22 - Zoo Design with Behavior in Mind with Douglas Richardson

No matter what your role is when it comes to animal care, at some point you will likely encounter a situation that will cause you to examine the space in which the animal lives. It may be a behavior problem. It may be the opportunity to redesign an enclosure. It may be changes to your animal collection. It may be that your space is not addressing your needs or goals. Or you may have the opportunity to design something completely new! What would you want to know to be successful? I had the privilege, and I do mean, privilege of speaking with Douglas Richardson, an expert in many aspects of zoo management. In this episode I picked his brain specifically about the impact of behavior on exhibit design. Needless to say, it’s pretty significant. Douglas has some powerful examples that showcase how important one’s knowledge of ethology is to the decision-making process when it comes to creating habitats that provide a variety of desired outcomes. These include providing optimal animal welfare, encouraging species typical behavior, facilitating day to day care, and supporting conservation efforts. With amazing stories about polar bears, Amur and Arabian leopards, hoof stock and more, there is so much to learn for every animal care professional from this episode.