephants that are being separated from their herds or found orphaned, like Chendra.  Dr. Sharon Glaeser is the Oregon Zoo’s elephant conservation lead. She joins us with more details about the fight to save the world’s smallest elephant.  

Bison may no longer be on the brink of extinction, but their journey is far from over. With dwindling genetic diversity and the absence of natural selection, these prairie ecosystem engineers are not as wild as they once were. In this episode, Dr. Daniel Kinka, director of rewilding at American Prairie, shares the story of bison—from their near extinction due to westward expansion to their return to the plains. We also learn why bison rewilding is essential to restoring biodiversity and ensuring the prairie thrives for generations to come. Bonus Track: Jen Osburn Eliot at Oregon Zoo shares how they're helping Northwestern pond turtles grow strong in a program that raises and releases them back into the wild.    To learn more about Wild Kingdom, check out the website.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From gardens and historic sites to animal encounters and cultural hotspots, it's all about Portland, Oregon on this episode of Big Blend Radio's travel podcast "Journey Jukebox with Lisa." Hear about Lisa's experiences in The City of Roses including the International Rose Test Garden, Portland Japanese Garden, Pittock Mansion, The Grotto, Mississippi Studios, and Powell's Books, and the Oregon Zoo. LINKS TO LISA'S PORTLAND ARTICLES - https://rovology.com/united-states/oregon/rediscovering-the-rose-city-portland-oregon/  - https://fwtmagazine.com/a-step-back-in-time-pittock-mansion-in-portland-oregon/  LINKS TO PORTLAND SITES - https://www.portland.gov/parks/washington-park-international-rose-test-garden  - https://japanesegarden.org/  - https://www.oregonzoo.org/  - https://thegrotto.org/  - https://pittockmansion.org/  - https://mississippistudios.com/   - https://www.powells.com/  JOURNEY JUKEBOX MUSIC PLAYLIST on SPOTIFY (updated each episode):  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7humUf03LIW04t8LiJSSN9?si=54c7630328284648  Portland Photos by Lisa Evans, and courtesy of Travel Portland.  LISA EVANS is a travel writer and photographer, travel advisor, and author of "100 Things to Do in Coastal Mississippi Before You Die."  More at https://writerlisa.com/ and https://www.gosmart.travel/advisors/lisa/evans  New episodes of Big Blend Radio's ”Journey Jukebox with Lisa” Podcast air every 3rd Tuesday at 12pm CST. Follow the podcast from your favorite platform here:  https://journeyjukebox.podbean.com/  This episode is also featured on our Big Blend Radio "Garden Gossip" and "Vacation Station" Channels.  Check out our Big Blend Radio Network of podcasts here:  https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork 

Dateline: February 14, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   We start off with a quick update about the SAFE Red Panda plan.Our headline story this week is...well, I'm not going to spoil it. But it's a STORY, y'all!We then move on to our births for the week, featuring animals from the Oregon Zoo, Shreveport Aquarium, Metro Richmond Zoo, Mystic Aquarium, and Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.We say goodbye to beloved animals at Elmwood Park Zoo, the Adelaide Zoo, the Tulsa Zoo, the Naples Zoo, ZooAtlanta, and Smithsonian's National Zoo.The rest of our Zoo News stories feature items from Sedgwick County Zoo, Phoenix Zoo, Bronx Zoo, the San Francisco Zoo, and more.Then in Conservation News we have the latest ways Trump is trying to destroy environmental protections, jaguar migration, a look at the tiger population of India, an extension of the ivory ban in the UK, some concerning news about monarch butterflies, and one way climate change is actually a positive.In Other News we talk about pinnipeds in beds and such.  ROSSIFARI LINKS: patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod rossifari.com @rossifari on socials @rossifaripod on TikTok Birds of a Feather Talk TogetherA podcast on The Feather Thief - a true crime museum heist in search of bird feathersListen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

In today's episode, we talk to Chuck Hawley, owner of Sticky the Kitty about his pet's legacy, what it has meant to inspire and help people, plus how pets can help those in mental crisis. We also talk to Liza Musich of the Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation about The Oregon Zoo announcing the first two California condor eggs of 2025.

Dateline: November 22, 2024. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!   We start off with a very special announcement about Tuesday's episode and also a limited edition bit of merch you can get your hands on NOW! Our headline story this week looks at the AZA's Animal Wellbeing Summit, and the surprising controversy that has occurred around it. We then move on to our births section, including babies at The North Carolina Zoo, The Lincoln Children's Zoo, Highland Wildlife Park, and the Houston ZooWe also say goodbye to some incredible animals from Zoo Atlanta and the Milwaukee County Zoo.  We then move on to our other Zoo News stories.  This episode features stories from Mote Marine Lab, the Oregon Zoo, the Adelaide Zoo, the Santa Barbara Zoo, and the Columbus Zoo. In Conservation News, we talk about avian influenza hitting Hawaii and a new species being uplisted to "Critically Endangered" In Other News, we talk about many animals roaming free in South Carolina. LINK TO THE ROSSIFARI 2024 ORNAMENT: www.cappytrails.com ROSSIFARI LINKS: patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod rossifari.com @rossifari on socials @rossifaripod on TikTok 

It is Thankful Thursday on The Morning Blend. Brenda and Pat are grateful that you are tuning in this morning. Hear the latest news and find out how the elephants at the Oregon Zoo and getting ready for Halloween. Plus the latest news from the Vatican on the Synod on Synodality.Subscribe to the Morning Blend on your favorite podcast platform.Find this show on the free Hail Mary Media App, along with a radio live-stream, prayers, news, and more.Look through past episodes or support this podcast.The Morning Blend is a production of Mater Dei Radio in Portland, Oregon.

What do you call a scientist who studies poop? A poopologist, of course! We're exploring the stinky science of “poopology” at the zoo, to discover what poop can tell us about animal behavior! Poopologist Laurel Wescott, at the Oregon Zoo, will take us on a journey to find how chemicals found in animal poop can help zoo animals stay healthy. Plus, she'll clue us in on the “cutest” and most surprising poops, and so much more! This is the first episode of our 10th season. Thanks so much for joining us! For more information about Laurel and the poop she studies, visit our blog at sciencepodcastforkids.com, where we'll have resources, videos, and more. For ad-free versions of the episode and a birthday shout-out, go support Tumble on Patreon at patreon.com/tumblepodcast. For just $1/month, you'll also get access to our special bonus interview episodes!

The Dem's 2024 party platform touches on cybersecurity goals. The feds warn of increased Iranian influence operations. A severe security flaw has been discovered in a popular WordPress donation plugin. The Lazarus Group exploits a Windows zero-day to install a rootkit. Krebs on Security takes a closer look at the significant data breach at National Public Data. Toyota confirms a data breach after their data shows up on a hacking forum. A critical Jenkins vulnerability is added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Cybercriminals steal credit card info from the Oregon Zoo. Guest CJ Moses, CISO at Amazon, discussing partnership and being a good custodian of the community in threat intel and information sharing. CISA gets new digs.  Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Guest CJ Moses, CISO at Amazon, speaks with N2K's Brandon Karpf about partnership and being a good custodian of the community in threat intel and information sharing at re:Inforce 2024. Selected Reading Democratic Party Platform Contains Three Cyber Goals (Metacurity) US warns of Iranian hackers escalating influence operations (Bleeping Computer) Critical WordPress Plugin RCE Vulnerability Impacts 100k+ Sites (Cyber Security News) Windows driver zero-day exploited by Lazarus hackers to install rootkit (Bleeping Computer) National Public Data Published Its Own Passwords (Krebs on Security) Toyota confirms breach after stolen data leaks on hacking forum (Bleeping Computer) Critical Jenkins vulnerability added to CISA's known vulnerabilities catalog (SC Media) Cybercriminals siphon credit card numbers from Oregon Zoo website (The Record) CISA to Get New $524 Million Headquarters in DC, Backed by Inflation Reduction Act Funding (SecurityWeek) Share your feedback. We want to ensure that you are getting the most out of the podcast. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey as we continually work to improve the show.  Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at cyberwire@n2k.com to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NTD Good Morning—8/13/20241. Trump Returns to X in Conversation With Elon Musk2. Trump's Campaign Office in Ashburn, VA Broken Into3. Judge Denies RFK Jr. Ballot Access in New York4. US, Israel Gear up for Possible Iran Retaliation5. Iran Reportedly Sending Russia Ballistic Missiles6. Putin Comments on Ukraine's Cross-Border Incursion7. Impact of Ukraine's Incursion on War, Possible Negotiations8. Earthquake Rocks Los Angeles, None Injured9. Tropical Storm Ernesto Heads Towards Puerto Rico10. Greece-Fires: New Evacuations Ordered; Some 'Progress'11. Chinese Firm Accused of Illegally Sourcing Bodies12. Court Rejects Appeal to Reinstate Jordan Chiles' Bronze13. Olympic Flag Arrives in Los Angeles14. Differences in Harris' and Trump's Records on Crime15. DNC Set to Kick off in Chicago Next Week16. Back-to-School Spending Remains Near Record High17. Port Labor Strike Looms as Talks Hit Impasse18. Blink Fitness, a Discount Gym, Files for Bankruptcy19. Home Buyer Tips for Veterans, Service Members20. Fine Wine Matured in a Natural Underwater Cellar21. US Warship Production at 25-Year Low: Official22. Tropical Storm Ernesto Heads Towards Puerto Rico23. Thousands Evacuated as Fire Reaches Athens24. Rotting Smell at California's Biggest Lake25. Using the '5-20 Rule' to Read Food Labels26. How to Help With Kids' Back-to-School Anxiety27. New Evidence Suggest Water Beneath Mars28. Perseid Meteor Shower Lights up the Night29. Drivers in the UK Compete in 12-Hour Lawnmower Race30. Revival of Horseback Archery as Modern-Day Sport31. Curious Lions Investigate Hidden Camera at Oregon Zoo

Doctor Carlos Sanchez has an unusual and challenging caseload of patients. For one thing, they have scales, feathers, horns and fur, and can’t really say where it hurts. But it’s his job to oversee the medical care and treatment of more than a thousand animals as the head veterinarian at Portland’s Oregon Zoo. In our latest installment in our series on professions, we accompany Dr. Sanchez as he makes his daily rounds to check up on some of his favorite patients. He shares with us the special bond he has with them, the invaluable role zoo keepers play in their wellbeing and the fateful encounter he had as a young boy in Mexico City that would forever change his life

Dateline: May 17, 2024. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!  We start with our births for the week, which include exciting additions at Point Defiance Zoo, Trentham Monkey Forest, the Wild Cat Conservation Centre, the Oregon Zoo, SeaLife Weymouth, and Cape May County Zoo.We say goodbye to some beloved animals at facilities including the Jacksonville Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, Columbus Zoo, The NEW Zoo, and the Dublin Zoo.We then move on to our other Zoo News stories. We discuss the reopening of Prospect Park Zoo, an amazing article discussing the water used at the Georgia Aquarium, Pride Month events and the online backlash, Toss the Tusk, and amazing conservation work done by the Maryland Zoo, the Auckland Zoo, the ZAA (in Australia), an update on Charlotte the famous ray, and more! In Conservation News, we talk about why one river otter means good news for the species, a recent study done about the effects of noise pollution on birds, bad news for whales, and how you can help save red pandas while looking fly! In Other News,  we talk about a friendly seal and how someone is trying to hurt dogs on the Appalachian Trail. ROSSIFARI LINKS: www.rossifari.com patreon.com/rossifari @rossifari on socials @rossifaripod on TikTok

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is thinking of adding some federal protections for a turtle found in Oregon. The western pond turtle is found in fresh water and wetlands west of the Cascades. It is also found in Nevada, Washington and California. If the agency’s proposal is approved, the turtle would be labeled as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Public comments are being taken until May 5, 2024.   The turtle faces a number of challenges including habitat loss, drought and invasive species, such as bullfrogs, eating turtles when they’re young. But some work has been done to try to help this reptile. The Oregon Zoo has been working on recovery efforts in Washington since the late 1990s. Shervin Hess is the conservation manager there. He joins us to share more on what role this turtle plays in ecosystems and the current efforts to aid the species.

A woman named Melanie who loses her wedding ring at the North Greenville Recycling Center gets it back with the help of the Public Works Department.Secondly, a photography company called A Gold Photo increases adoptions and fundraising for over 50 shelters through a project called Second Shot, aiming to connect pets and people.The third story is about seven California condors, a critically endangered species, released into the wild after being hatched and raised at the Oregon Zoo.Moving on, the Kahakura Red Admiral Butterfly wins New Zealand's Bug of the Year title, based on a public vote involving 17,000 bug lovers.The final story involves a dad mistakenly buying a 6-meter long dinosaur for his son which had to be delivered by crane, creating an unexpected giant surprise.

Doctor Carlos Sanchez has an unusual and challenging caseload of patients. For one thing, they have scales, feathers, horns and fur, and can’t really say where it hurts. But it’s his job to oversee the medical care and treatment of more than a thousand animals (not including fish) as the head veterinarian at Portland’s Oregon Zoo. In our latest installment in our series on professions, we accompany Dr. Sanchez as he makes his daily rounds to check up on some of his favorite patients. He shares with us the special bond he has with them, the invaluable role zoo keepers play in their wellbeing and the fateful encounter he had as a young boy in Mexico City that would forever change his life. 

The ban on the use of lead shot for hunting waterfowl was phased-in starting with the 1987-1988 hunting season. The ban became nationwide in 1991. Over the concerns of lead fragments in gut piles and the non-recovered game being ingested by other wildlife, namely scavenging birds, some states now require non-lead ammunition for big game hunting, and pressure is being placed on the USFWS to make non-lead the norm on all National Wildlife Refuges. Chris Parish, President & CEO of The Peregrine Fund, Leland Brown, Non-Lead Hunting Education Coordinator with the Oregon Zoo, Paul Juergens, The Peregrine Fund VP of Conservation all with the Non-Lead Partnership, and WSF Lobbyist Charlie Booher join Sheep Fever co-hosts Gray Thornton and Keith Balfourd to speak on the issue of lead vs. non-lead big game hunting ammunition, proposed legislation regarding its use, what the science says, and the role sportsmen could play as this issue is brought to the fore.

Dateline: December 15, 2023. 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 start with our births, including an amazing story about African painted dogs at Potawatomi Zoo, another story about the same species at the Oklahoma City Zoo, a new rhino at the Oregon Zoo, and an adorable colobus monkey at the Memphis Zoo! We also say goodbye to an incredible old penguin at Aquarium of Niagara.We then move on to our other Zoo News stories, featuring a deep dive into the disgrace of the Natural Bridge Zoo in Virginia that came to light this week. After that, we spend some time talking about some lighter fare, including the Top Ten Zoo Lights for the year, an elephant seeming to take a selfie, how the B-52s are helping animals in human care, and so much more.In Conservation News, we talk about the reintroduction program for scimitar horned oryx and how incredibly successful it has been, and also an interesting story about river otters.And in Other News, we talk about the fact that dolphins are even cooler than we realized...and we already thought they were pretty darn cool! TO HELP ME HELP LEHIGH VALLEY ZOO GET RED PANDAS: https://gofund.me/2f33cfbdROSSIFARI LINKS: www.rossifari.com patreon.com/rossifari @rossifari on socials @rossifaripod on TikTok

Doctor Carlos Sanchez has an unusual and challenging caseload of patients. For one thing, they have scales, feathers, horns and fur, and can’t really say where it hurts. But it’s his job to oversee the medical care and treatment of more than a thousand animals as the head veterinarian at Portland’s Oregon Zoo. In our latest installment in our series on professions, we accompany Dr. Sanchez as he makes his daily rounds to check up on some of his favorite patients. He shares with us the special bond he has with them, the invaluable role zoo keepers play in their wellbeing and the fateful encounter he had as a young boy in Mexico City that would forever change his life. 

Dateline: October 6, 2023. 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 births at the National Zoo, Potawatomi Zoo, Zoo Tampa, Central Park Zoo, and Brandywine Zoo. We then say goodbye to beloved animals at Roger Williams Park Zoo, the Oregon Zoo, and the Jacksonville Zoo. We also talk about the flash floods at Central Park and Prospect Park Zoos, manatee conservation at the Columbus, Cincinnati, Tampa Zoos and SeaWorld, two great stories from the Akron Zoo, and so much more! In Conservation News, we talk about great news for rhinos, people ruining La Jolla, the TreeCard App, and more!And in Other News, we talk about the Phillies, a mink disaster, a thieving bear, and a blessed binturong. ROSSIFARI LINKS: www.rossifari.com patreon.com/rossifari @rossifari on socials @rossifaripod on TikTok

For the last two months, Laborers’ Local 485 member employees with Metro Park and Nature and the Oregon Zoo have been working under an expired contract with Metro. Negotiations are ongoing, and employees are asking for hazard pay when working in extreme weather, extra days off when dealing with extremely traumatic situations in the workplace and higher pay across the board. Marina Garcia is the guest services lead at the Oregon Zoo. Kendra Carillo is the maintenance lead for Metro Parks and Nature. They both join us to share conditions they and their teams are facing and what they want out of negotiations.

On this episode, Jake and Geoff talk about cursed and toxic work places, the Oregon Zoo, conservation v. capitalism, human nature & consumption, and documents found in Biden's office and home! *notice: the first 20 mins of the video are missing because Geoff forgot to hit record on the camera's, hence the subtitles. The last 40 of the minutes include the video on Spotify. We'll get this right eventually! Thanks for listening, watching, and always supporting! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/saywhatyoumeanpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/saywhatyoumeanpodcast/support

We talk about the North American Model of Wildlife Management and conservation and the importance of journaling. If you're a lifelong hunter or you plan to be, I encourage you to keep a journal. Leland Brown is the non-lead hunting education coordinator for the Oregon Zoo, based in Portland Oregon, educating hunters about non-lead options. In this interview we talk about a study he has initiated. If you tagged a big game animal this year, you can participate. Click on www.bit.ly/ammoperformance. 

In today's episode, Jason is joined by Leland Brown and Chris Parish, co-founders of the North American Non-Lead Partnership. Leland is a lifelong outdoorsman and the Non-led hunting education program manager for the Oregon Zoo. Chris is a lifelong hunter, conservation biologist, and President of the Peregrine Fund. During the episode, Leland and Chris tell us about the mission and goals of the North American Non-Lead Partnership, how it got started, and why education is such a big part of what they are trying to do. They also discuss why lead is so toxic to raptors, how (and why) hunters can help, and why a lead ammunition ban isn't the goal of the organization. NonLeadPartnership.org | Facebook | Instagram --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Former Beaverton mayor Doyle pleads guilty to possession of child pornography. New Microchip factory might be coming to Gresham. Two new monkeys make their debut at Oregon Zoo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of people think deer hunting when they set out to become hunters. But it didn't used to be that way. A couple three generations ago people hunted small game like rabbits and squirrels and pheasants and grouse as they learned their skills in the woods and the desert. And now it is September and a new generation wants to know how they can get started hunting. Today we talk to Leland Brown about his journey as a hunter and how to get started putting real food on the table. Leland Brown also works with the Oregon Zoo, educating hunters about non-lead options, so we talk rifles and ammo, too.

Portland sees numerous homicides, shootings over weekend. College football starts for Oregon's biggest schools this weekend. Buy wine, support Oregon Zoo animals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nikita Dhawan, Founder of Youth for Animals, interviews Courtney Scott, Elephant Consultant for In Defense of Animals (IDA), about their Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants campaign.Courtney Scott is the Elephant Consultant for In Defense of Animals (IDA). Located in Portland, Oregon, she has spent the last 15 years working to advance the cause of captive elephants. In 2008, after witnessing the Oregon Zoo's senior elephant Packy pacing in his pathetically small cage, she was motivated to launch the non profit Free the Oregon Zoo Elephants (FOZE). Seeing Packy's suffering also inspired her to produce a film exposing the plight of captive animals. IDA has been a staunch ally for FOZE, and collaborated on many protests and outreach events. IDA with FOZE successfully lobbied to get the zoo to stop its use of bull hooks and IDA's efforts led to the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) ban on bull hooks for all its member zoos. As of 2021, Courtney has been busy working for IDA on the Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants campaign, and is also engaged in developing more ways for IDA to support the cause of captive and wild elephants in Asia and Africa.

Welcome to Season 3, Episode 5, Why did the Caterpillar Cross the Road? To get to the Artillery Range. A story about the metamorphosis of a prison into a butterfly rearing facility for endangered species recovery. This episode is all about the Sustainability in Prisons Project's (SPP) Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly Program. In this episode, we learn more about the program with Mary Linders, endangered species biologist and we talk with Liz Louie, former butterfly technician, about her experience rearing Taylor's checkerspot butterflies. This season is all about the Sustainability in Prisons Project (otherwise referred to as SPP), how they bring education, nature and training into the prisons to reduce recidivism and protect and enhance our environment. This season (we now know) is 7 episodes long. In the first episode we got into how it all started; Episode 2 provided a background on the prison system and an introduction to SPP. Episode 3 was all about partnerships, which is really what SPP is, a network of partners working to bring education and nature into the prison system. Last episode provided an overview of the Conservation Programs at SPP and then we got into more of the details of the Conservation Nursery Programs and how they are involved in prairie restoration.We start off the episode with a few fun facts, including:A group of butterflies is called a kaleidoscope, although sometimes referred to as a flutter, flight or swarm. A group of caterpillars is called an army.According to the Smithsonian: There are about 18,500 butterfly species worldwide (except Antarctica). Of those, around 750 are found in the US.Interviewees this EpisodeMary LindersMary has worked as an endangered species recovery biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) since 1994. For the past 18 years she has worked to protect and recover populations of five at-risk prairie and oak-associated species in the South Puget Sound region. As the lead biologist overseeing captive rearing and population re-establishment of the federally endangered Taylor's checkerspot butterfly, Mary has grown the project from a captive rearing test trial to a program with two captive rearing facilities, 14 field sites, and nine conservation partners. All told, this effort is transforming 1000s of acres of degraded grassland to high quality native prairie benefitting a multitude of other species. Mary holds a Master's degree in Wildlife Science from the University of Washington-Seattle and a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Liz LouieLiz is currently the manager of the FareStart Restaurant Program. She was previously a butterfly technician with the Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly Rearing program. According to their website, “FareStart transforms lives, disrupts poverty and nourishes communities through food, life skills and job training.” We hope to have a future mini-sode where we share more about Liz's experience with the FareStart Program. Stay tuned for more info on that!Taylor's Checkerspot ButterflyAccording to the WDFW Website:“Taylor's checkerspot is a Pacific Northwest endemic butterfly. It is currently restricted to a small scattering of 8 populations in Washington, a single population in British Columbia, and 2 populations in Oregon. The decline of this butterfly has accompanied the loss of open, prairie and grassland habitats…it has declined dramatically due to widespread habitat degradation and loss of prairie-oak ecosystems from development, invasive species, and loss of beneficial disturbance mechanisms. Habitat enhancement efforts for Taylor's checkerspot since 2006 have been significant, however, the amount of fully-restored habitat relative to need is low, and the configuration of habitat remains fragmented and isolated.”TAYLOR'S CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLY ON BALSAMROOT - PHOTO CREDIT: USFWS/K. REAGANTaylor's Checkerspot was listed as an endangered species by the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission in 2006, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada in 2011, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2013. The federal listing means that basically that no harm can come of the butterfly.Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) includes the largest remaining intact prairie (which happens to be a live artillery range) in the South Salish Sea Basin. The artillery impact area at JBLM contains some of the highest quality prairies in the Pacific Northwest and some of the few remaining natural populations of Taylor's checkerspot butterflies. Out of all of the glacial outwash prairie that previously existed there is only 3% remaining and of that, JBLM is home to about 95%. If you want to learn more about butterfly identification in the South Salish lowlands, check out, A Region Specific Guide to Butterflies of South Puget Sound, Washington.The Cascadia Prairie Oak Partnership has a lot of great resources related to prairie oak restoration in the Salish Sea basin and Willamette Valley, including various field and landowner guides.WDFW asks that you share Taylor's checkerspot butterfly observations on their WDFW wildlife reporting form. Providing detailed information such as a photo and the coordinates will improve the confidence and value of your observation.Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly ProgramIn this episode, Mary Linders shares more about the Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly Program. She talks about their lifecycle and their unique ecological niche within the Salish Lowland Prairies. The ultimate goal of the program is to rear butterflies to be reintroduced into the wild to help restore the few remaining native populations. The easiest way to do that is to try to reduce their mortality in captivity. Mary says that one of the biggest challenges to rearing Taylor's checkerspot butterflies is weather. On the habitat side, it means that they may or may not get green up after a fire, or germination, which is impacted by weather and management techniques. While on the butterfly side of things, it is very plastic in its behavior to the climate; if there is an early spring, it will shift its flight habits.We learn that in the wild, the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly has a survival rate of 1-5% from egg to adult, while in captivity they see about a 65% survival rate. They try to keep every stage at 90% survival rate.While GPS and GIS have not been used on the incarcerated side, Mary does share how GIS and GPS are used for all aspects of conservation from habitat assessments to recording release locations and tracking movement.This project is having an impact on species recovery. Where they were down to a single population, they have now established two other populations and there is a third that is doing okay. There are also a couple of sites that have not fully taken off yet.Mary discusses some of the benefits of bringing a project like this into a prison setting. One of the benefits is that you get an intimate look at captivity and another is that they have been very successful at minimizing mortality in captivity. She says one of the drawbacks of having a program like this in a prison is that it is a very dynamic situation, where you might face lockdowns or other circumstances that might not happen outside of prison. She shares that there was a lot of risk involved, especially at the beginning, since they had to build a dedicated facility, but that the women in the prison took it on and made it their own. One aspect that helped them get this project off the ground, is that the Oregon Zoo was able to help guide the rearing details.Mary shares how collaborating with SPP has impacted her. She says it's the ultimate feel good, where you can heal the environment and society at the same time.Rearing Taylor's Checkerspot Butterflies in a Prison SettingNext we talk with Liz Louie about her experience as a butterfly technician. She shares more about how she got started with the program, including going through a traditional interview process, which is not typical for positions in prison. She talks about how she had some skills that were helpful for working with the butterflies, like experience working with data. Liz says that she was fearful at first, because the butterflies are such sensitive little animals! She also shares how it was great to be able to participate through four rearing seasons and that they were able to surpass the prior year's survival rates.We ask Liz about the benefits of working in a program like this. She says that every year the technicians had the option to apply for credit from Evergreen. She talks about how impactful it was for those individuals that had never been to college before or had that kind of an experience and that it pushed participants to pursue further education and gave them confidence to apply for other programs.Liz also explains what butterfly rearing looks like in the prison environment. She talks about the various life cycle stages. She says that the butterfly phase was her favorite part, because you get to handle them a little more and you have to feed them. She also talks about how they have various families or lines and they have to keep track of them so they are breeding different families together. According to the Oregon Zoo website, this is what their recovery project looks like (they provided guidance to the SPP project):“Spring: Adult females and eggs are collected in the wild at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Olympia, Wash., and sent to the zoo for hatching and rearing. The hatched caterpillars are fed leaves grown on grounds at the zoo.Summer: The caterpillars continue to eat and grow until June when they go into a mostly inactive phase called "diapause." The caterpillars are then placed in earthenware pots in a sheltered outside area and periodically inspected.Winter: In February the larvae are brought back into the lab where they begin to eat again.Spring: In March most of the caterpillars are released at sites with suitable habitat to continue growing until they pupate and eclose (or emerge) as butterflies.”You can learn more about the specifics of rearing in the Oregon Zoo's Taylor's Checkerspot Captive Rearing Overview document.Then we chat about how they make the babies…spoiler alert, she says they did try things like playing some Marvin Gay to see if that helped get them in the mood! Typically they take a single female and place 7-8 males from a different lineage into the same tent. They have run various experiments, such as changing the temperature, or the light, trying to get the conditions prime for baby-time! After a male has, you know, joined…the female is placed in her own tent where she lays the eggs and then she is retired into a mix cage to be released.The rearing facility is a greenhouse located just outside of the Mission Creek Correctional Facility (well there are two rearing greenhouses now, but there was one while Liz was there). They raise a bed of plantain, which is a weedy little plant that is the preferred food for the caterpillars. The technicians provide the butterflies with a sponge with sugar water, fresh water and nectar bearing plants, such as cotton candy, which they grow onsite. Both caterpillars and butterflies start to wake up in January, then they are fed at the facility for a couple of weeks before they are released into the field in late February. Liz shares how she thinks prison job programs like this are very important. They provide people with transferable skills that they can use once they are out of prison, but it also provides people with pride and self-confidence to study, learn, and pursue things that they previously thought were not possible. She says that she believes these programs do more good than harm, but she, like others that we have talked with, says that the one thing she wished is that the wages were more representative of the level of work they were completing. For example, she says they only received 35 cents per hour commensurate with other in house jobs (like laundry, kitchen, or custodian), but some of the other physical labor jobs, like for the highway cleanups, incarcerated workers receive a dollar an hour. SPP is working to make it more equitable, but they are working within the legislative confines of current prison wages.In the end Liz says that she is really glad that she found SPP, and that she is excited to hear that they are growing and offering more and more programs, because she believes it is such a good thing for anyone that participates. Most people have a good experience and they learn a lot. Until Next Time…Thank you so much for joining us this episode! We hope you learned more about:Taylor's checkerspot butterfly conservation and restoration efforts and the importance of the South Salish lowland prairies in their recoveryWhat a SPP facilitated conservation program is likeThe impacts of programs like these to species recovery and human enrichment, and how both of these can have a positive impact in our communitiesWe think one of the takeaways from this episode is that rearing and restoring populations of Taylor's Checkerspot Butterflies is difficult, and adding it into a prison setting doesn't make it easier, but the cumulative effort to do so results in benefits to both the butterflies and the humans that participate in the program. This is another major conservation program that is facilitated by SPP, and while we don't expect that all of our listeners (or SPP) have the time and resources to develop big programs, there might be someone out there that has just the perfect program idea to pitch to SPP. Next episode, we will learn more about opportunities to participate with SPP without developing a whole dang program. Please don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts (like Tune In, Castbox Himalaya, iheartradio, etc). Please let us know what you think in the comments below or on our Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest pages. Until next time, Will We Make It Out Alive?

Welcome to Season 3, Episode 3, If You're not a Partner of the Solution, You're a Partner of the Problem; Partnerships and Programs with the Sustainability in Prisons Project (aka SPP). This season is all about the Sustainability in Prisons Project, what they do, why they do it and how you might be able bring your skills and knowledge to incarcerated individuals. For this episode, we interviewed Kelli Bush, the Sustainability in Prisons Project Director; Mary Linders, WDFW Wildlife Biologist; and Carolina Landa, a former butterfly technician. In this episode we dive into the complex web of partnerships that SPP maintains for their various, changing and growing programs. At the heart of this whole organization is a web of partnerships that keep everything moving forward and also ensure that projects are safe and appropriate for the prison environment.Interviewees' Background and ExperienceKelli Bush is the co-director of the Sustainability in Prisons Project. She helps bring nature, science and environmental education into prisons in Washington. She also leads staff from The Evergreen State College that coordinate programs in the prisons. She has a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture Ecology from The Evergreen State College. Mary Linders has worked as an endangered species recovery biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) since 1994. For the past 18 years she has worked to protect and recover populations of five at-risk prairie and oak-associated species in the South Puget Sound region. As the lead biologist overseeing captive rearing and population re-establishment of the federally endangered Taylor's checkerspot butterfly, Mary has grown the project from a captive rearing test trial to a program with two captive rearing facilities, 14 field sites, and nine conservation partners. All told, this effort is transforming thousands of acres of degraded grassland to high quality native prairie benefitting a multitude of other species. Mary holds a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master's degree in Wildlife Science from the University of Washington-Seattle. This background has served her well in a field where conservation values mesh with competing human values. Outside of work she enjoys gardening, hiking, camping, paddling and playing music with her husband and son. Carolina Landa MPA, identifies as a Mexican-American woman. She currently works at the Office of the Corrections Ombuds as the Assistant Ombuds focused on Gender Equity and Reentry. She is a graduate of The Evergreen State College where she received her Bachelor's degree with a focus on Law and Policy followed by her Master's degree in Public Administration. Her three areas of specialized work are in Social Justice, Disabilities and Immigration. She currently serves as a member of the Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council. She strongly believes that people with lived experiences have the power through voice to impact the most effective change in our society. Partnerships and Programs, oh my!This episode is all about partnerships and programs in the Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP). When we first started researching this topic, Amy the Poop Detective was amazed at the breadth of different organizations and project types that fall under the SPP umbrella.SPP was initially formed as a partnership between The Evergreen State College (Evergreen) and the Department of Corrections (DOC) to bring science, nature and education into prisons in Washington State. It has since grown to almost 200 partnerships. The breadth and depth of the programs that they help facilitate is impressive, to say the very least. While we are most interested in conservation, nature and education programs, we learn that there are so many other types of programs/projects.SPP Perspective on Partnerships and ProgramsIn this episode, Kelli Bush shares more about how partnerships form and function. One of the main points that she makes is that these programs can be started at any level, whether it be an idea from an incarcerated individual, DOC staff, Evergreen graduates or partners in the community (that could mean you!). She also describes how each project is evaluated to make sure that there is benefit to all involved parties. They especially do not want projects that are just looking for free or cheap labor. The primary types of benefits to incarcerated individuals are educational, therapeutic and/or job skill related. She also shares more about how new projects also must be vetted by the DOC to ensure that they meet their safety and risk reduction considerations associated with the prison environment. We chat about how some projects are relatively easy to implement, for example education programs, where other programs are more difficult to implement such as the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly program, which required a greenhouse to be built and potential risks to be considered. She uses the composting program at the Monroe Correctional Facility as an example of how programs can start and grow. In this example, incarcerated individuals worked with DOC staff to develop an internal composting program. Over time, this program has grown into an award winning composting program and they have expanded their composting methods to include Bokashi composting (basically fermenting compost) and Black Soldier Fly Larvae composting, similar to vermicomposting, where the larvae eat through and break down food waste quickly. Here are some additional links to learn more about the SPP Bokashi and Black Soldier Fly Larvae composting programs.She shares more about several programs that are not so science based, including:A dog training program, where dogs live with and are trained by incarcerated individuals. They train dogs for children and adults for a variety of conditions. They also host foster animals, sometimes difficult to adopt animals, from many different agencies including the Kitsap Humane Society and Purrfect Pals.A bike refurbishing program, which reduces waste by salvaging and restoring bikes that otherwise might be headed to the landfill. Then those newly tuned up bikes get awesome paint jobs and they are donated back to someone in need in the community.There are lots of other cool partnerships that we did not get into. If you want to learn more, head over to SPP's website and you can look through the many partners and projects.Kelli shares a little about potential project gaps. One of the projects she hopes that the Magical Mapper might pursue is bringing more technology, like GIS, into the prisons. The other one that she feels is important is a program that supports successful reentry, and that includes housing and employment opportunities. She discusses how she initially thought this work might be done outside of the prison by another organization, but now she thinks it might be something that SPP should help develop. She wants partners to consider if organizations are willing to invest in previously incarcerated individuals once they are outside of the prison as well; helping them grow their environmental careers once they are released.We talk about some of the barriers to new program development such as:A general lack of space; prisons were not set up as educational facilitiesTechnology, computer and internet accessGeneral capacity at SPP to take on and facilitate additional projectsKelli also discusses how a big part of SPP's work is to try and identify the roles and responsibilities for the involved partners. She talks about how communication, clarity of roles, community time investment and who gets recognition for the work are all important aspects to making the partnerships function and ensuring that all partners feel valued and needed.She also shares a little bit about a new program on the horizon, the Evergreen Coalition for Justice, which just received funding for a year that starts this July. It will provide an opportunity to expand support for incarcerated individuals post release. They will partner with community colleges and other organizations to help fill the gaps where needs have been identified and to complement existing programs. They are pitching the idea to develop a program with current community organizations that are involved with SPP to work with previously incarcerated individuals post release.Outside Organization Perspective on Partnerships and ProgramsNext we get Mary in the hot seat to learn more about her experiences with partnerships and programs and in her work with WDFW. Mary shares more about how she partners with SPP to help recover the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly. We're going to focus more on the Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly Program next episode, but this interview with Mary is more about the partnership and program with SPP. Mary shares some of the ins and outs of how the partnership started and how difficult it was to get support from WDFW for the project. She talks about some of the other partners in the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly recovery program and what their roles are. Partners in this program include Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Department of Defense, the US Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Zoo, and SPP (which includes Evergreen and the Department of Corrections), and the butterfly technicians. We also dive into some more details of the program.Next Mary talks about some of the things that potential new partners may need to consider if they want to develop a new SPP project or program. Some of the things that she mentions include that you have to really know what goals or products that you need, you also need to have critical and detailed planning, and in the end you need to be creative and flexible. She also shares a little about the impact this work has had on her and how it has been one of the most rewarding things she has ever done.SPP Butterfly Technician Perspective on Partnerships and ProgramsFinally, we bring in Carolina Landa to share her lived experience as a Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly technician. She discusses her experience with partnerships and how the SPP program helped her find her voice, move forward, and be successful after her release. Since she was a butterfly technician, she went on to earn her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Public Administration from The Evergreen State College and she is currently an Ombuds(wo)man for the Department of Corrections. She shares how she became involved in the butterfly program and what some of the requirements were for her to become a butterfly technician. She also talks about how she was perceived by other inmates and how the program has grown in popularity. She shares some of the ins and outs, like how they spent 7 hours a day in the greenhouse during the active rearing season.One of the areas that she thinks could use a new program or project developed under SPP would be a re-entry program or a work entry program, which of course is similar to what Kelli was saying! And it sounds like on some level the Evergreen Coalition for Justice will be able to help move this idea forward. Carolina shares her perspective on whether she felt her experience participating in SPP was exploitative. She talks about what she gained from the program. One of the major benefits was she was the first person to receive 16 college credits for her participation in the program from The Evergreen State College. She also talked about the therapeutic aspect of working with the butterflies, being outside of the prison walls, able to spend her days in the sunshine of the greenhouse, and about the lifelong friendships that she made with the people that she worked with. She shares that near the end of her time she had to move on to another program that took up more of her time. She wasn't able to work at the butterfly enclosure anymore, but she still volunteered her time there on the weekends!!!As far as what she would change about the program, she says that she hopes that programs like this expand and are available to more participants and at different prisons. She shares a little about what she is up to now, including being an advisor to SPP and her work as an Omsbud(wo)man for DOC.As far as her experience with incarceration and reentry, she says that prisons are bad (m'kay) and most first timers never think that they will end up in prison. She shares that there are staff that want to do better, but the structure makes change very difficult. She says for those experiencing incarceration it is important to build your network, find your people and community and then you have people to ask if you need help. She also talks about how technology can be difficult to adjust to post release. She shares a little about the barriers that exist when you have a criminal background, namely around housing and employment. In Washington you can have your record vacated depending on the type of felony and Carolina helped fight for this change in Washington!She also talks about how the view of the prison system is changing and how Washington State is making some changes. One of the programs that Washington has participated in is the AMEND program, which brings the principles of incarceration from Norway, where the goal is more restorative than punitive.Finally, she helps us end with a little bit of humor when she shares a funny story about a corrections officer that took her job seriously.Until Next Time…Thank you so much for joining us this episode! We hope you learned more about how the Sustainability in Prisons Project uses partnerships to effectively leverage multiple partners to bring education, nature and science into the prisons and how their programs impact our communities and our environment. We think the biggest takeaways from this episode include:Partnerships must provide value to all involvedPartnerships and programs can start from any level, whether that's an incarcerated individual, DOC or SPP staff, an outside organization, or an Evergreen graduate student and One of SPPs main roles is as a facilitator, ensuring that projects and programs run effectivelyWe also learned that some projects are easy to implement, such as bringing a guest lecturer or developing some educational materials, while other programs are more difficult to implement, such as the butterfly program, which requires learning how to successfully rear butterflies in a prison and building the necessary infrastructure to do so. Please don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts (like Tune In, Castbox Himalaya, iheartradio, etc). Please let us know what you think in the comments below or on our Facebook page. Until next time, Will We Make It Out Alive?

Portland sues TriMet for $10 million over streetcar track. PCC names new president, a former professional long jumper who leads a Michigan college. Leah, a 47 year old chimpanzee, died at Oregon Zoo. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Moobarkfluff!  Bearly and Taebyn are at it again. What maddness will ensue this week. We learn all about ants. Gay movies are discussed. We visit with Portland Fur Cheetaro and talk about his volunteer work at the Oregon Zoo, his coming out as furry, and his life as a cheetah.  Bearly reads the Ferdinand the Bull story, and we play some trivia. Join us once again and be our fluffy friends. Moobarkfluff! https://www.bonfire.com/store/bearly-furcasting/Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/bearlyfurcasting)

Brianne Zanella Bio Brianne Zanella is a Program Animal Specialist at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, OR. She engages with thousands of zoo visitors each year, curating experiences that foster curiosity for nature and wildlife.  As a Program Animal Specialist working with ambassador animals in a zoo setting, Brianne uses training in various ways. She strives to be creative and considerate about training that provides education animals with choice to participate in programming and is also ardent about training husbandry behaviors with domestic animals.  Brianne's passion is storytelling, particularly geared for young children. She works in the Family Farm with goats, rabbits, chickens and more and loves sharing her furry family with others. By connecting animals that children read about in books at home with those in the Farm, she hopes to foster empathy for wildlife in children who will grow into future planet keepers. You can see Brianne, her amazing coworkers, and the stars of the show, goat kids Ruth and Sonia, in a series of family-friendly videos, “Tiny Goat Visits,” available on the Oregon Zoo Facebook and YouTube.

Perhaps no animal evokes as potently the existential threat of climate change as the polar bear. Global warming is causing sea ice to rapidly melt, leading to loss of habitat for the world's largest land carnivore, which uses the Arctic ice as a platform to hunt ringed seals and other prey. Scientists face daunting challenges when studying wild polar bears in part because they live in remote places like Alaska's north coast. But polar bears in captivity, including at the Oregon Zoo, are providing a trove of data that is helping scientists unlock clues to the health and survival of their wild counterparts. Joining us is Amy Cutting, interim director of animal care and conservation at the Oregon Zoo, and Karyn Rode, a research wildlife biologist based in Portland with the U.S.G.S Alaska Science Center.

Dr Jill Mellen worked as the Education and Science Director at Disney's Animal Kingdom and while now retired from this position, she is still very active in all kinds of projects! She has worked in the zoo and aquatic field for over three decades, with expertise in animal welfare. As such, in 2021, Jill received a lifetime achievement award for her work in animal welfare from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Jill shares with us that beyond having a dog, her family had no interest in animals. Instead, Jill was inspired by her neighbours Velma and Karen who owned a horse. She went on to university to study for a BSc in Biology then an MSc in Animal Behaviour. Whilst studying, she acquired a job at Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, Illinois where she worked with children and farm animals. This sparked her passion for zoo-based careers. Progressing from there, after her MSc Jill was hired to participate in environmental engineering and to train and supervise undergraduates at Oregon Zoo. Jill then asked Sabrina how she gained her passion. Sabrina refers to her love of nature and bird watching, despite being allergic. She dropped out of school to work with aquatics and marine mammals. This stirred her love of learning more about animal behaviour. Both Jill and Sabrina discuss how this drive caused them to pursue a PhD. Jill then discussed working with Hal Markowitz at Oregon Zoo, and how he and the team did not realise how ground-breaking any of their work in environmental enrichment was. She summarised their work as behavioural encouragement through operant conditioning. Jill described one example with Baloo the Mandrill utilising a reaction time video game in which they compete with the public. When Baloo won, he would receive a feed reward. Jill and Sabrina then discussed the controversy of artificial versus natural enrichments. They then continue to discuss the variations of words concerning welfare which could result in miscommunication. So, Jill recommends before each discussion utilising a word, it should be defined in the discussion. This led Sabrina to talk about incorporating different perspectives of people from different industries to benefit the project. Jill also explains the origins and the effectiveness of SPIDER, a scientific framework used to implement and evaluate environmental enrichment. Jill concludes by emphasising the importance of choice and control in enclosure design, as we have placed them in an enclosure, we have removed a lot of choices. Therefore, it is up to us to provide some back based on their natural history. Learn about SPIDER HERE Become a member of PAWS HERE

Part 0 Lauran, an Oregon Zoo keeper explained what it's like to be a zoo keeper and a dog owner. It's actually pretty interesting. What else do you have to do? Come on. Click play :-) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mylasweetpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mylasweetpodcast/support

Laura, a zoo keeper of 20 years tells how she turned her love of animals into being a zookeeper. Plus we delve in alot of poop... You just have to listen. Click play :-) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mylasweetpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mylasweetpodcast/support

The Oregon Zoo's California condor breeding program expects to hatch more condor chicks. The program received financial backing from Avangrid Renewables, a Portland-based wind power company, which aims to offset possible condor deaths due to their wind farms. We hear from Oregon Zoo veterinarian Kelly Flaminio about what the program has been able to do for condors, and why the species is important.

On this episode of Talking Apes, we chat with Colleen Reed, with the Oregon Zoo and Orangutan Outreach to discuss some of her favorite moments and lessons from her years of work with Orangutans around the USA and with Bornean Orangutan Survival Foundation. Two parts primatology, one part memoir, this episode is a wonderful look at orangutans for beginners and experts alike!Support the show (https://globio.org/donate)

Dr. David Shepherdson is a biologist with a long and distinguished career in zoo animal welfare and conservation. David was inspired by Tinbergen, Durrell, and Lorentz, and completed a Ph.D. in ethology, on the European badgers in England. David got a job at the London Zoo in the late '80 with a renewed interest in animal welfare, ignited by the work and book by the late Hal Markowitz, 'behavioral enrichment at the zoo'. Working on zoo animal welfare, and specifically the psychological and behavioural needs. David moved to the Oregon Zoo where he had a long career working with many different scientists, care staff, and students, conducting multi-institutional studies, covering topics such as environmental enrichment, stereotypic behaviour, and together with other experts, on the physiology and other measures for different animal welfare assessments. Including studies on space use of elephants, daily walking distances, environmental and social factors, and welfare indicators.David interacted with the American Zoo Association and the larger zoo world, was part of the establishment of the AZA animal welfare committee, and affecting change for animals globally. David also mentioned the importance of understanding the history of the topic of animal welfare, where concepts and thinking came from, including work by biologist Heini Hediger and Dr. Terry Maple, and how many ideas, thinking, and concepts that have already been written about, which can be revisited and used today.David discusses how we have seen a massive paradigm shift in how we think of animal minds, as the idea of animal thinking and minds since the mid-'80s, how it has changed our ideas and treatment of animals. Conservation work is key, including the work on local species, and species recovery activities, and David shares his work with frogs, turtles, California condor, and many other species, with many of these projects still ongoing. David highlights the necessary web of collaboration with all kinds of organisations and experts, and the unique position of zoos and aquariums reaching a wider audience through social media, education programs, and other educational activities, also known as social marketing. 'Grabbing people by their emotions, and changing their opinions, as the future of the world as we know it depends on it."Finally, David also highlights the importance of good relationships between caregivers and animals, that care staff is central to questions of animal welfare, and their insights into animal welfare. David shares a wonderful story about a Golden eagle and we discuss that maybe, maybe, there might be an updated version of Second Nature? Learn more about the Oregon ZooLearn more about the book Second Nature, edited Shepherdson, Mellen, and Hutchins.

What if you Shared Your Town with a Thousand Migrating Polar Bears Each Year? That's What Happens in Churchill, Manitoba, which Attracts Tourists Around the World to Witness this Extraordinary EventRic Speaks with Wildlife Biologist Don Moore About this Amazing Migration (Documented in Smithsonian Channel's Polar Bear Town) and the Dangers Polar Bears Face Due to Climate Change Every fall, approximately 10,000 tourists from around the world descend on “The Polar Bear Capital of the World,” Churchill, Manitoba. This community of about 800 people in Northern Canada hosts the annual migration of more than 1,000 hungry polar bears that pass through town as they wait for the Bay ice to return. The new Smithsonian Channel docu-series Polar Bear Town premieres Wednesday November 16th at 8pm ET/PT documents a season in Churchill, following this amazing interaction of human and four-legged animals as they collide in unexpected and sometimes dangerous ways.One of the experts featured in the series is Certified Wildlife Biologist Dr. Don Moore. Dr. Moore -- who currently works as Director of the Oregon Zoo -- has been training the next generation of animal care professionals and conservation biologists, studying animal behavior in zoos and nature, and creating conservation management plans for wild animals for more than 30 years. Dr. Moore can discuss this extraordinary annual migration, the dangers it poses, and what viewers can expect to see in Polar Bear Town. He can also discuss the dangers that polar bear populations are facing with climate change. To learn more about Polar Bear Town, visit:http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/shows/polar-bear-town/1004349

Did you as a child, or perhaps even today as an adult, absolutely love animals – and maybe even sometimes prefer their company over humans? Do you want to ensure they're loved, rescued and well cared for, and understood? My guest in this episode loves her work as a zoologist and is specifically most focused on caring for birds of many plumages. Her passion is to ensure these beautiful creatures have the best life they can while in captivity and that she accurately understands and conveys their voice. An avid conservationist, she cares about our planet and all the creatures that dwell on it. Both on the clock and off, she's engaged with various efforts to defend the beauty and pristine nature of this world we call home. This episode lets us in on a little of the life and times of Gwen Harris, who has trekked various parts of the world in her pursuit to learn about animals and how we can understand and preserve their livelihoods.