Connecting People to Nature: Inside Woodland Park Zoo's New Forest Trailhead

Join Rick in a fascinating discussion with Woodland Park Zoo's Chief Engagement Officer, Rebecca Whitham as she shares the concepts, ideas and opening of the new habitat, Forest Trailhead. From community involvement and input to the importance sharing the stories of the ecosystem, you will discover how Woodland Park Zoo is telling global stories through local connections and engaging visitors in wildlife preservation.

This episode builds on previous discussions with other conservationists about the powerful concept of community-driven conservation, showcasing stories from Papua New Guinea to the Eastern Himalayas, we learn how meaningful partnerships are for conservation. Rick and Rebecca also explore how involving communities transforms endangered species, like the tree kangaroo, into ambassadors for a broader global story of ecology and resilience.

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Links mentioned in this episode:
Woodland Park Zoo
WPZ's Forest Trailhead
Woodland Park Zoo on IG
Woodland Park Zoo on FB
Woodland Park Zoo on YouTube

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Podcast Music: Positive Carefree Folk Pop
Artist: Burgberg
Used with Full Music Standard Lic.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Forests and green spaces are a big part of our sense of self, our sense of identity, our sense of place out here. And people have wonderful memories and experiences, but it's not universal. There are also people who've never had those nature experiences or are scared of those experiences or don't feel safe having those experiences. And so recognizing that everyone is sort of bringing their own story about these things, and maybe the values that we share we can we can unite around, but the perspectives all differ.

SPEAKER_00 0:32

I'm Rick Schwartz, educator, public speaker, and all-around curious guy. Over the years, my curiosity and experiences, along with the many people I have worked with, revealed to me we all have a desire to feel connected to the natural world. You're listening to Animals, Nature, and You, a podcast that explores a connection between animals, nature, and humans. A podcast that celebrates learning more, following our curiosity, and reconnecting with the natural world. Welcome to another episode of Animals, Nature and You, and really the big curious odyssey we're on to discover and explore how we're all connected. Whether we're connected to animals or nature or just each other or some combination of all the above, today's topic, today's discussion, will reflect a lot of that. And I'm excited for this topic because it ties back to my early roots of getting involved and working in zoos and conservation. My very first ever professional, not even professional, it was my first exposure to doing the actual work, not just visiting a zoo or visiting an aquarium, but actually doing the work was an internship in the primate house and surrounding areas with the apes at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. And just recently, the Woodland Park Zoo has opened a new habitat. And what's really fun about this space is well, we'll get into it in the interview, but essentially a lot of zoos really dive into a region. Let's let's do Africa or let's do South Africa or let's do Australia and bring all the animals and plants from that region to that space, which is great because as a guest you walk into it and you're suddenly immersed in that space. The angle the Woodland Park Zoo is taking on his new habitat is a little bit different, which then makes you wonder, well, why is that? So I reached out. I said, hey, that looks pretty cool. You guys want to get on the podcast here and discuss what it is you're doing, why you're choosing that angle. And well, here we are. Rebecca was kind enough to say, well, yes, of course, I would love to. So with that, let me introduce the guest, and then we're going to get into this conversation. I have a feeling we're going to uncover some pretty cool concepts and ideas. It is my pleasure to have on the podcast and introduce you to Rebecca Whittham. She is the chief engagement officer at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. And in that role, she leads communications, marketing, external relations, and strategic planning, excuse me. Now, with more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit zoo and museum world, and a master's degree in musology from the University of Washington, Rebecca uses the power of storytelling with zoo teams, partners, and community supporters, all to drive significant impact for conservation. So with that, Rebecca, I have to say thank you so much for taking time to be on Animals, Nature and You today.

SPEAKER_01 3:26

Thank you. It's exciting to be here.

SPEAKER_00 3:28

Well, and this is fun for me. I think, you know, we were mentioning before we started the recording that uh I did my internship in the summer of 1990 with primates there at the Woodland Park Zoo, and I've always had a space in my heart, not only because of that internship, but then even as a kid living in Washington, we'd go to the Woodland Park Zoo every now and then. And of course, you know, from the bio, you're not so much from the animal side, but very much involved with the storytelling side. And that's what podcasting is all about. So I'm I'm really glad you're here so we can talk about the new habitat that the Woodland Park Zoo opened.

SPEAKER_01 3:56

Yeah, it's a really exciting time for us. And I've been here at Woodland Park Zoo for a long time. Uh, and I've gotten to see us grow and change over the years, and I feel like it's all kind of come to a really special moment like this.

SPEAKER_00 4:07

Well, one thing I'm really excited to talk to you about this new project. So it's the Forest Trailhead. That's the name of the habitat space, correct? That's right. One part, and we can get into this a little bit later, but I think it's cool that the Woodland Park Zoo went the direction of we're gonna talk about an ecosystem that's found around the world, not necessarily we're talking about this chunk of the world. So it's quite popular for zoos to have a bioclimatic zone that represents this chunk of Australia or that chunk of Africa or this portion of Asia. But you guys kind of went a different direction. You want to share what that's about and why you guys made that decision?

SPEAKER_01 4:40

Sure. You know, Woodland Park Zoo is known around the world for these incredible biomes that we have and these immersive naturalistic exhibits. It's one of our strengths and it's something we're really, really proud of. We had this interesting opportunity when we stepped back and thought about this project that when you look at the whole campus, Woodland Park Zoo is a 92-acre urban forest. We are in the middle of the Emerald City in what is known as the evergreen state, right? So, this um this idea of forests is it's it's in our DNA, right? It is who we are here. And so many of the habitats around the zoo are focused on forests of the world, temperate forests, tropical forests, forests in Africa, forests in Asia. We knew we had this incredible story we wanted to tell about tree kangaroos in particular in the cloud forest of Papua New Guinea, because this is a conservation program we have been involved with for now 30 years. Wow. Started here at Woodland Park Zoo, the tree kangaroo conservation program, and it's this little known species, but I it's one of those species where as soon as you introduce it to somebody, it becomes their new favorite animal, right? Because they're so fascinating, they're so unique. And when you learn that they are, they're rare, they're endangered, and they're only from this one part of the world, the Machese tree kangaroo in particular that we work with, it's such a compelling story. And it's a story not just about animals and forests, but a story about people. And it feels so much like the DNA I'm describing about, you know, what this place is all about here as this urban forest in the middle of a city. And so we had this opportunity to say, let's create a space where we can showcase that story and put the tree kangaroos in the extraordinary context of their cloud forests and the stories of Papua New Guinea, but instead of only telling that story, right, then kind of thinking about, well, what if we considered that tree kangaroos are the face of a forest where communities are taking action and we can be part of that action and boost their impact? And what are other animals that maybe have a story like that? And could we start to put together a story of different animals, different forests, different communities, and find what it is that we have in common? And in a lot of ways, be able to then have our communities here recognize that, you know, gosh, there's all these forests around the world, but we have this extraordinary forested part of the, you know, the United States that we're a part of. And huh, we're actually more connected to these stories than we realized, right? So it's just sort of a a new way for us to approach the story that felt liberating to then think about how might you start to bring in different casts of characters, different animals, different um ecotones, and uh different challenges and different solutions.

SPEAKER_00 7:24

I love that. I love that. And I want to also get into the fact that I know the tree kangaroo projects very much involved with community, with the people that live in those spaces. And that's true for many of our conservation projects around the world nowadays. And by say our, I mean everybody who's involved in them. I want to get on that in a little bit. But also first, you did mention there's other species now that are at this forest trailhead habitat at the Woodland Park Zoo. It's not just tree kangaroos. That was the seed that got you all thinking, got you excited about let's explore this forest DNA that we have. So, what else? If I'm if I'm going to the Woodland Park Zoo specifically to see Forest Trailhead, what am I in for? What am I going to see?

SPEAKER_01 8:03

So it's a really fun exhibit to explore. It's called Forest Trailhead because there are so many paths you can set off on. There's a forest floor level and a canopy path, and that's both true indoors and outdoors. So we think a lot about weather here in Seattle. Of course. So want to make sure that those are experiences you can have year-round. And while you are heading into the treetops to see tree kangaroos, right next door, you're going to meet red pandas. So Carson the Red Panda. Yay, Carson. World famous Carson the Red Panda. Uh, he's doing so fabulously in his new habitat there. So he's been exploring all over. I think he's gotten, you know, a little shot of energy and a little shot of youthfulness uh into him now having this new space to explore. And red pandas are, you know, in many ways, they are the faces of forests, uh, particularly in Nepal, where we work with Red Panda Network. And they're dealing with very different kinds of conservation challenges uh in Nepal, where in Papua New Guinea, there's intact forests we're trying to preserve. In Nepal, there's a lot of deforestation that we're trying to restore, right? And so, you know, the the being able to explore what are those different challenges and those different solutions and what kinds of values do we have in common that are motivating this work. So there's the red panda piece, there's also the opportunity to see Kea birds. So uh alpine parrots of New Zealand, uh, their story is more about coexistence, right? We know that in New Zealand, Kaias and humans are frequently interacting and it isn't always positive. Uh, and that kind of thing happens here in the Northwest with brown bears, black bears, you know, raccoons, coyotes, and so it might not be the same animal, but some of these are the same challenges. And, you know, what can we learn from other communities? Uh, and just those kinds of opportunities to explore different parts of the world and recognize that there are some commonalities and there are lessons to be shared. And in a lot of ways, we have our own experiences that we can bring into these conversations as well. These are not completely unknown issues to the Pacific Northwest, right? And so people are bringing a lot of their own lived experiences to this space as well.

SPEAKER_00 10:11

That's awesome. That's awesome. And I do want to point out, too, I remember reading there's also a wide variety of reptile species in it. Are there amphibians too?

SPEAKER_01 10:19

Yeah. So then at the lower level of the habitat and the interior, we've got a wonderful diversity of reptiles, amphibians, even some fish, uh, which is fun for us with them park zoo. And, you know, for us there, it's really about being able to tell the story of when we have healthy forests, we have this ability to have all this healthy diversity, right? Yeah. And healthy forests being, you know, clean water. So let's talk about the animals that are depending on that for their survival. It means clean soil. So let's get into the forest floor and the animals that we can find there. It means, you know, habitat for animals. It means livelihoods for people. And so being able to explore all of what's at stake, really, when we talk about forest conservation. That's a big part of that part of the story in our forest floor level.

SPEAKER_00 11:08

Yeah. And that's what I think is so fascinating about this taking this approach to a new habitat space at a at a zoo in the sense that it really shines that you it a habitat, a single habitat, can almost be its own zoo in the sense that you're not just going to see mammals or just birds or it's everybody. They're all the way to the fish. And I love that there's also an angle now where we're looking at explaining the value of that clean water, that clean soil, because it's not just for the animals, it's for us. You know, we all rely on that. It's everyone's downstream with somebody. So that's that's great. That's great. So I know I want to go back to the tree kangaroos now, real quick. We're not gonna dive into any specifics about the species necessarily, but I do know from my own work uh with an ambassador tree kangaroo many, many years ago, a lot of the talking points there are about the fact that conservation really started to work there when the conservationists started working with the locals and the natives. And it was that sitting down and having those conversations with the people that knew the species best in the wild that really started the process of successful conservation. So, talk to me a little bit, since Woodland Parks has been so deeply involved. What's the story there with acknowledging communities and people who live amongst these species instead of just going in and saying, This is now, you know, we got to fence this area off, or you can't you can't do the things you used to do here anymore? Let's talk about that a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 12:33

Right, absolutely. So uh the tree kangaroo conservation program, when it started, our uh wonderful scientist, uh Dr. Lisa Daybeck here at Woodland Park Zoo, she started this in the 90s. She was coming on it from an animal research and conservation research perspective. And when she arrived in Papua New Guinea, in this remote area, the Huan Peninsula, where the Machi's tree kangaroo is from, she knew she needed to work with the people who lived there locally to be able to access space and learn from them about how to track and find these very elusive animals. And in doing so, I think she just had her eyes opened to not just how much knowledge was in these communities, but how much the tree kangaroo was a part of their culture, was a part of how they understood their place in the forests that they share. And it just opened the door to more and more conversations where as she got to know the communities, you know, we were maybe coming at conservation with a particularly, you know, scientific point of view, but conservation for them meant sustaining resources for their generations and their families, right? Right. Um and there are commonalities there. Um, they also had, you know, some cultural ideas around um off-limit areas, right? And okay, well, hey, that kind of sounds like protected areas. There might be some commonalities of strategies, even if they're coming from these very different places culturally or historically. And so you start to find that the more you work with the community, the more you can find sustainable conservation solutions that actually come from the values of the community and come from practices that, you know, not only makes them stronger to start, but gives them a better chance of, you know, truly thriving and being sustainable long into the future. Uh, and that just became, you know, 30 years of extraordinary investment in these communities that have now truly become the leaders of this community-based conservation work. And back in 2009, I believe, these uh customary landowners essentially pledged their land to create their nation's first ever protected area, the use conservation area, YUS. It stands for Yopno Urawasom, the three rivers that define this region. And in doing this conservation area, now they have this space that they can bring their knowledge and experience to monitor and to manage, you know, for their needs today and for future generations of people, but also tree kangaroos, right? Um, and, you know, it's just such a beautiful and extraordinary story of community-based conservation. And it's not one that necessarily can be exactly repeated, right? You can't say that's the formula. There are many places where the local communities don't have land rights, and the solution might look very different, right? Um, but the idea that you can base solutions in knowing more about the values and the needs and the ideas of the communities that are living these experiences, that is something that can be recreated and can be scaled, right, in in other ways. And that was sort of the the seed really of this, you know, this whole storyline is, you know, if if that kind of community-led conservation, which can look different but um, you know, is can be successful in all these different forests of the world, um, can be brought into one bigger story. What does it tell us about the role of people in conservation? And then what does it tell us about us and our part in that story, just in our own everyday actions, the way we think about our voices and our choices when we show up in our own communities?

SPEAKER_00 16:14

Right, exactly. That's so cool too, because I, you know, you think about there's a group of people that can come in with the science, there's a group of people that come in with the culture, there's a group of people that come with knowledge of the local land, and and then they work together. But you think about the different uh groups of diversity, of mindset, of of where they grew up from and what the commonality is, which is the goal is to make sure these spaces stay on this planet essentially, that they aren't lost because we weren't paying attention. And I I I just love that. That is so cool. And the fact that that that her process of doing this started in the 90s, you know, you're talking 30 plus years ago, roughly. It's it's it's so cool. And to see also many other conservation projects starting to adopt this same concept of let's not just show up with science only, let's show up with getting to know what's going on in the space. How does how do humans interact with these animals and the environment as well? So that that is so cool. And I love too that because of the forest trail head, now that story can be shared with multiple species. We could talk about the red panda and how it's a little bit different than the tree roo as far as conservation, but also there's some similarities. How that might be different for some of the reptile species you have there or the bird species, but also similar. And then it allows us to reflect how how about here in North America? How about in the Pacific Northwest? How about where you might be visiting from? If you're visiting Seattle and you happen to be at the Wilden Park Zoo. It's a it's a such a great concept. I really love that idea.

SPEAKER_01 17:49

Yeah, and what's really fun about it too is that, you know, the people who are coming to the zoo, they come from communities, right? Maybe they're local, maybe they're visiting from somewhere else, but they're all, they're also bringing cultural ideas about what is conservation and what are forests and what does it mean to be to me. They're they're bringing different understanding about ecology and you know, conservation in their own lives. Uh, so it's just a continuation of that story, right? Too too often we're thinking about conservation as this sort of distant field thing that we're doing. Yes. But it's, you know, completely translatable, right, to the very conversations we're having with the guests right here in our own institutions. Uh so just, you know, embracing that story and and helping our visitors to recognize they're part of that story and they're bringing their own lives and perspectives and histories and futures to, you know, to the dialogue as well. I think is it really makes the space feel like it belongs to everyone, right? That it is about forests and it is about animals, but truly it is about people.

SPEAKER_00 18:46

Right, right. Well, you know, that's that's the whole reason for this podcast: Animals, nature, and you. The you is the people part of it. We are all connected to all the things. And that's what I love about these discussions. Not only is it a reminder about that we're all connected, but then it guides into, you know, like we're talking about, how how do we make that connection happen? How do we make it tangible and real for those that are visiting the zoo? I remember years and years and years ago, there was a uh a study done, and most people going to the zoo, I think it was close to 80%, were saying they were doing it just to have a nice time with the family. And about the remainder were like, well, we're here to learn more about wildlife. And it was such an eye-opener for a lot of us in the zoo world because it it really is like, okay, look, can we meet them where they are? We have a goal, we have an agenda, we want to teach, we want them to learn, we want them to come out with an appreciation, but they're here for a good time. So where do we meet them where they are? So a habitat like this, which is multi-level, multi-species, multi-opportunities to engage with things. I was reading, there's a lot of hands-on stuff as well. It meets people where they are, which is they're coming to the zoo for a good time, but then they walk out having learned something, maybe gained more of appreciation. Or, like you said, learn about a tree kangaroo, which they didn't even know existed beforehand.

SPEAKER_01 19:58

Right, right. And now it's everyone's favorite. Um, I think that's that's absolutely part of how we shape these experiences. Um, and you know, early on when we were designing this project, um, you know, we we had this big idea and we we wanted to sort of talk with the community, hear feedback and see. We think this forest story, you know, has a way of uniting all of us wherever we're coming from in the world. Uh, but you know, does that resonate with other people? Right. And it was, it was so helpful to do that kind of community feedback in a design process because you you start to, you know, you get the validation for one, in this case, that forests do mean so much to people, especially here in the Pacific Northwest. Forests and green spaces are a big part of our sense of self, our sense of identity, our sense of place out here. And people have wonderful memories and experiences, but it's not universal. There are also people who've never had those nature experiences or are scared of those experiences or don't feel safe having those experiences. And so recognizing that everyone is sort of bringing their own story about these things and maybe the um the values that we share we can, we can unite around, but the perspectives all differ. You know, that felt really exciting. That, you know, okay, I think in the past I've approached storytelling at the zoo as sort of there's, you know, there's a question and an answer. And, you know, we're, you didn't necessarily ask the question, but we're here to give you the answer, right?

SPEAKER_02 21:25

Right.

SPEAKER_01 21:26

Um, and I've learned a lot in, you know, in my career that that really dialogue and making space for people and for them to bring who they are and bring all those perspectives, which might not necessarily be the same as yours, right? Um, uh leaving room for that in this space, I think matters a lot as well. Um and so, you know, how do you translate that into the actual physical space itself, right? Um, you know, truly putting it into our programming in terms of allowing, you know, opportunities for creativity and dialogue. But it's even little things. Um So as you go throughout the exhibit, one of my favorite spots is a wall. It's got beautiful artwork, but if you look a little closer, you'll see it's composed of a lot of small little pieces. And within some of those smaller pieces are photos that community members sent into us. So we put out a call to say, share a photo of you or your loved ones in your favorite forest or park or green space and you know, be part of this bigger picture. And so, you know, just to see that representation and for people to sort of feel that sense of belonging in the space for some people, quite truly, you know, and literally there in the imagery. Um, you know, it just it it sends a signal, right, that everybody has a place in this story. And um I think, I hope, you know, we've opened the space now. And it was it was a really quiet uh space for for the years that we were building it, right? And now that we've opened it up and we can see the crowds, um, you know, we hope we've set it up in a way that people can can feel the authenticity of the invitation to truly participate.

SPEAKER_00 23:05

That's so cool. I love that. That is such a cool idea with that wall. And I also want to go back to what you said. It's it's that idea that we kind of sometimes think that we have an answer for a question that they don't have, and so let's open up space for them to be them and bring what whatever they have into the space and we can meet them there. I that's a that's a really cool way of looking at what I've always tried to do as an educator, which is meet them where they are. Instead of meeting them with a handful of answers, just meet them with an open mind and then go from there. That's so cool. You did mention, too, you've been with the Woodland Park Soup for a while. You have seen a lot change in that time. You've been there as things grow and develop. This space was a quiet space for a long time and then was under construction, now open to the public. For you personally, if I may ask, because I always love the human side of it too, and I think it's something of value for the audience. What has this, all of this, like what does this mean for you? Why is this important to you to be a part of something like this? And I and I ask that question usually of people who work directly with the animals. And I think it's it's kind of a lead-in to almost an obvious answer where someone in your position, maybe the answer is not quite as obvious, or maybe it's right in line with everybody else's answer. But why is this important to you? Why is this work of passion a part of your life?

SPEAKER_01 24:23

That's a wonderful question. Um, you know, if I follow my career, it's it feels like it's a straight line, um, but it didn't feel that way when I was doing it and living it, right? Um and, you know, I started with a passion for conservation when I was young, but it didn't come from having nature experiences. It came because nature was absent in my life. And I think it might be like how some people feel about, you know, space and the stars, right? That it's this distant thing that they want to know. Um, and I I grew up in Brooklyn. I did have nature experiences. I don't, I don't want to pretend, you know, it's all it's a concrete jungle and there's no nature to be found. I I lived blocks away from the ocean, right? I I had a salt marsh as my local park. Um, so there is some really cool nature to be found in New York City. Um so I had some of those those exposures, um, but all it did was make me want to know more about, you know, if that could be here at the edge of the city that I live in, what else could be out there, right? Um and I felt like the more I explored conservation and my curiosity about animals, the the more I just had uh more questions and more curiosity. Right. Um and and it increased my sense of um joy and and wonder about the world. And and in turn it sort of triggered this intense sense of responsibility then, right? If I can get this much out of it, then what can I put into it? What can I give? And for the longest time I thought that meant that, you know, I would have a career in a very traditional sense of, you know, practicing conservation. And um, you know, I thought I'd pursue science. Uh, and as I went to go do that, I I ended up uh becoming a docent during college at Central Park Zoo and thinking, okay, that's a foot in the door that will, you know, help me get more involved with conservation in animals. And what it did was get me involved with people. And I realized how fun it was to talk with people and to share stories and and and tell stories and um be, you know, have have a broadcast channel and an education channel, but also have dialogue and hear and listen and learn and see how, you know, especially at Central Park Zoo, guests are coming from all over the world. So there were times when I was chatting with folks and we weren't speaking the same language. And yet, you know, we were bonding and we were sharing these moments because nature was something that united us, right? And I just I felt this profound sense that um there's just uh there's there's good in the world that comes from working together and and supporting each other and listening to each other when it comes to trying to solve conservation. So I thought, okay, great, I'll be an educator and started working towards that path. But you know, the opportunity that opened up for me was in communications and marketing. I didn't think that was going to be my career, but um, you know, it turns out communications is talking to people.

SPEAKER_02 27:17

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_01 27:18

And and marketing is persuasion. And, you know, what what a cool way for me to give to conservation is not just my own direct actions or not just my own direct contributions to conservation as a a science, but you know, what's my role in persuasion and helping folks to to meet them where they are, right? And um open their eyes to opportunities to participate, or find folks who are ready and and excited and totally want to participate and just clearing paths for them, right? Um, you know, I think so often we think, you know, folks are coming to us as if this is the first thought they've ever had about conservation, right? But no, it's it's such a big part of what a lot of people care about and think about. Um, and and maybe sometimes it's just about equipping them or removing those barriers. So fun for me to be able to find a career that, you know, allowed me to feel like I was part of conservation, but using a totally different set of skills than I ever imagined would be the ones that I would develop. Uh, and in doing so, um, really focus my priorities around inviting others to the cause, right? Whatever their path is, whatever their particular motivation or ability is, we all have something to do with this. Um, and you know, the the invitation is open, right? So that's sort of that's that's how I approach my career here and and opportunities like this.

SPEAKER_00 28:43

I appreciate that so much. I really, really do. I clearly you're so passionate about this, but also the way you just shared your story is something that I always try to remind people uh a lot of the time in my across my career, people are like, well, what can I do? How can I get involved? What you know, I'm not a scientist, and I always say it's like you don't have to be a scientist, you don't have to be PhD'd in zoology or you know, anything of that stuff. You are, as a public relations marketing communicator with an education heart, uh still very impactful in getting conservation out to other people so they can participate. So collect because honestly, collectively is how these things get done, it's how it works. It is the community, community that is there and the community that we build. And your work, your skill set is a vital part of that. And I love that you were able to share that because it it is something I think people need to hear. It doesn't there's so many different parts and components that are very important for conservation, not just being out in the jungle counting tree kangaroos. So yeah, that's important too.

SPEAKER_01 29:51

But it's so important, right? And but but everyone has different skills. And so, you know, what if this matters to you, then you know, can you find a way to take the skills that are natural to you or the things that you feel like you have the time and the capacity to share and apply them towards a cause that matters to you? And and it's just it's so freeing when you find that connection, that spark. And I love, you know, it's meant a lot to me to find that for myself. And I love being able to help others um, you know, feel feel like they're making the most of you know what what they can bring to these challenges and solutions as well.

SPEAKER_00 30:26

Yeah, and you know, goes that old saying, it's like, oh, you you find what doing something you love, it's it's never work or something like that. The reality is it's work. It is still work. It's still there's heavy days, there are light days. But I think that's a what the shift really is is when there's the passion behind it and underneath it, the heavy days aren't as heavy. The the good days are that much better. Uh, the hard work feels rewarding, even though you by the end of the day you're passing out of your couch because you're exhausted. But yeah, it's it's so cool. And that passion does drive it. And and I love the fact that there are opportunities for people who are passionate about animals, wildlife, desiring more nature in their life that maybe aren't the scientists can find other ways to be involved and be a part of it and express that passion as well. I I want to switch gears just a little bit here because I happen to see now it is near the last half of May when we're recording this. This will come out in early June. But I did see recently uh shifting gears a little bit away from the forest trail um lion cubs.

SPEAKER_01 31:26

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:27

It's a bit on social media, and I think you guys might you you haven't set a date, and you don't have to say a date now because I know we don't know for sure, probably. But I'm thinking when this episode comes out in early June, they might be available to the public. Can you tell us a little bit about them?

SPEAKER_01 31:41

Absolutely, yeah. So uh our two girls, uh, they actually have just started to go outside with mama. Uh, and uh just uh at the time of this recording, just this week, they had their first introduction with dad, which went really well. Um we we love this. So dad is uh tandy. He actually was born here at the zoo a few years ago. So we love having now these multiple generations to call this place home. Uh so we've just been giving them a little bit of time and space to get comfortable with each other, and that has been going really well. So um in just a few more days, we'll start to invite people to come. You know, timing is they choose to do what they do. No exact time. No promises, no promises. We know how that works, uh, right. Um, but we we will start to create some opportunities for access for folks. And um, based on uh how many questions we get a day of when can people come and and see them, we know that uh folks are are ready to come be part of that family too.

SPEAKER_00 32:39

Nice, nice. Okay, so let's give the audience an opportunity to decide what they're gonna do when they go to Seattle this summer. They are gonna definitely stop by the Woodland Park Zoo because they could possibly see some lion cubs. They definitely need to go see Forest Trailhead. What would be your best recommendation for someone who's showing up this summer to the Woodland Park Zoo? Should they try to get there before opening, right at opening, like, or should they get tickets online? Like, what's the best plan for someone coming into Seattle, going, I'm going to the zoo?

SPEAKER_01 33:11

Yeah, great idea to get your tickets online. Come in early. Uh, so a lot of our animals love to start the morning with some high energy, end the day with some high energy. So if you're there uh and you get to be part of those particular moments, those always feel extra special. Um, and uh, you know, I think if you want to take the idea of recognizing this is this 92-acre urban forest, um, I know the first steps I ever took into Willem Park Zoo, my jaw fell to the ground. I just thought, like, my goodness, this is this is your zoo. Like this is what an incredible place. And so just enjoy not just the animal habitats and and the exhibits and all the fun that you can have with, you know, your group that you're with, but really appreciate the grounds and really um take a take a deep, you know, whiff of the incredible botanicals that are in bloom. Enjoy the drop in temperature you feel when you enter into some of these areas that have just this extraordinary canopy that's been growing for decades. And just really appreciate all the different little forested pockets of this place because I think then you'll you'll see the bigger picture of Forest Trailhead itself. It's not just about the trails of that one exhibit, but it's about sending you off onto the trails throughout the rest of the zoo and seeing how this, you know, this urban forest itself is its own little world, its own, its own ecosystem.

SPEAKER_00 34:32

And so with that, it just made me think of another question. I know we're kind of wrapping up, but I'm like, oh, another question. Do you, having been there for so long, obviously there's the new habitat, so maybe this is that's the answer. Uh, but do you have a favorite spot at the Woodland Park Sioux that whenever you go there, you're just like, okay, I'm gonna pause a little bit longer here before I head back to my office?

SPEAKER_01 34:52

Uh you could see behind me uh some orangutan uh photos that's chinted behind me, one of one of my favorites over the years. Um I s I came into this uh career with a passion for primates, and um I the first orangutans I met were here at Woodland Park Zoo. Uh and there's just something about that space. Uh it is it's incredible to see them up in the treetops, and um, you know, they're these massive animals, and it seems so improbable that they, you know, can be in these nests up in the trees. Um and you just I don't know, there's something about having a moment with with orangutans or or other primates, um, but orangutans especially. Um, Chinta, she always made you feel so special, right? She would, she would look at you and she'd be so curious about you, and you would have these quiet moments together. And of course, I realized over time I wasn't that special. Everyone was having those moments with her. What it meant was that she was special, right? Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 35:46

She had a way of making everybody feel special. I mean, that's that's really what it boils down to. That's just that's a really good skill.

SPEAKER_01 35:54

And and I always try to remember that when, you know, when I when I go to um see the animals and especially with the orangutans, is just appreciating them for who they are. They bring, you know, so much personality and um and and history and just fun to uh this place that I get to work at. And uh it's always worth it for me to just kind of refill my bucket every now and then with a moment like that.

SPEAKER_00 36:17

Nice. Very nice. So is there anything else about the forest trailhead or anything else about Woodland Park Zoo that we haven't touched on that you'd like to share with my audience?

SPEAKER_01 36:28

Well, I think maybe what I want to share is uh so Rick, I just want to acknowledge the work you've done uh over the years and and the influence in some ways over what we're talking about here. Um, because I think your your work uh has so authentically brought conversation and dialogue into the world of zoos and conservation. Um and I had the luck of being a millennial at the right time who got to start you know her career on with social media before we really knew what it was. And we we thought it was all about broadcast until we realized it was actually about dialogue. Um and you know, I talked a lot about those themes today, but they're themes that you know you were truly a leader in. Uh, and you continue to honor that with conversations like this today. So um, I hope you see a little piece of that in in the good work that zoos like Woodland Park Zoo and other places continue to do.

SPEAKER_00 37:19

Goodness, that's very flattering. Thank you. I wasn't expecting that. Thank you. I I mean, it's always been a work of just passion. I've always loved from an early age, I found out that I love connecting people with wildlife and animals, and I love animals tremendously. So it's just always been from the heart. And so to hear that and have that reflected back to me after all these years, that's that's very meaningful. I appreciate that. That's you caught me off guard on that one.

SPEAKER_02 37:44

Good for you.

SPEAKER_00 37:47

All right. So back to Woodland Park Zoo, though. If people are looking to find out more, what's what social media is Woodland Park Zoo on? What's the website? Of course, I'll put links down below in the show notes as well. But say them out loud, too, for anybody who's driving right now and can't check the show notes.

SPEAKER_01 38:01

Zoo.org. Believe it or not, our website is zoo.org. Seattle, we are early adopters, so you can't forget that one. You can find us there. Uh, we're on social media. Our Instagram and TikTok are always blowing up. Uh, so you can find us at Woodland Park Zoo. Uh, and it's good fun to follow us, particularly because we are now telling the story of the lion cubs as they're heading outside and all of the insides and outsides of Forest Trailhead as it comes to life. So it's a great time to follow along.

SPEAKER_00 38:29

And I will say this too: if you are enjoying the lion cubs on social media and you're thinking about going, you gotta go because they grow fast. Oh, yeah. Cats of all species usually hit full size around a year to a year and a half. So you basically got this summer to see them in kitten stage before they become goofy juveniles, which is also a good stage. But I'm just saying, don't wait. If you're if you're falling in love with them on social media and you're thinking about going, change the thinking to doing and go see them because it's worth it. Okay, well, let's wrap this up. Uh, you know, again, I can't say thank you enough for taking the time. I was sort of a I saw the launch happening for the Habitat. I reached out, I'm like, hey, I'd love to showcase what you guys are doing. And you guys jumped on board, and here we are. So thank you so much for taking the time today to discuss Woodland Park Zoo and Forest Trailhead and everything else.

SPEAKER_01 39:20

I'm always happy to do it. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 39:22

And thank you, dear audience. You know I appreciate you being here, a part of these conversations, and this time with Rebecca has been a lot of fun because if for me it's a little bit of memory lane. Although Rebecca and I have never met, having my ties of beginning of my career back to Woodland Park Zoo, knowing how zoos have operated for now several several decades, uh it's it's so cool to see the direction they're taking with this, how conservation's evolved over the years. And the conversation with Rebecca really brought up what I keep saying over and over again. You don't have to be a scientist or a zoologist or an ecologist to participate and be a part of conservation, be a part of making a difference. You know, I'm a big advocate of just doing what you can in your own backyard, your own neighborhood. But she also brought up a point that as someone who's an educator or a marketer or PR person, storyteller, you can be a part of this as well. And it's that community, it's that coming together, it's all of us doing something for nature, for animals, for ourselves. That's what it's about. And I really appreciate that conversation. And like I said, as we wrap things up with Rebecca, all the links for the Woodland Park Zoo and everything we talked about is down below. I highly recommend if you find yourself in Seattle at any time of year, go to the Woodland Park Zoo. I've been there when it's cold and raining and it's still a cool experience. I've been in there in the summer. It's it's amazing. It's really, really cool. So, all of that said, I want to remind you too that if if at all any of these episodes you've been listening to here of Animals and Nature and you have given you any sort of enjoyment, knowledge, or information, I'd really appreciate you taking a moment to leave a review or stars wherever you're listening or watching. If it's on YouTube, you can leave a comment or a like, whatever it might be. But if you're on a podcast player that allows you to leave stars or a review, I'd really appreciate it. Now, this doesn't change anything in the algorithm, but it does give it a little bit of social credit where someone who might be looking through, scrolling through for something to listen to or watch, they're gonna see that other people have left a review, other people are enjoying it, so they'll check it out too. And that's that's how it works, just like we were talking about. It's community, it's coming together, it's slowly building and growing our little niche of people who have like-minded interest, loves, passions, curiosity. That being said, I do also want to thank you for joining me on this Curious Odyssey that is Animals Nature New. Many of you have been here from the beginning, some have joined along the way, and some of you might be listening for the first time. Nonetheless, I appreciate you being here. If you'd like to, Animals Nature New does have its own Instagram handle, so you can find that down below, as well as my website, zoology rick.com, or Zoology Rick on just about any social media that I'm active on. You can find me there. If you want to, you can get a hold of me through the fan mail link, which is for those who are listening at the very top of the show notes. There's a link there called fan mail, where you can directly get involved. You can leave uh information about something you heard in an episode, an episode idea, or anything you want to communicate about, whether it's a voicemail or a text. All right, so with all of that, we're gonna wrap this up. Make sure if you haven't already, you want to hit subscribe or follow so you don't miss any of the upcoming episodes. Every Thursday, just like today, we have a great interview with someone doing some awesome work, and every Tuesday, a shorter episode, solo episode, just me, chat about a topic, a species, whatever it might be, for what we call 10 minute Tuesday. All right, let's wrap this up. Have a good one, everybody.