1 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 1: On this episode of News World. My love for animals 2 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: goes back to my childhood. In fact, in nineteen fifty four, 3 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: at the age of eleven, I gave a speech to 4 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 1: the city council in my hometown in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, about 5 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: why Harrisburg neared a zoo, much to my mother's surprise 6 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: in my father's irritation, the story was picked up by 7 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: the Associated Press and received a bunch of attention. It 8 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: was August, there wasn't much news, and eleven year old's 9 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 1: talking to the city council was considered pretty cool. At 10 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: that point on, I was really considering becoming a zoo 11 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: director or a herpetologist. I've really loved animals, and I've 12 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: always had a great love for zoos and for animals 13 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: in general. And one of the greatest zoos in the 14 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: world is the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, d C. 15 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: They're perhaps best known for their giant Panda program, but 16 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: there is so much more to see. I recommend everybody 17 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: when they come to Washington that they take the time 18 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: to go to the Natal Zoo. So you can imagine 19 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: how pleased I am to welcome my guest doctor Brandy 20 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: Smith She is the director of the Smithsonian National Zoo 21 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: and Conservation Biology Institute. Brandy, welcome and thank you for 22 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: joining me on news World. 23 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me. 24 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: I mentioned my childhood fascination with zoos. I'm very curious 25 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: about yours. How did you end up being involved with animals? 26 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 2: So I grew up in a tiny little town in 27 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 2: western Pennsylvania called Indiana, Pennsylvania. I saw cowls, and I 28 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 2: saw a lot of weight tail deer, and every so 29 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 2: often I could convince my family to make the track 30 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 2: to the Pittsburgh Zoo, and I just thought it was 31 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 2: the most incredible thing ever. I never thought of writing 32 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 2: to my city council to demand a zoo closer to 33 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 2: my home, though, so I love that idea. 34 00:01:57,720 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: I have to tell you that my dad was the 35 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 1: rotc officer at Indiana State University in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and 36 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 1: my youngest sister actually went to the university there. And 37 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: of course the Highland Park Zoo in Pittsburgh is just 38 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: a great institution and again one of those that's really 39 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: worth visiting. So you're going to the zoo, you're watching 40 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: white tail deer, and then what happens I. 41 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 2: Went to the zoo, and I used to love going 42 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 2: with my family. Part of it was seeing animals, but 43 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 2: the other part is these experiences. And my dad passed 44 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 2: away years ago, but I still remember the times we 45 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 2: spent together and having this incredible time at the zoo, 46 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 2: and I remember looking at the polar bears and I 47 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 2: just thought, there's something so fascinating about them, and I 48 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 2: just thought, I want to work with those animals. 49 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: So did you then go to college or how did 50 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: you start working with animals. 51 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 2: I was always interested in the sciences, and because I 52 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 2: was from a small town, the idea of a zoo 53 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 2: career seemed crazy. It just seemed like something I could 54 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 2: never ever do. And I thought, well, I'm in the sciences, 55 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 2: I should be a doctor. And one day I was 56 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 2: about to start an internship with an ophthalmologist and I 57 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 2: called the Pittsburgh Zoo and I said, look, this is 58 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 2: what I've always wanted to do. How did you get 59 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 2: your job? How can I be there? And they connected 60 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 2: me with a person who was starting a summer internship 61 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 2: program and animal behavior. And this was back in the 62 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 2: day when you had to pick up a phone or 63 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 2: mail a letter. And he said well, you took the 64 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 2: chance to call me, so I'm going to interview you 65 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 2: right now, and if you do a good job on 66 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 2: the interview, I'll hire you for my internship. And fortunately 67 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 2: I did okay, And after that I didn't look back. 68 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 1: You're interning at the zoo, but you actually ended up 69 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: getting a doctorate. You're pretty well educated for somebody who 70 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: initially thought about being a zoo keeper. 71 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 2: Well, I was a zoo keeper for a while. The 72 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 2: thing I love about zoos is there are animals that 73 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 2: exist on the planet because of zoos, animals that went 74 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 2: extinct in the wild, and they still exist because zoos 75 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 2: had them and were able to breathe them. So the 76 00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 2: idea of genetically managing species for conservation and reintroduction, I 77 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 2: thought that was so fascinating. So my PhD is actually 78 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 2: in genetic seven dangered species. 79 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: And as I understand it, that actually became very very 80 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 1: useful in terms of helping the giant pandas at the 81 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: National Zoo, having the birth of three surviving cubs. Your 82 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: knowledge actually came to bear in a very practical way. 83 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 2: It does all the time when you think about pandas 84 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 2: and any other species there. Whether we're going to reintroduce 85 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 2: them or not. How do we best pare them to 86 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 2: conserve genetic diversity because you never know what's going to 87 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:34,920 Speaker 2: happen in the future. 88 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: You have responsibility for one hundred and sixty three acre zoo, 89 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: which is really for an urban zoo, a pretty good 90 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: sized zoo. But you also have a thirty two hundred 91 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: acre conservation biology institute out at Front Royal. Very few 92 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 1: of us will get to visit that, although many people 93 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,279 Speaker 1: I hope will go to the National Zoo. What is 94 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 1: the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute all about? 95 00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 2: So we do several things out there. A lot of 96 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,039 Speaker 2: our scientists are based there. We have people who work 97 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 2: in over forty countries around the world. We help conserve 98 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:10,280 Speaker 2: iceon and blackfooted bear in the United States, where giraffe 99 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 2: and rhinos in Africa, or giant pandas in China, and 100 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:16,919 Speaker 2: a lot of our scientists are based out there. Some 101 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 2: species require large groups of animals to breed or to study, 102 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 2: and so we keep animals in large groups out there 103 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 2: so we can have better access to them and focus 104 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 2: on endangered species reproduction and tracking and behavior. We also 105 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 2: do things as practical as we make all our own hay. 106 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 2: We cut our bamboo which we grow out there, so 107 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 2: it's also a food source for many of our animals 108 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:43,119 Speaker 2: at the zoo. 109 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: Is the conservation institute? Can it be visited or is 110 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 1: it not open to the public. 111 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 2: It is not open to the public. When it was built, 112 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 2: it was an old remount center and so it was 113 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 2: never designed to accept visitors, so it's closed. It's just researchers. 114 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 2: We also have some students on site there as well. Actually, 115 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 2: George Mason University has a small research site there, and 116 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 2: so there are some students as well as staff. 117 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: That's great. When you talked about the need for sort 118 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: of sufficient number of animals to interact, I think I 119 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: saw one time that the passenger pigeon, which are one 120 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 1: time had been enormously large numbers, may actually have died 121 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: off because the species got to be too few to 122 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: stimulate the kind of reproductive cycle. They didn't have the 123 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: security of numbers that would lead them to reproduce. So 124 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 1: sometimes you have to have pretty big populations to have 125 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: any kind of behavior that works. 126 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 2: It's actually called the Alie effect, and so some animals 127 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:47,160 Speaker 2: don't reproduce unless there are large quantities. Sometimes we put 128 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 2: played well, I don't want to say play tricks on them, 129 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 2: but for example, with flamingos, you can put a mirror 130 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 2: in the habitat, so the flamingos think there are more 131 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 2: of them than there actually are, and that'll help them. 132 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 2: That'll signal them that we have pretty so we can 133 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 2: have babies. 134 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: Now, what is the effect called a Lee effect? 135 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 2: So the scientist who named it, and it basically says 136 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 2: that some species require a certain population size before their 137 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 2: biological indicators will say it's okay to reproduce. 138 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 1: So well, people can't go out there. You have a 139 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: pretty large number who come to the zoo in Rock 140 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: Creek Park. How many visitors do you get a year? 141 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 2: We are close to two million visitors every year. 142 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 1: I love to go over and just walk around the zoo, 143 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: and I think as a great advantage you have hills 144 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: and are able to really create an interesting kind of setting. 145 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: And I love it in part because it's so historically significant. 146 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: One of the things that makes it fantasy course is 147 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: the giant pandas, which were originally a political gift. I 148 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: think last year was the fiftieth anniversary of giant pandas 149 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 1: showing up in Washington and that went back to I 150 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: believe First Lady Patricia Nixon had mentioned her fondness for 151 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: giant pandas to Chinese Premier Joe and Lae, and so 152 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: as a gesture of goodwill, they gave the United States 153 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: to giant pandas. And I think they're probably your most 154 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 1: popular single species, aren't they. 155 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 2: Yes, they are definitely our most popular species. We know 156 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 2: that most people come to the zoo and they want 157 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 2: to see giant pandas while they're there. 158 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 1: And there's a sign of how important what you do is. 159 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 1: When the first two pandas were there over a twenty 160 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: year period, they produced five cubs, but none survived more 161 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: than a few days. So what you did in helping 162 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: the baby panda survive is really a breakthrough that's really 163 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: really important. 164 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 2: And we learned it's not just survival of the offspring. 165 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 2: We have these incredible scientists and what they did was 166 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 2: help everyone understand reproduction and giant pandas. You know the 167 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 2: fact that they're only reproductively viable for a couple of 168 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 2: days a year. If you have to do artificial intimdation, 169 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,079 Speaker 2: what's the perfect timing looking at the hormones to track 170 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 2: estris and detract birth. So our team really cracked the 171 00:08:58,360 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 2: code on giant panda reproduction. 172 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: Are the males fertile all year around or are they 173 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:04,319 Speaker 1: also cyclical? 174 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 2: They're cyclical. They go into rut in the spring and 175 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 2: one female might be viable for only one or two days. 176 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 2: But males have a larger territory, so they can cover 177 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 2: more territory, so they're viable for longer than the females. 178 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 1: And as I understand that there are fewer than two 179 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,439 Speaker 1: thousand pandas in the wild today there are they are. 180 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 2: Only about eighteen hundred pandas. And what I would tell people, 181 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:29,719 Speaker 2: I actually gave a speech at iup before that university 182 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 2: in Western Pennsylvania, and I said, there are more black 183 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 2: bears in the state of Pennsylvania. They're about eighteen thousand, 184 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 2: so more black bears in the state of Pennsylvania than 185 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 2: there are pandas on the whole planet. 186 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: As I understand it, giant pandas basically have to have 187 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: a particular kind of bamboo or they can't function. 188 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 2: Bamboo is a grass. They're about sixteen hundred species, and 189 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 2: pandas will eat a variety of species, but they have 190 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 2: to have bamboo. They are obligate bamboo eaters. They'll get 191 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 2: sick if they don't have it. So is the bamboo 192 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 2: for rists get smaller than panda's habitat is restricted. 193 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: You actually grow local bamboo, right, So the pandas are 194 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: being fed bamboo from the neighborhood in a sense. 195 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 2: So each panda is offered one hundred pounds of bamboo 196 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 2: a day. We have three pandas, so that's three hundred 197 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 2: pounds of bamboo a day. And they have to have 198 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:22,719 Speaker 2: it fresh. They like it like crisp and fresh. And 199 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 2: so we have people who do nothing but cut bamboo, 200 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 2: and our keepers spend as much time continually offering bamboo 201 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:31,960 Speaker 2: as they do taking care of the animals, training them, 202 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:33,199 Speaker 2: doing all of those things. 203 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: That's remarkable as I understand that they basically just turn 204 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,199 Speaker 1: their nose up if it isn't fresh. They do. 205 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 2: And sometimes it's so funny because sometimes you can give 206 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 2: them the species of bamboo that they ate yesterday, and 207 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 2: then you got some new and give it to them 208 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 2: today and they don't like it. And with even more 209 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 2: fascinating they eat different parts of the bamboo at different 210 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:56,720 Speaker 2: times of year and the summer they eat the leaves 211 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 2: and in the winter they eat the coal and the stock. 212 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 2: Guessing their noses are so sensitive. I'm guessing they can sense. 213 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:07,559 Speaker 2: You know, there's something about what's the most nutritionally efficient 214 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 2: parts for them to eat at different times of the year. 215 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: Don't They have to like digest an amazing amount of 216 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: food in order to get adequate nutrition. 217 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 2: A lot of people think about a lot of animals 218 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 2: that eat grass, would eat bamboo, would have multiple chambered stomachs, 219 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 2: so it's in there for a while, it's digesting and 220 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 2: everything else. But pandas are true bears. Most bears eat meat, 221 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 2: so you don't want the meat hanging out in your stomach. 222 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 2: You got to get it through fast, and so pandas 223 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:37,479 Speaker 2: make up for that. They just eat pure quantity of bamboo. 224 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:41,079 Speaker 1: Because bamboo is not very nutritious. They have to consume 225 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: huge volumes to get the amount they need they do 226 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: so you have to produce huge volumes. I think people 227 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 1: when they think about a zoo, they don't realize how 228 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:54,959 Speaker 1: many intricate details are going on behind the scene. Now, 229 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:56,560 Speaker 1: one of the things when we were getting ready to 230 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: do this and to talk with you, and I was 231 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 1: very excited that you'd be willing to out with us 232 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 1: about the zoo and what you do in your career. 233 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: But one of the things that went across was the 234 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 1: YouTube video of the panda sliding in the snow, which 235 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: apparently has had like six billion views, not six million, 236 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: six billion. 237 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:23,320 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, people love pandas, and I say this, pandas 238 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 2: are good for you when you see something like that, 239 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 2: when you see something that inspires awe or joy, it 240 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 2: actually releases chemicals in your body, some of the same 241 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 2: chemicals of childbirth. So when you see these pandas and 242 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 2: they make you happy, you're actually I'm like, pandas are 243 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,680 Speaker 2: good for you. It's like vitamin panda. You become a 244 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 2: better person when you watch them. 245 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 1: When you need some endorphins, turn off, go to YouTube 246 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 1: and pull up panda sliding in the snow. Is that 247 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: a reasonable recommendation to our listeners. 248 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 2: I think it is, and I promise if you're having 249 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 2: a bad day, pull it up, look at it, and 250 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:55,559 Speaker 2: you will feel better instantly. 251 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: That's great. Hi, this is newt. 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Go to ginglishtree 267 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: sixty dot com slash book and order your copy now. 268 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: Order it today at ginglishtree sixty dot com slash book. 269 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: There are certain animals that we identify with, and pandas 270 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: are certainly among the most human identifiable in the sense 271 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 1: that we just instantly have a like for them. I 272 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 1: think elephants in many ways serve the same kind of 273 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: function that there's something comforting about elephants. I know you 274 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 1: brought two female Asian elephants all the way from the 275 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: Rotterdam Zoo in Holland last November. What was that like? 276 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: I assume you shipped them or did they come by air? 277 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 2: They come my air. You train them to go into crates, 278 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 2: so elephant proof crates, which weigh fifteen thousand pounds there 279 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 2: as much as the elephants. So you train them to 280 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 2: walk into crates, and then you use a crane and 281 00:14:57,040 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 2: you blow the crates onto an airplane. They traveled by 282 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 2: them themselves on their own chartered airplane. They had keepers there, 283 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 2: they had veterinarians on site. They landed in New York 284 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 2: because that was a NonStop flight. And then from New 285 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 2: York we put them on the back of a truck, 286 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 2: like a big flatbed truck, still in the crates, of course, 287 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 2: and then the same team we had a team that 288 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 2: drove with them. We had a police escort, we had 289 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 2: a chase car and with the animal care professionals and 290 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 2: brought them to the zoo. They're just amazing, amazing animals. 291 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: Was it difficult integrating them into the herd. 292 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 2: It's actually really funny. Elephants are so different their personalities. 293 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 2: Every elephant has its own very strong personality. And the 294 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 2: pair it's a mother and a daughter, and they weren't 295 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 2: getting along with the elephants at the Rotterdam Zoo, so 296 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 2: we wanted to bring them here and integrate them with 297 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 2: our herd. And the daughter, she's younger, She just wants 298 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 2: to meet everyone. 299 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 3: Do everything, explore everything. But her mother is very protective 300 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 3: and you can see them sometimes so Knee Lynn, the 301 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 3: daughter will try to do something and her mother, Trong Knee, 302 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 3: will actually cut her off to prevent her from doing something. 303 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 3: So she's a bit of a helicopter mom. 304 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: Do you find Asian elephants are different to deal with 305 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: than Africans? 306 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 2: It's interesting because every elephant as a personality is so different. 307 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 2: You know, Africans are kind of bigger and have their 308 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 2: own issues, But I don't know. I feel like elephants 309 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 2: are such individuals. The different species to me, don't make 310 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 2: that much difference as just each animal. 311 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: I was suck close and I went on a trip 312 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 1: to Africa a couple of years ago and we ended 313 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 1: up in Zambia along the river riding an African elephant 314 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: and they are so big. We were up on this 315 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: thing and we were looking down, I'm guessing fifteen eighteen 316 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: feet and it's walking along the edge of the zambuzi. 317 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: And I kept having this thought about if for any 318 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: reason he slipped, we would have a whole set of 319 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: new problems. At one point, he saw a tree he 320 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 1: decided he wanted to eat, and the driver couldn't stop it. 321 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: They got it in his head he was going to 322 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: go eat that tree, and then when we got done, 323 00:16:58,400 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: he went back to doing whatever he's supposed to do. 324 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: It was fascinating to watch other very strong personalities. 325 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 2: All of our animals are trained. It's operant conditioning, so 326 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 2: they do everything. We reward them for the behaviors we'd 327 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:13,360 Speaker 2: like to see, right if we want them to move 328 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 2: from one area or another, or participate in their bath 329 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 2: or something. So the truth is you can't make an 330 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 2: elephant do something they don't want to. So we develop 331 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:25,680 Speaker 2: relationships with our animals, so they want to work with us. 332 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:26,920 Speaker 2: It's like we're part of their herd. 333 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 1: Can you do opt conditioning with reptiles for example? 334 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:35,679 Speaker 2: You can do operant conditioning with invertebrates. So there's this 335 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 2: great book called Don't Shoot the Dog. It's by Karen Pryor. 336 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 2: She's one of the gods and animal behavior, and she 337 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:43,919 Speaker 2: talks about I think how she trained it was an 338 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 2: oyster or a clam to open her clothes. 339 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 3: It's a good book. 340 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 2: I actually re read it when I had kids too, 341 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 2: see I can train them. 342 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 1: Tell us the title again. We're going to put this 343 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:56,120 Speaker 1: on our show page. 344 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 2: It's called Don't Shoot the Dog, and it's been around 345 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 2: for a long time. It's a great book on animal training. 346 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,440 Speaker 1: Well, I was really surprised. We were at the Naples Zoo, 347 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 1: which is a very nice, medium sized zoo. There were 348 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,360 Speaker 1: two young women who were taking care of the alligators, 349 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:14,359 Speaker 1: and the alligators apparently have some kind of internal clock, 350 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: so if there was a show at ten in the morning, 351 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 1: the alligators, knowing they would get fed, show up like 352 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 1: at nine forty five, and they congregate and utialize. They're 353 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:25,680 Speaker 1: really pretty smart. 354 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:32,120 Speaker 2: I never underestimate any animal. They're incredibly smart, incredibly intuitive. 355 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 2: They have to be to survive in their environments, so 356 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:36,800 Speaker 2: it's just learning how to talk their language. 357 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 1: Last year, you welcomed two Andy and Bear cubs, which 358 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 1: I would think has to be a pretty exciting moment. 359 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,360 Speaker 1: And you had Andy and Bear cam where people could 360 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 1: watch the live feet of the cubs then see them 361 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:52,360 Speaker 1: from birth on. Do you still have that cam? 362 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 2: We let all of our animals follow their natural behaviors, 363 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,199 Speaker 2: so the mom and the wild would dne up with 364 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,199 Speaker 2: her cubs, and so she was in the den, and 365 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 2: we actually have that camera for the keepers so they 366 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:06,200 Speaker 2: could just monitor without geting in there to disturb her. 367 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 2: And one day we said, hey, let's let everybody watch this, 368 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 2: and so we did. And now we turned the camera 369 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 2: off just because the cubs are going outside, and I 370 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 2: would say anybody near National Zoo has got to go 371 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 2: see them. They are adorable and there are boreal bears. 372 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 2: How they climb it terrifies me, but they know what 373 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 2: they're doing. 374 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:27,639 Speaker 1: The Andean species is a unique species. 375 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 2: It's another species that's threatened in the wild. And we 376 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 2: in zoos there's not a large population. And our carnivore 377 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,679 Speaker 2: keepers are really experts, they're national experts when it comes 378 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:45,439 Speaker 2: to breeding carnivores, and so there's a small population in 379 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 2: zoos and so we step into help because we're just 380 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 2: really good at breeding bears. 381 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: And I understand that any day now we're going to 382 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: have a baby. 383 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 2: Gorilla yes, we are on birth watch right now, Kaleia. 384 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 2: Every day, first thing I ask is how's Khalia doing? 385 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 2: We have? Is there a gorilla yet? So and she participates, 386 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:08,160 Speaker 2: She is trained, and she has such a good relationship 387 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:12,680 Speaker 2: with her keepers. We are getting multiple ultrasounds a day, 388 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,679 Speaker 2: we can track the fetal heart rate, we can get ultrasounds. 389 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:20,320 Speaker 2: She comes over every day. Her maternal care is incredible, 390 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 2: and she participates with us just as a human would. 391 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 1: That's really amazing. And of course they are incredibly smart. 392 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 2: I've never worked directly with apes, and that was on purpose, 393 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 2: because not just that I know they're smarter than I am, 394 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:35,880 Speaker 2: but they know they're smarter than I am. 395 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: They're glad you're taking care of them, but they don't 396 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 1: regard you as the superior force. We were very fortunate. 397 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:45,639 Speaker 1: We got to climb in Rwanda to about nine thousand 398 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:49,400 Speaker 1: feet on the mountain that Fosse was on, and god 399 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:52,880 Speaker 1: within probably twenty or twenty five feet of a mother 400 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,119 Speaker 1: gorilla laying on her back with a baby laying on 401 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 1: her tummy, kissing her. I mean, of course she got 402 00:20:57,280 --> 00:21:00,880 Speaker 1: some pictures that were unbelievable. You'd almost think they were staged. 403 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: That's just really hard to imagine. 404 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 2: I've never been there. That's my dream, that's a dream trip. 405 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 1: It was extraordinary. I was very fortunate because when I 406 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 1: was in Congress, I represented the Atlanta Zoo and they 407 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: had a very, very large gorilla program. You could see 408 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:20,120 Speaker 1: these families really interacting at levels that were kind of astonishing. 409 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 2: Frankly, Atlanta Zoo, they are experts when it comes to gorillas. 410 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:25,160 Speaker 2: They're known for their gorilla program. 411 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: You have just completely renovated the bird house. What were 412 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 1: you trying to accomplish in the renovation? 413 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 2: We did, and we are focusing on north migratory species 414 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:38,879 Speaker 2: in the Americas. A lot of people don't realize the 415 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:41,200 Speaker 2: birds sometimes some of the birds they see in their backyard, 416 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 2: the story of them, how far they migrate, the fact 417 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 2: that they're endangered due to a number of factors. And 418 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 2: so we wanted to show these birds up close. And 419 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 2: the thing I love about this is we say live 420 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 2: bird friendly. A lot of animals you see, you know, 421 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 2: gorillas are elephants, and you say, what can I do 422 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:02,280 Speaker 2: when it comes to birds, migratory birds? There are things 423 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 2: everyone can do to save these animals. Put out a 424 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 2: bird feeder or a bird bath, or keep your cat inside, 425 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:10,640 Speaker 2: or put details on your windows so you don't get 426 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 2: bird strikes, or turn your lights out at night. So 427 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 2: many things you can do to save Every single person 428 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:17,399 Speaker 2: can do to save migratory birds. 429 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: Far beyond your public role as a zoo that people 430 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:39,359 Speaker 1: can come and visit, you really have a very large 431 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:42,879 Speaker 1: conservation role that has an impact around the world. And 432 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 1: I think people, I think sometimes forget that not only 433 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:49,120 Speaker 1: our zoo's extraordinarily family friendly and great places to go, 434 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: but that the best suos are centers of conservation effort. 435 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 2: That is an important thing for people to know. But 436 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 2: I'll also add, and I think this because of where 437 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 2: I grew up. I love the fact that zoos are 438 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 2: accessible conservation people can come in. That's fun, They learn 439 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:10,159 Speaker 2: about wildlife, they learn little things that they can do 440 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,400 Speaker 2: to help save them. The reality is there aren't enough 441 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:16,159 Speaker 2: scientists in the world to say wildlife if people don't 442 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 2: care and don't want to join in and help, And 443 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 2: zoos to me are that gateway. It's the way that 444 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 2: people get excited and they want to get involved. 445 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 1: People who want to know what's going on at the 446 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:31,240 Speaker 1: National Zoo can go to National Zoo Dot si dot Edu. 447 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:34,119 Speaker 1: We'll put that also on our show page, and they 448 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,359 Speaker 1: can find out and keep up with all the different 449 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 1: extraordinary activities you're engaged in. 450 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 2: They can, and they can also become members. For members, 451 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 2: they get this newsletter that is kind of curated with 452 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 2: all the fun interviews with keepers and photos of animals. 453 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:52,159 Speaker 2: And I will add this too. There are accredited zoos 454 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:55,439 Speaker 2: across the country, the best zoos. They're all across the country, 455 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 2: in every state, and so if people can't come to 456 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 2: the National Zoo, they should find their local aza accredited 457 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 2: zoo and go there and they'll have a great experience. 458 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:08,480 Speaker 1: Particularly for families. I find that the number of families 459 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,119 Speaker 1: who show up with children of all ages and the 460 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:12,679 Speaker 1: agree to which it gives me a chance to be 461 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 1: outdoors in a safe setting looking at interesting things. It's 462 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 1: really one of the better family opportunities. And of course 463 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 1: the National Zoo is right there for everybody who visits Washington. 464 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:29,120 Speaker 1: It's a remarkable institution. And you must have enormous satisfaction 465 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,640 Speaker 1: every morning when you get up and go to work 466 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:32,880 Speaker 1: and realize what you're achieving. 467 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 2: I still can't believe it. Every day I wake up. 468 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 3: It's a little bit of a. 469 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 2: Dream and what we're achieving. The fact that I get 470 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,959 Speaker 2: to bring doy to millions of people every year, and 471 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 2: the staff who work there, you know, zoo people, you 472 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 2: know how amazing they are. You know, my heart just 473 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:52,880 Speaker 2: expands every day because of the incredible zookeepers and scientists 474 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:58,120 Speaker 2: and horticulturists and construction and everything. Just incredible people who 475 00:24:58,160 --> 00:24:59,960 Speaker 2: want to do good things for the world. 476 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:03,360 Speaker 1: They really like what they're doing, and every single day 477 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 1: they are reinforced by the sheer joy of what they're achieving. 478 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:09,520 Speaker 1: And you know who they're interacting with. Every time I 479 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:12,399 Speaker 1: go and visit zoos around the world, you know, the 480 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:16,640 Speaker 1: keepers really identify with the animals that they work with, 481 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,880 Speaker 1: and most of them have a great day. I mean, 482 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 1: they just get up and it's fun they do. We 483 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:25,560 Speaker 1: may be encouraging a lot of people to rethink their 484 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:26,680 Speaker 1: career choices here. 485 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:30,200 Speaker 4: It's hard work. Though you know a lot of people 486 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 4: want to be zoom keepers. It seems glamorous, it is 487 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 4: really hard work. It can be dangerous work too. We 488 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:38,840 Speaker 4: want everyone to love the animals. It takes a special 489 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,239 Speaker 4: person to do that day in and day out. You know, 490 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 4: during COVID for example, nobody got to go home every day. 491 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 4: Three hundred and sixty five days a year. We are 492 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 4: there for those animals. It's a joy, but it's also 493 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:52,359 Speaker 4: it's an obligation, it's an honor. It's a lot of 494 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:52,879 Speaker 4: hard work. 495 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,680 Speaker 1: I always tell people that you can dream big as 496 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:58,399 Speaker 1: long as you want to work hard. Almost everybody who 497 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: does well ends up work and then working pretty hard 498 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: at it. Listen, Brandy, I want to thank you for 499 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 1: joining me. I love what you're doing, I love where 500 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 1: you work. I really hope everybody will take advantage of 501 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:13,880 Speaker 1: the National Zoo. I really encourage all of our listeners 502 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,960 Speaker 1: if you come to Washington, DC, you ought to include 503 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 1: the National Zoo and the places to go see and 504 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:22,240 Speaker 1: you're going to find a lot more about their activities 505 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,720 Speaker 1: because you can go to National Zoo dot SI dot 506 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 1: edu and find out exactly what's going on. So thank 507 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:31,200 Speaker 1: you very much for joining me for this conversation. 508 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 2: Thank you for having me. This was a lot of fun. 509 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 1: Thank you to my guest, doctor Brandy Smith. You can 510 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 1: learn more about Smithsonian's National Zoo on our show page 511 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:45,679 Speaker 1: at newtsworld dot com. Newts World is produced by Gingwid 512 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:50,159 Speaker 1: three sixty and iHeartMedia. Our executive producer is Guarnsey Sloan. 513 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:54,359 Speaker 1: Our researcher is Rachel Peterson. The word Art. The artwork 514 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 1: for the show was created by Steve Penley. Special thanks 515 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 1: to the team at Gingwich three sixty. If you've been 516 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:03,480 Speaker 1: enjoying newts World, I hope you'll go to Apple Podcast 517 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: and both rate us with five stars and give us 518 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 1: a review so others can learn what it's all about. 519 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 1: Right now, listeners of neut World consign up for my 520 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 1: three freeweekly columns at gingrishree sixty dot com slash newsletter. 521 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 1: I'm Newt Gingrich. This is neut World.