Julia Wilder, Executive Director of ZDR3 (Zoological Disaster Response, Rescue, and Recovery) returns to discuss the unfolding fires in Los Angeles. While her team is not presently deployed on scene, they are coordinating help through local MOU members as was one of the original goals of the now 200 facility member strong group across nearly 40 states. Julia describes how the risks and response to wild land fires are different in nature and immediacy compared to the hurricane disasters ZDR3 has been called in to assist with as recently as this past fall.

Plus, we remember the life and impact on improving elephant welfare and training with the recent passing of colleague Jeff Andrews.

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Director of Research for the Dolphin Research Center, Dr. Kelly Jaakkola returns to discuss her upcoming free webinar summarizing recent dolphin cognition studies hosted by the Dolphin Communication Project and her just published invited rebuttal to a paper in the journal Science about marmosets supposed use of individual names. Few species have been shown to use names much like we humans do as labels to identify specific individuals. She discusses how authors of a recent study that relied on machine learning to analyze common marmoset "phee calls" found patterns which they suggest indicate the use of these calls as individual names. Dr. Jaakkola suggests in her rebuttal that while the computer methodology seems sound and exciting for future investigative work, there is another explanation which fits the data better than the  authors' interpretation that marmosets are using these calls as names like humans or dolphins do.

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With this first episode of Zoo Logic in the New Year, we hand this week's hosting duties over to our number one supporter and spouse of nearly 35 years, Karen Stafford to review key issues from the previous zoological year and the regular host's thoughts on the new podcast year ahead. 

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On the heels of 2023's Secrets of the Octopus, award-winning and best-selling author, Sy Montgomery returns to discuss her latest title, What the Chicken Knows from Atria Books. As with all of her books about animals and Nature, Sy does her research.  In this case much of her source material came from decades of raising, observing, and learning from chickens... and those that love and study them. As a prolific and successful writer, Sy offers some suggestions to listeners who think about writing their own book. Animal professionals and fans will appreciate her long list of titles covering dolphins, apes, big cats, turtles, humming birds and many more species, plus her full support for the zoological community and its vital impact on conservation.

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Jenna Palmisano is a doctoral student at the University of Central Florida tracking a parasitic tongue worm infecting nearly 2 dozen native species of snake, including the pygmy rattlesnake, and other ectotherms in central and southern Florida. While much is not known about this parasite, often referred to as a lung worm when it is actually a type of crustacean, it is believed to have been introduced by the many diverse invasive species, especially Burmese Pythons that are now endemic to Florida's rich biodiverse ecosystems. Jenna's field tracking and molecular work are attempting to identify where and at what rate the infestation has spread and to better understand the complex life cycle of this organism which has contributed to signifiant declines in native snake species. She helps manage a website to inform the public of this invasive disease and to recruit anecdotal data from citizen scientists.

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Veterinary epidemiologist, Dr. Dominic Travis, Chief Programs Officer for the Marine Mammal Center returns to discuss the virulent and usually lethal strain of avian influenza affecting a variety of species, especially marine mammals. Given the COVID pandemic fatigue felt across society, it is important not to let our guard down about monitoring for known risks such as influenza which has been front and center among researchers, clinicians, and public health agencies for decades. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, The Marine Mammal Center has rescued more than 26,000 marine mammals along 600 miles of California coastline and the Big Island of Hawai‘i. The TMMC team endeavors to advance ocean health through marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation, research, and education.

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As part of Zoo Logic's year-long look at the well-being of animal care professionals, we invited a very special guest with Human Resources expertise across all aspects of the employer-employee spectrum. Karen Stafford is an HR veteran of Fortune 500 corporate and non-profit organizations, as well as, a professor at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. She's also knowledgeable about the zoo and aquarium space having witnessed more animal training shows, TV appearances and late night feedings of wild animals in her guest bathroom than any spouse of 34 years should have to endure! Karen offers helpful advice to those professionals considering leaving their dream job or profession due to hostile work environments, difficult coworkers, and/or inexperienced supervisors and managers. What steps should employers do to invest in better trained mangers to improve the overall work environment for every staff member and by doing so, improve retention? Before walking away, what steps can we as employees do to preserve our career paths, improve our own situation, and re-connect with the passion we all feel or once felt caring for and conserving animals in our care and in the wild.

Ikigai - A Japanese concept for that which gives your life meaning, purpose, or worth. Similar to French "Raison d'etre": https://ikigaitest.com/en-personality-test/ 

The Standout Assessment: https://www.tmbc.com/standout-assessment/

Myers Briggs Type Indicator (similar) to help you understand key personality patterns to unlock professional & personal success:  https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test

Love+Work by Marcus Buckingham

The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor

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The marine mammal team at Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium and Safari Park met with K-9 law enforcement officers from Prescott Arizona at the park last month to talk and demonstrate animal training principles. This follows a long tradition over the past 25 years or more, set by other representatives from facilities such as the US Navy dolphin program and SeaWorld, of these two very different training communities working to share creative solutions, best practices, and very different work environment requirements. According to Wildlife World's Krysta Henderson who manages the sea lion facility and K-9 coordinator, Officer Kyle Alltop it was motivating to see how the other group responds to behavioral challenges and fostering animal motivation to learn. This was the first of many planned joint sessions where teams from both organizations and surrounding law enforcement agencies in Central Arizona plan to work and learn together.

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Recently, the marine mammal team at Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas announced they had tracked and located a male spotted dolphin the facility had rescued, rehabilitated and returned to the ocean over 5 years ago under the auspices of the company's Blue Project Foundation. The successful return of this animal was due in large part to a series of fortunate factors including the longitudinal study of these resident dolphins.  In fact, scientists knew of this animal, its birth year, dam, and migration habits long before it was found stranded and near death at age 9.  Thanks to this field evidence and the generous contributions from scientists in the Bahamas and the US including Dr Randy Wells at Sarasota Dolphin Research Project, Brookfield Zoo Chicago, the team at the Dolphin Communication Project, the Wild Dolphin Project and others, the animal not only was returned to health and eventually the ocean, but he has since thrived having rejoined his social group. Vice President of Marine Mammal Operations for Atlantis, Ted Turner describes this historic journey for this extraordinary animal nicknamed "M & M."

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Recently, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) announced a new primate ambassador policy that essentially curtails the practice of having closer contact between primates and the public. Primatologist, Dr. Samantha Russak, Chief of Welfare and Research for Tanganika Wildlife Park in Goddard Kansas joins Zoo Logic to discuss the new policy's drawbacks and inconsistencies at a time when hand-rearing primates has largely gone the way of the dodo in accredited facilities. In addition, Dr. Sam touches on the Well-Being Summit put on by AZA this past week which included key speakers from anti-zoo and aquarium organizations lecturing zoo professionals on welfare practices.

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Dr. Rick LeCouteur is a retired veterinary neurosurgeon originally from Australia. His new children's book entitled Nasty Names Are Hurtful: An Australian white ibis responds to name-calling in the city highlights the repercussions of human activities on wild habitats and underscores the importance of empathy and acceptance. Young readers will learn about a resilient species once on the verge of extinction that has since adapted to the loss of wetlands by surviving in urban areas.