1 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: Ruby. 2 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 2: What does this world? 3 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 3: A Marco went and this is Amazing Wildlife where we 4 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,240 Speaker 3: explore unique stories of wildlife from around the world and 5 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 3: uncover fascinating animal facts. This podcast is in production with Iheartradios, 6 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 3: Ruby Studio and San Diego Zoo Wild Leffe Alliance, an 7 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 3: international nonprofit conservation organization which oversees the San Diego Zoo 8 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 3: and the Safari Park. 9 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 2: Ooh, friends, I. 10 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 3: Know what you're thinking. Yeah, I'm at the Safari Park again. 11 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 3: I know I gotta get down to the zoo. But 12 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 3: there's a lot of things going on. You know, we 13 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 3: talk gorillas before, you know, beautiful forest environment. 14 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 2: See dispersers. 15 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 3: But you know what, everyone, we're gonna stay in Africa 16 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 3: and we're gonna talk about another very well known, I believe, 17 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 3: very popular mammal species from Africa. Before we get into that, 18 00:00:57,480 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 3: you know, we've got a reference to a human being 19 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 3: that's sending in front of me right now. 20 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 2: So, amigo, do me a favor. 21 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:05,319 Speaker 3: Could you tell me your name and what you do 22 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 3: here at the Safari Park. 23 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody, I'm Nick. I'm one of the senior wildlife 24 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 1: care specialists here at the Safari Park and I work 25 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: with our African elephant heard. 26 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 3: Oh, that's excellent. Now, I always assume like people know 27 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 3: who elephants are. Sometimes in other episodes of Megal like, oh, 28 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 3: could you describe your animal? I'm assuming most people in 29 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 3: the world know what an elephant is, right, but maybe 30 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 3: could you do me solid because I had this conversation 31 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 3: yesterday with non animal people and surprise at the categories 32 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 3: or a species of elephants that we have on the planet, 33 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 3: the three, right, So can you one? Let's pretend there's 34 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 3: a little kid right now listening, friend who doesn't even 35 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 3: know what an elephant is, So can you describe it 36 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 3: for me? 37 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 2: And what makes them so unique? 38 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: Well, they are the world's largest land animal, and they've 39 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: got some really wrinkly rough skin. They've got a long nose, 40 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: great big ears, bigger than probably the size of your car. 41 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: Certainly it's probably heavier than a lot of your cars 42 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: out there. 43 00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 2: Oh, man, I bet. 44 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: And they make a great big loud tr bit and 45 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: noise when they're super excited. 46 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 4: Oh, it's a really cool and Nittaly I heard one before. 47 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 3: I was one morning going through the park and joining 48 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 3: my coffee and there was an elephant forting a little 49 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 3: bit and did a trumpeting sound, and initally I almost. 50 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 2: Filled my coffee because it's quite a unique sound. Right. 51 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 3: And so yesterday nick I was talking to someone from 52 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 3: pr Omegan and we were just discussing about African savanna 53 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 3: elephants and the other two categories. Can you describe, Like 54 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 3: we're in the planet right now, naturally in the wild, 55 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:28,919 Speaker 3: would you find those three elephant species. 56 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: So we have the African savannah or the bush elephant, 57 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: which is mostly found in the savannah parts of central 58 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: eastern western Africa. 59 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 3: And savannah you're talking like grasslands, right, like not super bushy, right. 60 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: Like tall beige grasses okay, okay, a random tree here 61 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 1: or there, okay. And then in central Africa in the 62 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: dense forest, we have the African forest elephant, which is 63 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: a much smaller We used to think it was a 64 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: subspecies of African elephant. We now know it's its own 65 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: species entirely. 66 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:03,959 Speaker 2: Oh, I know, that's a completely separate. 67 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 1: Completely separate. Yeah, they're much smaller, they're a darker brown color. 68 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: They have great big ears too, just like their cousins, 69 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: but their ears are more rounded. So if you use 70 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 1: your imagination and you think about what the shape or 71 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,679 Speaker 1: the outline of the continent of Africa looks like the 72 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: shape or the outline is kind of similar to the 73 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: outline of our elephant's ears, the Savannah elephant Savannah, but 74 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:32,079 Speaker 1: the African forest elephant's ears are more rounded. You look 75 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:35,119 Speaker 1: at their ear outline, not quite the same shape. 76 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 3: As Oh really, yeah, okay, because I was trying to 77 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 3: describe this to Amagan yesterday as well. 78 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 4: But the other group of eagle is my personal favorite, 79 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 4: the Asian elephant. 80 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, describe the Asian for us. 81 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: So there are several subspecies. They're found throughout Southeast Asia. 82 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: They're a little bit smaller than the African elephant. There's 83 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: a lot of differences, but the thing that people notice 84 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: the most right off the bat is probably also having 85 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: to do with their ears. So their ears are probably 86 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: a little less than half the size of the African elephant. 87 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, and a lot of them have kind of 88 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: some pink freckling, a different kind of skin pigmentation that 89 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: African elephants don't typically have a little like coloring. 90 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:12,839 Speaker 3: Alth almost sometimes seem a little pinkish hue from time 91 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 3: to time. 92 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, the front of their face and their ears will 93 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: oftentimes look pink and they'll have these tiny little dots 94 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 1: and it look like someone painted on their face. But 95 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: they're just kind of like freckles. 96 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 2: Oh I love that. Am I wrong? 97 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 3: Because in my memory I love how fuzzy their heads 98 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 3: are so a little more like hair. 99 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 1: Right, some of them are quite fuzzy. 100 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:31,160 Speaker 2: It's kind of like wearing a two page. 101 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: Some of them are very hairy. All elephants have hair. 102 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: Africans as well, and our African elephants some of them 103 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 1: are a little bit hairier than others. Oh really, yeah, think. 104 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 2: They've never been close enough to notice that. 105 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 3: So even the African savannah elephant has some hair on. 106 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 1: Yeah. We have two in particular, Cosey and Zuli, who 107 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,239 Speaker 1: in the right sunlight look like redheads. Yeah. 108 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 2: Oh man, I love that. 109 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:55,559 Speaker 3: Okay, well, since you mentioned the names, that was actually 110 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 3: gonna be my other question. You know, so here we're 111 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 3: at the Safari Park, right, and you can find ets 112 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 3: were experienced elephants at the San Diego Zoo and the 113 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 3: Safari Park, of course. But before I kind of ask 114 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 3: you about the differences of the two, you know, can 115 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 3: you tell me the personalities and the number of elephants 116 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 3: out are living here at the Safari Park. 117 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, we currently have a total of eight. We've got 118 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: seven females and one male. Our one male is Zuli 119 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: Zuli and he's seven. His birthday was August twelfth. He's 120 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: our second youngest. Our youngest youngest is Makaiah, his half sister, 121 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: and she's also seven. She was born six weeks after 122 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 1: he was on September twenty sixth. 123 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 2: Oh really, Oh that's great. And then adult females, right. 124 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 1: The rest are all females. So yeah, we've got our 125 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,280 Speaker 1: three adult females. Swazi who's our matriarch. She's the one 126 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: in charge, our leader, and then Indulah is number two 127 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: in charge, and then I'mgani is number three. 128 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 2: And number three. Oh well, there's like you got him categorized. 129 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 1: There's very much a pecking order, a dominance, hierarchy. 130 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 2: Okay, yeah, is. 131 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 3: It sort of like I'm thinking, like a conversation Rick 132 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 3: and I had with meerkats with Wildlife care of Staff, 133 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 3: almost like they need to be together. So there's a 134 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 3: lot of dynamics of being a social animal, right, a. 135 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:05,720 Speaker 1: Lot of dynamics, and for the most part they are 136 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: all together, always together just about but like any family, 137 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: they like their time apart. Sometimes sometimes they need their space, 138 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,159 Speaker 1: and that happens, and that's normal. Even in the wild. 139 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:20,479 Speaker 1: Herds can be upwards to fifty individuals and sometimes it 140 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: just depends on the family grouping, and sometimes it'll be 141 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: as small as ten individuals. But with bigger groups, they'll 142 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 1: break off. They'll go eat, they'll go drink, they'll go 143 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 1: do their own thing, and then they come back together. 144 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: And that's kind of how our herd is too. For 145 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: the most part, they're all together at night. They have 146 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: access to each other. We have two main habitats that 147 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,159 Speaker 1: they always have access to go back and forth. But 148 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 1: even we've noticed they will separate themselves. They like to 149 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 1: have time apart. They like to not have to compete 150 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:53,119 Speaker 1: for food or for water heather resources, and we see 151 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: that the different family groupings. They'll shuffle around, but there 152 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: are individuals that like to spend more time with each 153 00:06:58,920 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: other than others. 154 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, man, I mean, as they're talking, it makes 155 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 3: me think I grew up with brothers, you know. And 156 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 3: the food thing really resonated because people laugh at me. 157 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 4: Like when I eat, I don't really talk. Friend, I like, I. 158 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 3: Throw the food in my mouth as fast as I can, 159 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 3: and people are asking, like Marco, just chill out, like 160 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 3: let the conversation fold, But I tell them I'm too 161 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 3: used to like competing with food and my brothers just 162 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 3: having it put it down right. 163 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: I'm the oldest of three boys, save Hi five for 164 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: the older brothers, and if you don't eat fast enough, 165 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: you don't get a second exactly. 166 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 3: So there's I would imagine, like a familia herd environment. 167 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 3: There's all these little nuances, Like to your point, like 168 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 3: sometimes they're together, but then sometimes they need their space. 169 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 3: I had this conversation with Sam the other day about gorillas, 170 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 3: and the same idea with franklen Monroe. They play together, 171 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 3: they have access to each other, but they need some 172 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 3: space alone and tune off. And to your point too, 173 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 3: maybe they just want to hang out with someone else 174 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 3: in their herd besides that same individual over and over again. 175 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, they're very family oriented, and I don't think I've 176 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: ever seen a special or a documentary on TV that 177 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 1: doesn't focus on that. But what those specials oftentimes don't 178 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: focus on is, like any family, they just sometimes don't 179 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: want to be with that individual or sometimes they know, oh, 180 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: if I'm close to this individual, who's maybe more dominant 181 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: than me. I gotta be on my a game around them. 182 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: I gotta not steal food. 183 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 3: It makes you when my teas and my grandma, I'll 184 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 3: believe that out of my house. I have to kind 185 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 3: of want put on the better clothes, you know. Watch 186 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 3: my man who's a little bit so. 187 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: Or Cosey, for example, who's our eldest teenager. She's nineteen. 188 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: She's kind of like the lead babysitter, the lead babysitter, 189 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: so she oftentimes is looking after her younger sister Makaiah 190 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: and her half younger brother, Zulie. Now Zuli's mom is 191 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:48,559 Speaker 1: in Doula, and Doula is more dominant than Cosey's mom. Oh, 192 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 1: So Cosey knows that if I spend time with Zulie 193 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 1: and I take care of him and I let him 194 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: eat from what I'm eating from, I might be gaining 195 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: a little bit of points with his mom, And maybe 196 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: I can spend more time next to and Doula and 197 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: not have to worry that I'm doing something wrong or 198 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: that I can't eat from the same food that she's 199 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: eating from. So Cosey in particular is very strategic and 200 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: very smart and knows how to play the family politics. 201 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 3: You know, to me that just means one, that's amazing, 202 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 3: thank you for spilling the tea a little bit into 203 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 3: the dynamics. But also it's a reminder how intelligent elephants are. Right, 204 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 3: It's sort of a loose thing that I say sometimes 205 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 3: depending how you want to categorize intelligence. Right when people 206 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 3: are asking Marco, what's some of the intelligent animals in 207 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 3: the world, But I preface it with always every animal 208 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:37,840 Speaker 3: is perfectly adapted for their habitat, you know, so you 209 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 3: can gauge intelligence differently from like like a magpie who 210 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 3: can remember just hundreds and hundreds of different locations for 211 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 3: an eight corner, a seat, that recess. 212 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 4: Right, or again the elephant the social dynamics. 213 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 2: So in your opinion, like, do you think an elephant 214 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 2: is smart? Are they intelligent? 215 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: Very? And I'm no brain scientists, Like I haven't studied brains. 216 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 1: I don't remember what I learned in college from all that. 217 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 1: But okay, what I can tell you is that a 218 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: full grown elephant's brain is about the size of a basketball. 219 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: Most people know how big a basketball is, and our brains. 220 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: We mostly know what our brains look like. Lots of 221 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,960 Speaker 1: wrinkles and folds, and elephants have that too, and we 222 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: know that the wrinkleier a brain is, the more folds 223 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: it has. Typically we would say that's higher intelligence. But 224 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,719 Speaker 1: like back what you said, every animal is as as 225 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 1: intelligent as it needs to be to survive. We have 226 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: to adapt all that stuff. But from a brain standpoint, 227 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 1: we know they're very intelligent. We also know that they're 228 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 1: one of the few animals that have self recognition, so 229 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: they can look in a mirror and know they're looking 230 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 1: at themselves. Whereas you know a lot of dogs and 231 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:43,200 Speaker 1: cats at home they see themselves in a mirror and 232 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 1: they jump and they freak out. Elephants we know, based 233 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 1: off of studies that have been done in the past, 234 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: that they can know that they're looking at themselves. 235 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 3: Well, I've actually seen a similar study, but it was 236 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:56,199 Speaker 3: chimpanzee versus maybe a smaller primate species a monkey. 237 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, primates, monkeys and apes. I think dolphins have that 238 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 1: capability too. Don't quote me on that for sure, but yeah, 239 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:06,319 Speaker 1: self recognition is something that I think scientists or zoologists 240 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,839 Speaker 1: use as a way to measure higher intelligence. But they 241 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: are incredibly smart. They have great memories, their ability to 242 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: problem solve and to remember and to just kind of 243 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: figure out what it is that I'm asking or what 244 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 1: my coworkers are asking. If we're doing maybe a more 245 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 1: challenging behavior, something that we need for their husbandry, for 246 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: their well being, and if it's something new or something 247 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: a little bit more difficult or more challenging. The moment 248 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 1: that they get it, the moment that that light switch 249 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 1: goes on and they have that aha moment, you can 250 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,439 Speaker 1: almost see it, not in their faces, but you see 251 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: it in their body language, and you see it like, yeah, 252 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 1: like this is what you want, this is what you're asking. 253 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,680 Speaker 1: And sometimes it's got nothing to do with them and 254 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:50,560 Speaker 1: everything to do with us, and like what am I 255 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 1: doing wrong? Or what am I not communicating? What is 256 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: my body language saying? What is my tone of voice? 257 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 1: You know, they're so smart. Sometimes they pick up on 258 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 1: stuff that we don't even know we're doing. And we 259 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: inadvertently trained something that we didn't mean to train, but 260 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 1: we had no idea that that's what they were picking 261 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 1: up on. So they're very good with the small nuances 262 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: you just in our tone of voice, our body language. 263 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 2: On point right, very very much. 264 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 3: I mean I know the listeners where like I have 265 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 3: a behavior background it honestly, besides the bird, which everyone 266 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 3: knows I love so much, admittedly. 267 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 2: A meg, it was for me. 268 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 3: Gorillas and elephants have always been on my list of 269 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,679 Speaker 3: animals to have that experience of training and teaching different 270 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 3: nuance behaviors. Right, So definitely jealous of your position to 271 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 3: what you do. I was hearing you guys on the 272 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 3: radio two a little earlier when I was waiting for 273 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 3: you to come down for this. 274 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 2: Interview, that it's a whole team dynamics. 275 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:41,959 Speaker 3: Right, So it's you and a whole team of human 276 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 3: beings working with the herd side by side. 277 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: Right, It's a lot of back and forth communication. 278 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:48,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, sure, communication is key for sure. 279 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: And we have to be on our A game because 280 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 1: they're always on their A games, so they're watching us 281 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 1: and checking to see what it is that we are 282 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 1: asking of them. So we always have to be on 283 00:12:59,040 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 1: our A game with them. 284 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 2: Yeah. 285 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, And there's certain I would say challenges working alongside wildlife, 286 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 3: like an elephant as an example, and so by that 287 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 3: I mean I'm thinking like protected contact as an example. Right, 288 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 3: So some of our listeners may not be aware, but 289 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 3: there's certain animals kids listening right now, that we're not 290 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 3: going to go into a habitat with a lion or 291 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 3: an elephant or a cassowary as an example, right, So 292 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 3: that gives you a certain challenge that maybe you can't 293 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 3: interact with a. 294 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 2: Certain species like you normally would. 295 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 3: Maybe I'm going to say gazelle as an example, or 296 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,560 Speaker 3: another species that you can enter the habitat, right, So, 297 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 3: can you speak a little about that, like what makes 298 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 3: Elephant Valley unique and challenging and with working with the 299 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,680 Speaker 3: herd and being a trainer of a wildlife care specialist. 300 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: Well, to go to the first part of that question. 301 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: So for our listeners, protective contact means that we just 302 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: don't share the same space. Yeah, Now, that doesn't mean 303 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 1: that we're not close to them and that we're not 304 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 1: touching them, because I am there is a tactile, right, 305 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: I am closer to the elephants every day than I 306 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 1: am to you right now, you know, face to face 307 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: touching them, But there's always going to be some sort 308 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: of safety barrier between us and them, right, And it 309 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 1: allows for not only my safety the elephants safety, but 310 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: it creates a working relationship based off of trust. So 311 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:11,080 Speaker 1: the elephants have a certain expectation of me, I have 312 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: a certain expectation of them, and we know that we 313 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: don't cross that boundary, that line, that barrier, and so 314 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: it's what allows us to let them know, Hey, this 315 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 1: is what you can expect of me. I'm not going 316 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: to put you in danger. I'm not going to do 317 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: something to scare you. Like you know that. I'm right here, 318 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: You're right there, everything's good, We're all good. The great 319 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: thing about Elephant Valley is that people are going to 320 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: be able to get closer to elephants here at this 321 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: facility than they've ever been able to get to. 322 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 3: Right, if you're referencing it's Elephant Valley, of course, but 323 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 3: you and I are kind of hinting at the new 324 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 3: it improved, Right, So it's going to be happening for 325 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 3: listeners sometime next year early next year, is that we're thinking, right, 326 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 3: don't want to throw. 327 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 2: Out a date yet, because things get happened. 328 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 3: But that was another question in mind that they really 329 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 3: wanted to ask you because they know listeners are like 330 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 3: dying to know. So I want a little chiefe man, 331 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 3: little tea tell me like some of the highlights. In 332 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 3: your opinion, that's going to make this experience grander and 333 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 3: maybe a little more intimate for a guest here at 334 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 3: Elephant Valley. 335 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, so it's been years that people have been able 336 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: to get this close to elephants here at the Safari Park. 337 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 1: It's been a long long time, and Elephant Valley is 338 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 1: going to provide multiple location spots for people to get 339 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: so close, so much closer. And the great thing that 340 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: zoos in general, I think provide is the ability for 341 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: people to create memories and moments and shared experiences because 342 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: you can flip through books and magazines and watch every 343 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: YouTube video or watch every documentary you can about elephants 344 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 1: or gorillas or birds or any animals that you love. 345 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 1: But it's not quite the same thing as being close 346 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: enough to smell them, which you will be. 347 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 2: Able to do. 348 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 3: I mean, I mean to talk about gorilla smell you 349 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 3: know last episode, but elephants definitely have a smell. 350 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 1: I don't smell it anymore. 351 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 4: I'm used to it, but you're done with that. 352 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: There is a potency there, and you'll be close enough 353 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: to be able to do that. You know, we were 354 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: talking earlier about trumpets yeah, that's a loud noise. It's 355 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: actually one of the vocalizations we hear, probably the least. 356 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: We hear a lot of other vocalizations a lot more 357 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: that are oftentimes much more quiet. 358 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 2: The deeper rumbles I really love. 359 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 1: A rumble is a pretty low we say a loud 360 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: cap per, we say like an engine. 361 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 4: Kind of like I'm feeling cozy and feeling good. 362 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, but when you're really close, not only are you 363 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: hearing it, you're feeling it. When I'm face to face 364 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: and doulah rumbles, I almost feel my rib cage vibrate. 365 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 3: But I mean, I've brought this up with elephants, by 366 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 3: the way, with castlewarries, because when I was in that habitat, 367 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 3: I had one of the males vocalized next to me, 368 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 3: and I'm sure you're going to say it. You know, 369 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 3: elephants are vocals. Some of them are so low right, 370 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 3: humans can't hear a lot of them. And with cast 371 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 3: where I could feel it in my rib cage, which 372 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 3: is really interesting. 373 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: I've never heard of castlewear. I've heard EMUs and they 374 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 1: make like a little of drum right. 375 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, maybe the sound team can find that EMU 376 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 3: sound right out to go to play for it's super deep. 377 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 1: It's like a yeah, and it kind of feels like 378 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:07,680 Speaker 1: a vibration on totally yeah. And the elephants are the same. 379 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 1: So Elephant Valley is going to provide opportunities for people. 380 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 1: They may not necessarily feel that vibration, but they'll certainly 381 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: be able to hear these rumbles, these bellows. Sometimes they 382 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 1: even roar, which you know, you think of a roar, 383 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:25,119 Speaker 1: you think of a lion. Their roar doesn't quite sound 384 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,199 Speaker 1: like that, but we call it that. And you'll just 385 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 1: be able to get that much closer. You're able to 386 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 1: see the intricate details of the wrinkles on their skin, 387 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 1: or their eyelashes, how long their eyelashes are. 388 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 2: Elephant eyes are gorgeous. 389 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:40,920 Speaker 1: They've got beautiful long eyelashes that I have tons of 390 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 1: friends that would kill for those. They're just such beautiful 391 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: and unique creatures. And when you are able to get 392 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: that close and have that shared moment or that experience, 393 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,360 Speaker 1: it makes you want to be a part of the journey, 394 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: part of the process of helping them and helping their 395 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,880 Speaker 1: counterparts in the wild, and really just wanting to make 396 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: more of an effort to be better and sometimes it's 397 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: as simple as turning your lights off when you leave 398 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 1: a room, or turning the faucet off when your brush 399 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 1: your teeth, or recycling. Those little things add up. Maybe 400 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: those things specifically don't help elephants or don't help these animals, 401 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 1: but we're talking bigger pictures, yeah right. 402 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 3: I mean I always tell kids, you know, what can 403 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 3: I do to help out the world, because you know, 404 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:22,400 Speaker 3: sometimes it can be doom and gloom and I'm you know, doom. 405 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:24,159 Speaker 2: Scrolling on TikTok and seeing all these things. 406 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:26,320 Speaker 4: But I tell them, you know, it's just as easy 407 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 4: as just. 408 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:29,880 Speaker 3: Supporting your accredited zoos and aquariums that are doing really 409 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:32,400 Speaker 3: really good work, right. I mean, last episode I talked 410 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,240 Speaker 3: about the Save Carilla program, and there's a lot of 411 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 3: programs you do here as well that not only benefit 412 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:38,479 Speaker 3: the herd here at the Safari Park, but also our 413 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 3: partners right out in Africa too. Can you speak a 414 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 3: little bit about some of the work that you and 415 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:45,400 Speaker 3: your team are doing here at a Safari Park that's 416 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 3: helping out like elephant conservation as a whole. 417 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 1: One of the great projects that we did for a 418 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 1: few years now was milk study, So our three adult 419 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: female elephants have all been trained to allow us to 420 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: collect a really tiny elk sample. And I'm talking like 421 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: the amount that you would get on your pinky fingernail. 422 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:05,120 Speaker 2: It's small, pinking ail. 423 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 4: I'm thinking an elephant into pinking ail. 424 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: It's really tiny. It's very very small. And the reason 425 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: for that is so that we can basically analyze and 426 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 1: test the milk and find out what is in mom's 427 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 1: milk at different ages of the calf. So the purpose 428 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:22,640 Speaker 1: for that is is because poaching is still a real 429 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 1: problem for elephants. Yeah, and you end up with a 430 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: lot of orphans, and so there is no formula for 431 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:33,359 Speaker 1: baby elephants on milk. So we've been analyzing to figure 432 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: out you know, okay, the baby is two weeks old, 433 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 1: three weeks old, two months old, whatever the age is. 434 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 2: Because it may change, right, the nutrition neat. 435 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 1: As the baby gets bigger and grows and gets stronger, 436 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:48,239 Speaker 1: the nutrients they require change, and mom's milk is going 437 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: to change. And so hopefully this project will help us 438 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 1: in the future with elephant conservation anywhere. 439 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 2: Oh, Nick, I love that story. Oh thank you so 440 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 2: much for sharing that. 441 00:19:57,400 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 3: That's really awesome and admittedly you know, you were talking 442 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:01,359 Speaker 3: about your story and I get a little distracted by 443 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:03,440 Speaker 3: the mud on your shereries because earlier too, I heard 444 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 3: a little bit of a construction equipment going on as well. 445 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:08,400 Speaker 2: And you guys are working so hard every single day. 446 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:11,680 Speaker 4: I mean, it could be close to like ninety degrees outside. 447 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 3: You know, even more even more right, I mean it 448 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:16,119 Speaker 3: could be like high thirties, but you guys are out 449 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 3: and about and you're doing your thing, and that is big. 450 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,399 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for sharing that story. We're getting 451 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:22,440 Speaker 3: a little closer to the time. 452 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 4: But before we end, thank you for describing Elephant Valley. 453 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,120 Speaker 3: I think I'm most excited what you said, like see 454 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:29,879 Speaker 3: the hairs on the elephants and see the eyes and 455 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:32,439 Speaker 3: eyelash as the experienced guests are going to have. But 456 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 3: I got to ask you, man, because it's a lot 457 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 3: of work that you guys do every single day. You're 458 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 3: here super early late in the evening sometimes depending on 459 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:39,360 Speaker 3: the situation. 460 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:41,959 Speaker 2: But how did you get involved with elephants? 461 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 3: I mean, did you wake up as a kid and like, 462 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 3: oh man, I want to work with elephants? 463 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, right away, I'm a native San die again. Oh 464 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:51,920 Speaker 1: me too, I really up going to the zoo. And oh, ever, 465 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:53,959 Speaker 1: since I could walk and talk, the only thing I've 466 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: ever wanted to do was work with elephants and work 467 00:20:56,320 --> 00:21:00,119 Speaker 1: for San Diego Zoo Wilife Alliance. Yeah, and for me, 468 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:02,119 Speaker 1: I never had a plan. B I always knew that 469 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:03,240 Speaker 1: this was what I was gonna do. 470 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 2: Okay. 471 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 1: I started working for the zoo when I was sixteen, 472 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 1: and I started an education. 473 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 2: Oh, I just seen it. 474 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I worked my way up and some of 475 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 1: it was the right place at the right time, and 476 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: the right people you knew, and some of it was 477 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:17,119 Speaker 1: just a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication. 478 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: And because a lot of people love animals, and a 479 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:21,199 Speaker 1: lot of people think, oh, how cool would it be 480 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 1: to be able to work with lions or pandas or elephants, 481 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 1: And then they get there and they're like, ooh, this 482 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: is not for me. You know, use a lot of work, 483 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 1: you quickly realize my love for them has a limit. 484 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 1: And you know, for me, I just always knew that 485 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: this is what I wanted. 486 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:38,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, I feel that. Oh. I love that story. 487 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:42,879 Speaker 3: Everyone's origin story is always different, Sam from the previous episode, 488 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:45,960 Speaker 3: a completely different story. I love how focused you were like, 489 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 3: this is going to happen as a little kid, and dude, 490 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:49,920 Speaker 3: look at you now you're here at the safar Apark 491 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 3: from Rocket. I've known you for a lot of years 492 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 3: now and you're an amazing part of the team. 493 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 1: So thank you. 494 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,400 Speaker 3: How about some elephant nuckles an eagle and this is great? 495 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:57,120 Speaker 3: Thank you so much. 496 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:58,399 Speaker 1: You're welcome. Thank you for having me. 497 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. Thanks man. Oh wow. 498 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 3: I was excited about Elephant Valley coming up the new 499 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 3: and improved earlier next year, but I am even more 500 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 3: stoked now learning from Nick all the little subtle nuances. 501 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:17,400 Speaker 4: How much more of an experience is gonna be for guests. 502 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 3: It's gonna be epic and we're not stopping the story 503 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 3: there everyone, I want to share with you more fun 504 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 3: highlights are gonna happen in our new Elephant Valley with 505 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 3: the plant team. Yeah that's right, friends, We're gonna stay 506 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 3: at the Safari Park and it's all about plant power. 507 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 3: So be sure to stay tuned for that next episode. 508 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 3: Marco went Stay wild. For more information about the San 509 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 3: Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, go to 510 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 3: SDZWA dot org. Amazing Wildlife is a production of iHeartRadio. 511 00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 3: Our supervising producer is still in Fagan, and our sound 512 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:03,359 Speaker 3: designers are Sierra Spring and Matt Russell. For more shows 513 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 3: from iHeartRadio, check out the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or 514 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 3: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.