Rossifari Podcast - Zoos, Aquariums, and Animal Conservation
438 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago -The Rossifari Podcast brings my love of zoos, aquariums, rescues, and rehab facilities to you! Each episode features an interview with someone who works at one of these facilities. We talk about different species, individual animals, conservation efforts, nutrition...all kinds of stuff. This is a podcast suitable for all ages, but we will discuss topics like mating behaviors and euthanasia. If you're a fan of zoos, or have ever wondered what exactly a zookeeper does, how aquariums manage to keep all that water so clean, or just want to hear a bunch of amazing stories about incredible animals, and the people that take care of them, this is the podcast for you! Check us out online at www.rossifari.com and on all social media platforms @rossifari. Support the show at patreon.com/rossifari. Check out the merch at rossifari.redbubble.com.
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Episodes
Rossifari Zoo News 04/08/21
April 08, 2021 04:00 - 26 minutes - 17.9 MBDateline: April 8, 2021. Rossifari Zoo News is officially live! Each week, one episode of The Rossifari Podcast will be dedicated to bringing you the latest news from the world of zoos and conservation! Today's episode features some amazing conservation successes for frogs and toads from the North Carolina Zoo, an important rebranding happening at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, a quick breakdown of the wastewater pool disaster in Florida, a brand new building opening at Zoo Knoxville w...
074 - An HSA For Animals with Dr. Vickie Clyde and Adine Nicholson of the Wild Animal Health Fund
April 06, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 46.9 MBToday, the Safari heads to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to talk to Dr. Vickie Clyde and Adine Nicholson of the Wild Animal Health Fund. This is an incredibly important organization funded by the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV) which helps to fund studies into the various medical needs of animals in captivity. Did you know that we actually don't know a ton about the subtle differences in the medical needs of species in captive care? The Wild Animal Health Fund exists to fix that! ...
073 - Fetching Fennec Fox with Natalie Hildebrand of the Lehigh Valley Zoo
April 01, 2021 04:00 - 59 minutes - 40.9 MBToday, the Safari heads to Schnecksville, PA, to visit the Lehigh Valley Zoo. Natalie Hildebrand, the Lead Education Specialist at the zoo, talks all about the amazing ambassador animals there, and shares a message of why it is important to leave wild animals in the wild. You'll meet some awesome animals including an awesome African Gray parrot named Douglas and a tarantula with the totally normal name of Sgt. Butterscotch. EPISODE LINKS: @lvzoo on Instagram and Facebook lvzoo.org onl...
072 - Madagascar In Delaware with Brint Spencer of the Brandywine Zoo
March 30, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 47.6 MBToday, the Safari heads to the only AZA-accredited zoo in Delaware, The Brandywine Zoo. I bring you my interview with Brint Spencer, the Director of the zoo, who brings a world of knowledge and a lifetime of experience to the show. We talk about master planning, the new and future exhibits at Brandywine, and so much more. Brint has a wonderful and deep way of thinking about things, and I really enjoy what he brings to this episode. SHOW LINKS: @brandywinezoo on Facebook and Instagram ...
071 - Congressionally Approved Birds with Cathy Schlott of The National Aviary
March 25, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 45.8 MBToday, the Safari heads to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to talk to Cathy Schlott of The National Aviary! That's right, we have an official national bird zoo, and today's episode is all about that. We get into how this aviary earned it's "National" title, and what that does and doesn't mean for it. We also talk about a ton of amazing birds, and spend a LOT of time on operant conditioning. Yay birds! SHOW LINKS: @national_aviary on Facebook and Instagram aviary.org @taylorisaacgray on all...
070 - Bad Wartitude with Emily Smicker of The Erie Zoo
March 23, 2021 05:00 - 57 minutes - 39.4 MBToday, the Safari heads to Erie, PA, to speak with Emily Smicker, the Marketing and Events Coordinator for The Erie Zoo. We talk all about life as a PR person for a zoo, including the incredible opportunities Emily gets to spend with a variety of incredible animals. We also revisit one of my favorite moments ever, as I get to go see the little red panda cub I met, now way more mature and living at Erie! Rhinos, pandas, lions, orangutans, and so much more fill this unique episode! SHOW LI...
069 - To Dream The Im-PASA-ble Dream with Kaitlyn Bock of the Pan-African Sanctuary Alliance
March 18, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 50.7 MBToday, the Safari heads to Florida to have a chat with Kaitlyn Bock, the Africa Operations Manager of the Pan-African Sanctuary Alliance! Kaitlyn's journey is an international one, with lots of amazing stories, and with such a clear amount of passion that it's all just incredible. We talk about so much of the amazing work being done to conserve primates, especially the great apes of Africa! You'll be inspired for sure! SHOW LINKS: www.pasa.org @pasaprimates on Instagram ROSSIFARI LIN...
068 - It's Orangutan, Not Orangutang, Dang It! with Melissa Peterson of The Memphis Zoo
March 16, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 48.8 MBToday, the Safari heads back to Memphis, Tennessee, to talk to Melissa Peterson, primate keeper and all-around wonderful human! Melissa has been on the podcast before, as she was the keeper who taught us all about bonobo sex on Rossifari After Dark Part 2! Now she's back for a longer, and less adult, conversation about all the primates she takes care of at the zoo, such as orangutans, gorillas, chimps, and yes, even a little bit more about those crazy bonobos! We also talk about her amazing ...
BONUS EPISODE - My New Song! Anthem, by Jennifer Walder
March 12, 2021 05:00 - 7 minutes - 5.21 MBHello! Welcome back for a short musical Safari straight out of NYC! As most of you know, I am a professional drummer and music director. Today, the latest single I worked on drops everywhere! The song is called Anthem, by Jennifer Walder. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music...and, of course, you get to hear it here first! You'll also recognize the musicians involved in this one other than just me! Check out the artists involved: Jennifer Walder - Vocals/songwriting/a...
067 - It's Me Again - The Rewildology Podcast Episodes Featuring Jon
March 11, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 73.5 MBToday, the Safari sits my butt down in the interview chair again, as I bring you the two episodes of The Rewildology Podcast featuring me as a guest! You'll get to hear host Brooke Mitchell-Norman interview me for almost two hours! We talk all about my music career, what the lockdown has done to my life and industry, and all about how I started and make The Rossifari Podcast. You'll also get to hear a lot of my history, including some pretty heavy stuff, and lots of the silly stuff as well!...
066 - Where The Rewild Things Are with Brooke Mitchell-Norman of The Rewildology Podcast
March 09, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 54.9 MBToday, the Safari heads to Denver, CO, to talk to Brooke Mitchell-Norman, conservation biologist and host of Rewildology, an incredible new conservation-focused podcast! Brooke and I decided to collaborate on our episodes this week, meaning you can also find me as the guest on her podcast! On this episode, we talk all about Brooke's time as a zookeeper, and her transition into the conservation travel industry. We also take time to talk about her podcast, and just so much more! SHOW LINK...
065 - How To Be A Rock Star with Robin Sullivan (née Shewokis) of The Leather Elves
March 04, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 44.5 MBToday, the Safari heads to New England to meet with Robin Sullivan, enrichment consultant and President of The Leather Elves, which is a company that sells animal enrichment items! Robin has been at the forefront of animal enrichment as the practice has developed, and since 2000 has consulted at zoos all around the world, helping them to improve their enrichment practices! This episode has a lot of great information not only on how zoos use enrichment to get their animals to participate in ...
064 - Flirting To Save Dogs with Shira Scott Astrof of The Animal Rescue Mission
March 02, 2021 06:00 - 54 minutes - 37.8 MBToday, the Safari heads to Los Angeles, CA, to speak with Shira Scott Astrof. Shira is the president and founder of the Animal Rescue Mission, an LA based shelter saving dogs in her area and all around the world. This episode really helped me to understand the amazing work being done to save domestic animals such as dogs, and how much wildlife conservation and domestic rescue have in common. Oh, by the way, Shira was also a guest star on an episode of The Office, and we definitely spend s...
063 - The College With A REAL Animal House with Holly Schmidt of America's Teaching Zoo
February 25, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 43.2 MBToday, the Safari heads to Moorpark, California to check out America's Teaching Zoo at Moorpark Community College! That's right, there is an actual zoo at an actual college where students get to work as zookeepers while learning the field firsthand, graduating with a degree in Exotic Animal Training and Management! I speak to second year student Holly Schmidt, who is an amazing ambassador for this program! We discuss what the school looks like, the animals at the zoo, the incredible facult...
062 - Ollie the Okapi with Lucas Meers of the Okapi Conservation Project and the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
February 23, 2021 06:00 - 51 minutes - 35.4 MBToday, the Safari escapes the winter weather back home for a trip to Jacksonville, Florida, to interview one person working at two great conservation organizations! Lucas Meers is the conservation program officer at BOTH the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens AND the Okapi Conservation Project! This is such a great look at how in situ and ex situ conservation work hand in hand, and how the conservation work being done at zoos and in the wild are incredibly connected! SHOW LINKS: @lucastmeers...
061 - Rossifari After Dark Part 2 - My Favorite Hooman with Dani Poirier, Melissa Peterson, and Kara McSweeney
February 18, 2021 06:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBToday's Safari is going to a couple different places, as I bring you short interviews with Dani Poirier Larson of Southwick's Zoo, and Melissa Peterson of the Memphis Zoo, as well as a short love story by former guest Kara McSweeney! The second sexy episode of Rossifari After Dark features discussions about flirty birds, bonobos sex, and a sweet story about a tapir! This episode is fun, irreverent, and full of good information. It may not, however, be for all ears. SHOW NOTES: DANI: @...
060 - Rossifari After Dark Part 1 - Sexy Fung Shui with Laura Houston of Elmwood Park Zoo
February 16, 2021 06:00 - 44 minutes - 30.8 MBThe Safari heads back to our home zoo, Elmwood Park Zoo, but with a sexy twist! I've decided to turn Valentine's Day into Valentine's Week and bring you Rossifari After Dark. Mating is a huge part of life at the zoo, and this episode does a deep dive into what that looks like in the animal kingdom. This episode is fun, irreverent, and full of good information. It may not, however, be suitable for all ears. SHOW NOTES: @elmwoodparkzoo on Insta and Facebook www.elmwoodparkzoo.org ROSS...
059 - The Sweetest Leeches I've Ever Met with Gunjan Menon, Conservation Filmmaker
February 11, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 44.1 MBToday, the Safari continues it's world tour in India! I bring you my interview with Gunjan Menon, an incredible conservation filmmaker and the director of The Firefox Guardian! Gunjan has an incredible story, and also shares incredible conservation stories with others. We have a lot of fun sharing our love of red pandas, discussing what filmmaking in the wild is like, and talking about ecofeminism. Gunjan also tells stories about the incredible work she's done filming conservation efforts ...
058 - Hotel for Frogs with Heidi Ross and Edgardo Griffith of the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center Foundation
February 09, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 43.9 MBToday, the Safari heads to El Valle, Panama, for a chat with Heidi Ross and Edgardo Griffith of the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center Foundation. When I booked this interview, I had no idea how crazy the tale I was about to hear was going to be. This is a story about the challenges of conservation taking place on the ground during a global pandemic, where the challenges of travel restrictions, funding issues, and human ego can all conspire to create unexpected challenges for species t...
057 - Are Meerkats Mere Cats? with Becky Whitelegg of Flamingoland
February 04, 2021 06:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MBToday, the Safari heads to England, to speak with Becky Whitelegg, a zookeeper at Flamingoland. Come for the animal facts, stay for the fun accent! Becky talks about some incredible mongooses, the weight loss plan of a warty pig, and so much more. We also discuss some of the differences of zookeeping in the UK and the US, what accreditation looks like across the pond, and so much more. I admit it...I just really wanted to write "across the pond" in these show notes! SHOW LINKS: @rawr...
056 - The Other Batman with Jordi Segers of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative
February 02, 2021 06:00 - 56 minutes - 38.8 MBToday, the Safari crosses the border back to Canada, to talk to Jordi Segers, the National Bat White-Nose Syndrome Program Coordinator for the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative. We are here to talk all about the risk of bat extinction from white-nose syndrome, and what Jordi and his partners are doing to prevent it! Along the way, we also talk about leopard geckos, New Guinea singing dogs, foxes, and...well...we may have a quick scientific chat about vampires. Not the bats, but the myt...
BONUS EPISODE - A Frog Named Fruit with Sammy Rae & the Friends
February 01, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 67.3 MBWelcome to the first ever Rossifari Bonus Episode! Today, the Safari heads to Brooklyn, NY, to sit down and talk with some members of Sammy Rae & the Friends, an incredible band that I have just fallen in love with. You'll hear from CBass (drums), JQ (bass), and Sammy Rae (vocals, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter) herself! Officially, the band is here to promote their new EP, Let's Throw A Party, which you should listen to and fall in love with like I did. However, the conversation goes...
055 - A Wonderer and a Wanderer with Kelly Currier of Turtle Survival Alliance
January 28, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 43 MBToday, the Safari makes it's way to South Carolina to bring you an interview with an amazing human who works at an amazing conservation organization. Kelly Currier is a turtle keeper working with some of the rarest species of turtles in the wold at the Turtle Survival Alliance. And yes, I avoid jokes like, "It's a shell of a good time" for the entire episode! TSA is an incredible organization that does so much to ensure their stated mission of "No turtle extinctions in the 21st century," ...
054 - Dirty Rotten Scoundrel with Tricia Gunther of the Bergen County Zoo
January 26, 2021 06:00 - 58 minutes - 40.4 MBToday, the Safari heads to Bergen County, NJ, to talk to Tricia Gunther. Tricia is the Animal Welfare, Enrichment, and Training Coordinator at the Bergen County Zoo, which is a relatively new position that is starting to show up in the zoo world. Tricia has a true heart for enrichment, and shares a lot of thoughts on what makes for successful animal enrichment. You'll also hear about a challenging bird, an adorable tapir, and a mountain lion who may or may not do the same thing I do for a...
053 - Crying Over Manatees with Sam Evans of The Honolulu Zoo
January 21, 2021 06:00 - 57 minutes - 39.5 MBGrab your snorkel because today, the Safari is heading to Hawaii, to talk to zookeeper Sam Evans of The Honolulu Zoo! We talk all about the perks and challenges of being a zoo on an island, and even get a bit of a lesson about snakes on Guam! We also hear all about some of the adorable animals Sam takes care of, including cheetahs and bongos! The bongo names alone are worth the listen! EPISODE LINKS: @zookeeper_samantha @thehonoluluzoo www.honoluluzoo.org SHOW LINKS: patreon.com/...
052 - The Bottom Banana and Breeding with Rob Peters of Wildlife Safari
January 19, 2021 06:00 - 49 minutes - 34.3 MBToday, the Safari heads to Winston, Oregon (which is a state that I say two different ways in the interview) to talk to Rob Peters, one of the carnivore keepers at this AZA accredited drive-through safari. Wildlife Safari has the most successful cheetah breeding program in the country, and the second most successful in the world! We talk about that program and why it is so successful, what life is like as a cheetah in Oregon, and hear some great stories about a few dogs with adorable names ...
051 - The Reverse Interview with Conservation Educator Jon Rossi of The Rossifari Podcast
January 14, 2021 06:00 - 58 minutes - 40.5 MBToday the Safari heads to Ardmore, PA, my hometown, to speak to...well...me. After fifty episodes, I've been told time and again from fans that they want to learn more about the guy who makes the podcast. So I enlisted Taylor Ballard (@zoogirltay on Instagram), the anthrozoologist, to find out more about the crazy animal known as Jon Rossi. We talk about the beginning of Rossifari, the road to the podcast, and what it's been like making it so far. We also talk a little bit about my life o...
050 - The Jackalope and the Unicorn with Jessi and Tripp Gorman of the Fort Worth Zoo
January 12, 2021 06:00 - 46 minutes - 31.8 MBThe Safari is about to travel on again, but first I'm bringing you one more interview from the Forth Worth Zoo! In this episode I talk to Tripp and Jessi Gorman, who are an elephant keeper and an outreach keeper, respectively. They are also a married couple with a young child, which led to some questions about life as a "zoo family." You'll get to hear about the amazing Elephant Springs exhibit which is opening this spring, some adorable ambassador animals, and learn a lot about a species ...
049 - Gharials Galore! with Vicky Poole of the Fort Worth Zoo
January 07, 2021 06:00 - 56 minutes - 39.2 MBToday, the Safari hangs out for another episode at the stunning Fort Worth Zoo! I bring you my interview with Vicky Poole, who is both the assistant curator of ectotherms and an amazing conservationist (and conversationalist). You'll learn all about the largest and most diverse reptile and amphibian collection in the United States, the incredible Museum of Living Art, and some really fantastic conservation efforts Vicky is involved in! SHOW LINKS: www.fortworthzoo.org - for info on the ...
048 - A Cranky Giraffe and Some Stealthy Rhinos with Neil Jones of The Fort Worth Zoo
January 05, 2021 06:00 - 57 minutes - 39.4 MBHappy New Year! Today, the Safari heads down to Fort Worth, Texas, to the zoo recently voted #1 in the nation by readers of USA Today, The Fort Worth Zoo! We are actually going to spend three full episodes at the zoo, talking to a variety of interesting people from different departments! Today is Neil Jones, a hoofstock keeper in the new African Savanna area of the zoo! You'll hear his inspiring story of becoming a zookeeper, learn about some of the incredible animals he takes care of in ...
047 - The Porcupine That Was On Who Wants To Be A Millionaire with Nate Morris of the Nashville Zoo
December 31, 2020 06:00 - 53 minutes - 36.9 MBToday, the Safari is sitting tight in Nashville, for another interview from one of the amazing staff there! Today I'm brining you an interview with Nate Morris, the contact lead keeper at the zoo! Get ready to learn all about an adorable civet, some cool porcupines (and their awesome names), and how training animals can help when leading humans! All opinions represent Nate's own, and do not represent The Nashville Zoo in any way. Check out the Nashville Zoo: @nashvillezoo on Insta www.n...
046 - Tooth Fairies and Fan Girls with Taylor Ballard of The Nashville Zoo
December 29, 2020 06:00 - 52 minutes - 36 MBToday the Safari heads back to The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere to introduce you to a person with a lot of titles. She's the Education Programs Coordinator, an Education Specialist, an Anthrozoologist, and plans on being the director of the AZA some day: Taylor Ballard. Taylor and I have a wide-ranging discussion about all kinds of stuff, talking about how people think and learn about animals, the almost mystical ability to be loved possessed by some individual animals, and so much more. Al...
046 - Tooth Fairies and Fan Girls with Taylor Ballard
December 29, 2020 06:00 - 52 minutes - 36 MBToday the Safari heads back to The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere to introduce you to a person with a lot of titles. She's the Education Programs Coordinator, an Education Specialist, an Anthrozoologist, and plans on being the director of the AZA some day: Taylor Ballard. Taylor and I have a wide-ranging discussion about all kinds of stuff, talking about how people think and learn about animals, the almost mystical ability to be loved possessed by some individual animals, and so much more. Al...
045 - The Lin-cinnati Zoo with Paul Reinhart of The Cincinnati Zoo
December 24, 2020 06:00 - 54 minutes - 37.4 MBToday, the Safari heads back to The Cincinnati Zoo to talk to Paul Reinhart while hanging out IN the red panda enclosure. Lin, Kendji, Audra, Lenore, and baby Lucas all spend the episode listening in, climbing up, and generally having a wonderful time hanging out with us as Paul talks about his long career as a keeper at The Cincinnati Zoo, his love for camels, rhinos, and red pandas, and even a little bit about how mentorship made his career and how he is now paying people back by being a ...
044 - Tocco Tuesday with Dr. Natalie Tocco, Veterinary Pathologist (ish)
December 22, 2020 06:00 - 56 minutes - 38.6 MBToday, the Safari heads up to Storrs, CT, to visit the University of Connecticut. Ok, that's not exactly a zoo or even a conservation organization, but it IS home to Dr. Natalie Tocco (pronounced like taco), a veterinarian currently on her way to becoming a board-certified pathologist. What, exactly, is that, you ask? Well, you'd better listen to find out! But basically, Nat is the animal version of a medical examiner. She looks at dead animal bits (or the whole animal) to try to figure o...
043 - The Screaming Hairy Podcast with Colleen Adams of the Cincinnati Zoo
December 17, 2020 06:00 - 47 minutes - 32.9 MBToday, the Safari heads back to the Cincinnati Zoo in order to catch up with our friend Colleen Adams. You may remember Colleen from episode 12, and if you don't, you should go listen to that episode before starting this one! Colleen is an interpretive keeper at Cincy, and starts the episode by bringing us up to speed with some of her most popular animals from the last episode, including Sal and Isla the tamanduas, and Lucille the binturong! Then we talk about more of her adorable animals ...
042 - Too Many Acronyms with Sarah Glass of The AZA SSP and Zoo Knoxville
December 15, 2020 06:00 - 49 minutes - 33.8 MBToday, the Safari heads to Zoo Knoxville to talk to a woman who is nothing short of a legend in the red panda community: Sarah Glass. Sarah is the curator of red pandas, ambassador animals, and more at Zoo Knoxville, but she is also the AZA SSP(Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan) coordinator for red pandas. Today's episode focuses on that role, as we look at the red panda SSP in order to understand how SSPs work in general. Many of you have asked, and here it is at lon...
041 - Spiky Potatoes and Why The Internet Is Weird with Lauren Lott of Kairos Creature Collective and The Nashville Zoo
December 10, 2020 06:00 - 48 minutes - 33 MBToday, the Safari heads back down to the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere to speak to recent viral video star Lauren Lott! She's the keeper you saw bouncing around in her kangaroo costume with a little joey following her and then summersaulting into a fake pouch. It's a really adorable video, but that's not why Lauren is here. We talk about the video a little, but we also get into the awesome animals Lauren takes care of, and we talk about her company, Kairos Creature Collective, which you're goi...
040 - Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My with Kristen Scaglione of the Arkon Zoo
December 08, 2020 06:00 - 51 minutes - 35.4 MBToday, the Safari heads to Akron, Ohio, to talk to Kristen Scaglione, a carnivore keeper with a real love of her grizzly bears. We talk all about them, some incredibly endangered red wolves, and the band of coyotes she takes care of at the zoo. We also touch on the new area of the zoo that is opening soon, and also on some of the amazing African animals she gets to take care of. Yup, I finally talked to a keeper who has lions, tigers, and bears. As I'm sure you can imagine, there are no b...
039 - It's Raining Cats and Dogs with Linda Castaneda of the Cincinnati Zoo
December 03, 2020 06:00 - 46 minutes - 32.2 MBToday, the Safari heads back to the Cincinnati Zoo for another exciting adventure! This time, I'm chatting with Linda Castaneda, the head of the ambassador cheetah program at the zoo! She'll run us down a list of some of the cheetahs under her care, including the famous duo Kris and Remus! You'll also learn about some really cool opportunities to hang out with cheetahs at the zoo. You'll also get a bonus story from Dani Poirier of Southwick's Zoo, a former guest, about her adorable laug...
038 - I Am The Walrus (Goo Goo G'joob) with Erika Allen of The Indianapolis Zoo
December 01, 2020 06:00 - 57 minutes - 39.7 MBHappy Walrus Awareness Week, y'all! Today, the Safari heads to The Indianapolis Zoo to speak to marine mammal keeper Erika Allen. We'll touch on some dolphins, some sea lions, and of course with Erika's history...but this episode is all about the two walrus that live in Indy! You'll hear all about (and from) Aku and Ginger, their history, their training, and the hopes for their future! Get ready to learn about one of the rarest species in captivity from an amazingly passionate and informed...
037 - Sissy Sally Sassafras with Dave Johnson of the Katie Adamson Conservation Fund
November 26, 2020 06:00 - 53 minutes - 36.6 MBToday, the Safari is headed to Denver, Colorado, to speak to an incredible zookeeper and conservationist, Dave Johnson. Dave is the Executive Director of the Katie Adamson Conservation Fund, a conservation organization that is helping to save a large variety of species all over the globe! Along with that, Dave also takes care of some amazing pachyderms in Denver! You'll get to hear the amazing inspirational story of how the Fund was started, learn what animal babies look like little water...
036 - Kora the Explorer with Christy Nuss of The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
November 24, 2020 06:00 - 57 minutes - 39.8 MBToday, the Safari takes you to one of the most famous zoos in the US, The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium! I interview Christy Nuss, a keeper in the Asia Quest section of the zoo, so you know this episode is heavily focused on the seven red pandas that currently live at Columbus. Yes, that's right...SEVEN. RED. PANDAS. And of course, one of those pandas became a star this summer as she went missing from her habitat for two days. Christy talks me through exactly what it was like for the staff at t...
035 - Freaky Friday with Terrance Fleming of Red Panda Network
November 19, 2020 06:00 - 58 minutes - 40 MBToday, the Safari is splitting it's time between Eugene, Oregon (home of the US office of the Red Panda Network) and Nepal (where the work of the RPN gets done). I'm bringing you my interview with Terrance Fleming of the Red Panda Network. RPN is easily one of the most impressive conservation organizations out there. In this episode, we talk all about what it takes to do in situ conservation in Nepal, why community-based conservation is the key to saving the firefox, and so much more. An...
034 - Unexpected Interview! with Robin Lentz of Mill Mountain Zoo
November 17, 2020 06:00 - 37 minutes - 25.5 MBToday, the Safari is headed to Roanoke, VA, to Mill Mountain Zoo! This is a small but mighty zoo built on the top of a mountain! I interview Robin Lentz, the co-director of the zoo, about ZAA accreditation, the perks and challenges of being a small zoo, some amazing conservation efforts being done at the zoo, and much more. Check out Mill Mountain Zoo: @millmountainzoo on Insta and Facebook www.mmzoo.org Check out Rossifari: patreon.com/rossifar to support the pod rossifari.com @r...
033 - Andy N Condor with Helen DiShaw of the Tracy Aviary
November 12, 2020 06:00 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MBThe Safari is headed to Salt Lake City, Utah, to visit one of the two bird-only zoos in the country, the Tracy Aviary! You'll meet Helen DiShaw, who runs the wildly popular Facebook page Andy N Condor, featuring one of the incredible ambassador birds in her collection! You'll also hear about the smallest bird with the biggest personality AND get a deep dive on the difference between an animal's character and it's behavior at any given time. Show links: www.facebook.com/andyncondor www....
032 - The "Other" Type of Panda with Danica Wolfe of Zoo Atlanta
November 10, 2020 06:00 - 56 minutes - 39 MBToday, the Safari takes you back to Zoo Atlanta, for another conversation with Danica Wolfe, a carnivore keeper on the Panda Team! You may remember Danica from Episode 4, "Remembering Idgie," where she shared all about the life and legacy of one special red panda. Well, today, she is here to tell you about the four amazing giant pandas at Zoo Atlanta! Get ready to find out which bear is her favorite, what a pseudopregnancy is, and the best way to spice up some bamboo in this incredibly fun...
031 - How Do You Say "Macaque"? with Heather Hammond Wood of the Indianapolis Zoo
November 05, 2020 06:00 - 59 minutes - 41 MBToday, the Safari heads to the Indianapolis Zoo to talk to Heather Hammond-Wood, a primate keeper there who gets to take care of some pretty cool animals that aren't found at many other AZA facilities, including long-tailed macaques. She also talks a lot about her passion for her gibbons at the zoo and shares some tales about her adorable ring-tailed lemur family! Check out the Indianapolis Zoo @indianapoliszoo on Insta! Also check out: rossifari.com @rossifari on Insta and Facebook pat...
030 - Who Let The (Working) Dogs Out? with Tessa Seals and Dr. Jennifer Essler of the PennVet Working Dog Center
November 03, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 43.3 MBToday, the Safari is chillin' out in my home area, as we visit the PennVet Working Dog Center in Philadelphia! I'm bringing you two interviews this week. The first one is with Tessa Seals, who talks about the career path training the dogs undergo at the center. The second one features a chat with Dr. Jennifer Essler, who talks about a lot of the research projects being done at the center, including a Spotted Lanternfly detection study that is incredibly important to the conservation of nativ...
029 - The Rossifari Spooky Spectacular Part 3 with Marisa Hadley of Elmwood Park Zoo
October 29, 2020 05:00 - 51 minutes - 35.2 MBIt's time for the final episode of The Rossifari Spooky Spectacular, a look at some of the most iconic Halloween animals that can be found in zoos. In this episode, I sit down with Marisa Hadley, a conservation educator at Elmwood Park Zoo who talks to me all about those incredibly large spiders known as tarantulas. Will my arachnophobia win out, or will I actually handle and interact with a tarantula? Find out by tuning in! Also, check out Elmwood Park Zoo @elmwoodparkzoo on social med...