The Wild Enrichment Podcast

Ep. 70- The holistic approach to Gorilla Welfare with Dr. Rhiannon Schultz

Tue, 26 May 2026 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode I am joined by Dr. Rhiannon Schultz. Rhiannon is the Project Manager and Welfare Consultant at Animal Welfare Expertise, and her background is incredibly diverse—spanning wildlife rehabilitation, certified dog training, and conservation research. She has recently completed her PhD at the University of Georgia, focusing on western lowland gorilla health, nutrition, and physiology.

In this episode we span what a holistic welfare program might look like for Gorillas in human care. Enjoy!

Resources:

Ep. 69- Providing Sanctuary for Former Lab Chimps with Ali Crumpacker

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode I am joined by Ali Crumpacker, Executive Director of Project Chimps. We discuss the great work that is being done at The Project Chimps Chimpanzee Sanctuary, the unique challenges they face as well as some of the exciting plans they have for the future! Enjoy!

Resources:

Ep. 68- A Holistic Approach to Horse Training and Husbandry with Dr. Emma Lethbridge

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0500

Today on the Wild Enrichment Podcast, I’m honored to welcome Dr. Emma Lethbridge, a horse trainer, equine behaviour expert, and passionate advocate for science-based, ethical horsemanship. In this episode we discuss positive reinforcement in horse training, how to look holistically at equine husbandry to ensure optimal welfare and much more! Enjoy!

Resources:

Meller 5 domains
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7602120/
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
- https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
Emily Kieson inter species relationship theory
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40559823/
Understand horses
- https://www.understandhorses.com
Andrew Hemmings
- https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrew-Hemmings
Study on horse society and structure
- https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article-abstract/293/2063/20252468/479648/Spatial-strategies-in-non-territorial-societies?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Emma Lethbridge

Ep. 67- Welfare Challenges of Becoming a Gorilla Parent with Alan Toyne

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode I am joined by Alan Toyne, former great ape keeper at Bristol Zoo and Author of the new book- Gorillas in our Midst: A Zookeeper’s Tale of Hand-Rearing Baby Gorillas. In this conversation we discuss the challenges and experiences associated with hand rearing two baby Gorillas as well as some of the other great experiences from Alan's keeping days. Enjoy!

Resources:

Ep. 66- Building Great Teams and Great Enrichment with Team Building With BITE

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Today I am joined by Mark Kingston Jones and Chris Hales of Team Building with BITE. The discussion covered the impact of their team-building activities on corporate participants, the expansion of their business into enclosure design and construction ("bite builds"), and the importance of prototyping and risk-taking in creating enrichment devices. Key talking points also included the value of external collaboration and communication for keepers, the challenges of team dynamics within the zoo industry, and the company's future goals.

Resources:

Ep. 65- How to take care to give care with Sabrina Brando

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I am joined by Sabrina Brando. Sabrina the director of Animal Concepts and is a world renowned consultant and animal care professional who helps organizations all over the world with all things wellbeing- human and animal. In this wide ranging conversation we talk about how Sabrina got into the industry, common themes and approaches to helping animal care organizations work together more effectively as well as how you can show up to work and lead up the chain of command. Enjoy!

References:

https://www.animalconcepts.eu/ https://www.animalconcepts.eu/resources https://www.animalconcepts.eu/247-approach-to-animal-wellbeing https://www.animalconcepts.eu/wildaboutselfcare https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinabrando/ https://www.skool.com/animalconceptsinterbeing/about https://www.animalconcepts.eu/human-wellbeing https://www.animalconcepts.eu/caringtogetherinwildanimalwellbeingandconservation

Ep. 64- Understanding Stereotypic Behaviour in Zoo Animals with Dr. Marion Desmarchelier

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Dr. Marion Desmarchelier, a veterinarian with a rare blend of expertise in both zoological medicine and animal behavior. After graduating from the Veterinary School of Lyon, Marion pursued advanced training and board certifications in zoological medicine and later in veterinary behavior, making her one of the few professionals dually certified in these fields. She’s worked across Canada and France in clinical, academic, and research roles and currently teaches at the Université de Montréal. Today, we’re exploring her work on stereotypic behaviours in zoo animals—what they are, why they happen, and how science-based approaches can help improve welfare. Enjoy!

Resources:

Ep. 63- Promoting Continuous Improvement and Lifelong Learning with Sharon Joseph

Tue, 13 May 2025 06:00:00 -0400

My guest today is Sharon Joseph. In this episode we talk about Sharons impressive career working at zoos across the United States from Zoo keeper to Vice President. We also discuss structuring animal welfare programs for institutions large and small. Enjoy!

Resources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-joseph-300b32164/
sjoseph@birminghamzoo.com

Ep. 62- Advancing Animal Care and Conservation with Education and Technology with Daniel O'loughlin and Arun Benty

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode I am joined by Daniel O'loughlin and Arun Benty of the Life Sciences Education Trust. We discuss a wide range of topics from animal care staff training to using AI to advance animal welfare practices. Enjoy!

Resources:

Ep. 61- Using Playful Technology to Improve Animal Welfare with Dr. Fiona French

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Fiona French, to discuss "Playful" technology and how it can be used to benefit animal welfare. We discuss several ways animal care staff can use technology in their animal welfare programs as well as several real world examples of how Fiona has used technology to enrich the lives of animals. Enjoy!

Resources:

Ep. 60- Ecologically Relevant Husbandry and Exhibit Design with Dr. Paul Rose

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode I am joined by Dr. Paul Rose. In this wide ranging conversation, we discuss topics such as ecologically relevant husbandry, exhibit design as well as some of Paul's research in the field of animal welfare. Enjoy!

Resources:

Ep. 59- The Importance of Zoo Based Research and Science Communication with Dr. Ricardo Lemos de Figueiredo

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Ricardo Lemos de Figueiredo of The Zoo Scientist. In this wide-ranging conversation, Ricardo and I talk about the importance of zoos in conservation, communicating science and using data from wild animals to help us make welfare decisions for animals in human care.

Resources:

Ep. 58- The Importance of Cognitive Enrichment with Dr. Kelly Jaakkola

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Kelly Jaakkola, Director of Research at the Dolphin Research Centre in Florida. In this wide-ranging discussion, we discuss animal cognition as well as why cognitive enrichment is so important and how it can be evaluated and implemented with a variety of animals.

Resources:

Ep. 57- Trainer Talks and Tails with Daisy Barrett & Tess McKelliget

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 13:27:00 -0400

In this episode I am joined by Daisy Barrett & Tess McKelliget who are the cohosts of the podcast "Trainer talks and tails", a podcast focusing on training, animal welfare and conservation science. We have a wide ranging conversation around how Tess and Daisy started their podcast, the future of training in the industry and much much more!

Resources:

Ep. 56- Creating effective Cooperative and Cognitive Enrichment with Dr. Eszter Matrai

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I am joined by DR. Eszter Matrai, who is a senior research fellow at Ocean Park, Hong Kong. Dr. Matrai runs a lab at Ocean Park currently working with multiple marine and terrestrial species, focusing on activity monitoring, behavioural pattern analysis and the use of cognitive enrichments. In this episode, we talked about assessing, creating and implementing cognitive and cooperative enrichment and much more! Enjoy!

Resources:

Ep. 55- Strategies for happiness and resiliency in the animal care industry with Kelsey Worth

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I am joined by Kelsey Worth, an experienced zookeeper, leader and a great person to chat with! The main topic of discussion is emotional longevity in the animal care industry, with a focus on how to be happy long-term and become resilient for a long and successful career. I hope you enjoy!

Ep. 54- Creating Effective Welfare Assessments and Demystifying Statistics with Dr. Kylen Gartland

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Kylen Gartland who is the Manager of Applied Animal Welfare Science at the Centre for Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare and Ethics located at the Detroit Zoological Society. In this wide ranging conversation, we touched on creating effective systems to assess animal welfare, demystifying statistics and much more!

Resources and links:

Ep. 53- Relationship Building and Changing the Lives of Animals with +R, with Shane Gorbett

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I am joined by Shane Gorbett, who sits on the board of directors of The ABMA and runs their podcast, Animal Behaviour Conversations: The Podcast of The ABMA. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about the importance of building relationships with the animals you work with and the power of positive reinforcement to change an animals life.

Check out Animal Behaviour Conversations: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cARqU5pklJUooKVlOHyNq?si=fd2e71ffc7704ef0

Resources:

Ep. 52- Bringing people together to improve animal welfare with Elliot Carr of Animals For Asia Coalition

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode I am joined by Elliot Carr, Sanctuaries and Rescue Centres Coalition Lead Coordinator at Asia For Animals Coalition. We talk about animal welfare issues across Asia and the World as well as some of the great companies on the front line of these issues. Enjoy!

Ep.51- The future of habitats and the interface between welfare and conservation with Dr. Jake Veasey

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Jake Veasey, Director of Care for the Rare. In this wide-ranging conversation we talk about his company, Care for the Rare, the future of habitats for animals in human care, the interface between animal welfare and conservation as well as some insight into the future of welfare assessments. Enjoy!

Resources:

Website www.carefortherare.com
Personal LinkedIn page https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakeveasey/
Company LinkedIn page www.linkedin.com/company/carefortherare
Welfare audit paper https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/zoo.21677
Peak welfare paper https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/zoo.21390
Tiger AWPIS findings https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/9/1536

Ep. 50- Fighting the Billion Dollar Greyhound Racing Industry with Christine Dorchak and Carey Theil

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I am joined by Christine Dorchak and Carey Theil, co-authors of Brooklyn Goes Home: The Rise and Fall of American Greyhound Racing and the Dog that Inspired a Movement, are the founders of the small non-profit organization GREY2K USA, where they led a coalition of ordinary dog lovers in fighting a multi-billion dollar gambling industry — and won. We talk about their new book, The Greyhound Racing Industry and how their formula for success can be used to create legislation to improve animal welfare across the globe.

Resources:

Ep. 49- Welfare impacts of the bear bile industry with Sarah Van Herpt

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I sit down with Sarah Van Herpt, Senior Bear Team Manager at Animals Asia. Animals Asia is a company dedicated to ending bear bile farming and improving the welfare of animals across Asia. To accomplish this goal, Animals Asia has several bear sanctuaries for moon bears and sun bears they rehabilitate them from the horrors of the bear bile industry. In this conversation, Sarah and I talk about how they go about rehabilitating these bears, the unique challenges they face as well as how you can contribute to Animals Asia and their fight against this industry.

Resources:

Ep. 48- Shaping behaviour for the future of animal welfare with Nicky Plaskitt

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I am joined by Nicky Plaskitt, an expert animal trainer and owner of Shaping Behaviour training consultancy. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about how Nicky started in the industry, using positive reinforcement to train raptors and what makes a training program successful.

Resources:

Ep. 47- A Lifetime of Zookeeping and the Future of Elephant Welfare with Gerry Creighton

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I am joined by Gerry Creighton. Gerry is a second-generation zookeeper and former operations manager of the Dublin Zoo. Gerry now runs his own consultancy, Global Elephant Care Inc. and just released his new book "Raised by the Zoo: My Life with Elephants and Other Animals", a memoir of his experiences in over 30 years of working in zoos.

Check out his book here:

Follow Gerry on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerry-creighton-b84a9745/?originalSubdomain=ie

Ep. 46- Geriatric Animal Welfare and Physiotherapy with Matthew Shackleton

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I sit down with Matthew Shackleton, a veterinary physiotherapist and former zookeeper. Matthew works with a wide variety of animals, exotic and domestic. In this conversation, we talk about Matthews's approach to physiotherapy in zoos, training and enrichment as therapy tools and how to support geriatric animals as they age.

Resources:

Ep. 45- The ”product” oriented zoo - A goal based framework for thinking and problem solving

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 06:00:00 -0400

"In the absence of clearly-defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it." Robert Heinlein.

Zookeepers are faced with many challenges these days, being short-staffed, underpaid, and burnt out, and on top of all that, they have to stay on top of an extremely rapidly advancing industry. Being "Product Oriented" is aimed at helping with this by giving animal care teams clear priorities and ensuring the daily tasks of managing an animal care section do not stop you from creating and accomplishing goals.

Ep. 44- Animal Psychology and Perception with Dr. Jenna Congdon

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Jenna Congdon. Dr. Congdon is a Psychologist, specializing in comparative cognition and behaviour in animals. Her research spans many topics, from, songbird communication to training artificial intelligence to analyze Orangutan behaviour. During this conversation, we explore the exciting ways animals perceive the world, the power of artificial intelligence, how we can better understand animal behaviour and much more.

Resources:

Ep. 43- Cooperative Care for Humans and Animals with Peter Giljam

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I am joined by Peter Giljam, founder and head trainer at Zoospensfull. Peter has spent many years as an animal trainer, influencer, educator and consultant and brings his expertise to this wide-ranging conversation. We talk about the most important things to consider in a training program, cooperative care and the future of positive reinforcement training. We also discuss dealing with burnout and compassion fatigue in the industry.

Ep. 42- Conducting Welfare Research and Building Resilient Animals with Ezekiel Gading

Tue, 23 May 2023 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we sit down with Ezekiel Gading, a master's student and animal welfare researcher. We talk about Ezekiel's fascinating research on Orangutans, building resilience in the animals you work with and how animals are perceiving their environment.

Resources we covered:

Ep. 41- Creating effective teams and tips for being a great leader with Tim Husband

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 07:05:57 -0400

In this episode, I am joined by Tim Husband, a former zoo director with over 40 years in the animal care industry. Tim brings the perspective of having worked at all levels of animal care facilities to this wide-ranging conversation.

Tim currently owns a consulting company ZooWorks, where he and his team perform audits of animal care facilities to determine strategic goals for the facility as it relates to leadership and operations.

You can find Tim on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-husband-26413b22/

Ep. 40- Collaborating for Better Human and Animal Wellbeing with Alice Vassalo

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I sit down with Alice Vassalo, Director of the Keeper Educational Exchange Programme and host of Asshole Animals With Alice. We chat about the importance of collaboration on animal welfare and learning as well as some of the animals that we still loved working with despite them being jerks.

Resources:

Ep. 39- Animal Cognition, AI and it’s Welfare Impacts with Nick and Emily of WildThink

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Nick Naitove & Emily Cain-Bernhart of WildThink are back! We chat about the enrichment vending machine, animal cognition, our sensory biases and the future of animal welfare with things like AI. Check it out!

Resources:

Ep 38- Leading in Animal Care and Becoming Great Educator with Grant Kother

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I sit down with Grant Kother, Senior Consultant at Zoospensfull. Grant brings his expertise in leading animal care teams, enrichment and training as well as extensive experience as an animal educator. Please enjoy this wide-ranging conversation!

Resources

Sabrina Brando 24/7 care
- https://animalconcepts.mykajabi.com/247approachtopromotingoptimalwelfareforcaptivewildanimals
https://zoospensefull.com/

Ep. 37- Animal Behaviour Matters with Jade Fountain

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we chat with Jade Fountain, owner of Animal Behaviour Matters. Animal behaviour matters is a behaviour consultancy that works with people and animals worldwide to teach the fundamentals of applied behavioural science and behaviour change via positive reinforcement training. In this conversation, we go over what makes a great animal trainer, decision-making in behavioural husbandry, and some of the fundamental principles of Animal Behaviour Matters.

Resources

Ep 36- Positive reinforcement training in canines with Dr Valli Fraser-Celin

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode I am joined by Dr Valli Fraser-Celin, an expert on human- canine relationships and positive reinforcement training advocate. In this wide ranging conversation we talk about Valli's doctoral research on human-canine conflict and relationships in Africa, how this informed her advocacy around R+ in canines and some common myths around dog behaviour.

Resources:

https://www.instagram.com/thelivesofwilddogs/?hl=en
https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=F-yUFmgAAAAJ&hl=en
The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs—A review
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787817300357

Ep. 35- Enhancing the Welfare of Laboratory Animals with Kristina Bartley

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we sit down with Kristina Bartley, Founder and President of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Enrichment. We chat about the unique challenges with the enrichment and welfare of lab animals as well as some of the parallels between the research field and the zoo field.

Some resources we talked about:

Ep. 34- Enriching animals in a rehabilitation setting with Baye Pigors

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode we sit down with Bale Pigors to talk about Free to be Wild Sanctuary, the primate sanctuary she started in Zimbabwe. We talk about the steps involved in rehabilitating an animal for release as well as the unique enrichment and animal welfare challenges that come with rehabilitation.

Ep. 33- Animal Welfare Expertise with Dr. Isabella Clegg

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Isabella Clegg, Director of Animal Welfare Expertise. We discuss a wide range of topics relating to animal welfare and enrichment including bridging the gap between research and practical application of animal welfare concepts, common challenges, the importance of team work, and much more!

Resources discussed:

Ep. 32- Measuring Demeanour, A Qualitative Tool to Assess Animal Welfare

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 14:27:22 -0500

In this episode, we chat about measuring the demeanour of the animals you work with and how it can be used to improve animal welfare.

Resources/ Further reading:

Andreasen, S. N., Wemelsfelder, F., Sandøe, P., & Forkman, B. (2013). The correlation of Qualitative Behavior Assessments with Welfare Quality® protocol outcomes in on-farm welfare assessment of dairy cattle. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 143(1), 9–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2012.11.013
Brydges, N. M., Leach, M., Nicol, K., Wright, R., & Bateson, M. (2011). Environmental enrichment induces optimistic cognitive bias in rats. Animal Behaviour, 81(1), 169–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2010.09.030
Walker, J., Dale, A., Waran, N., Clarke, N., Farnworth, M., & Wemelsfelder, F. (2010). The assessment of emotional expression in dogs using a Free Choice Profiling methodology. Animal Welfare (South Mimms, England), 19, 74–84.
Wemelsfelder, F. (n.d.). How Animals Communicate Quality of Life: The Qualitative Assessment of Behaviour. 12.
Wemelsfelder, F., Hunter, A. E., Paul, E. S., & Lawrence, A. B. (2012). Assessing pig body language: Agreement and consistency between pig farmers, veterinarians, and animal activists1. Journal of Animal Science, 90(10), 3652–3665. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2011-4691

Ep. 31- The Bear Care Group and the Future of Animal Welfare with Jay Pratte

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 06:45:31 -0500

In this episode, we sit down with Jay Pratte, President of the Bear Care Group and Director of the Miller Park Zoo. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about the origins of the Bear Care Group, AZA's Well-being shift and the future of animal welfare science.

Resources we discussed:

https://www.bearcaregroup.org/
Maher, Chloe J., Angela Gibson, Laura M. Dixon, and Heather Bacon. 2021. "Developing a Reliable Welfare Assessment Tool for Captive Hibernatory Bear Species" Animals 11, no. 11: 3090. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11113090
https://greystonebooks.com/collections/else-poulsen
https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2332/aza_animal-welfare-strategy.pdf
https://www.eaza.net/
https://www.waza.org/

Ep. 30- How to become a zookeeper pt. 3 with Marc Brandson

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our third and final part in the "How to become a zookeeper" series. In. this episode we sit down with Marc Brandson, curator, hiring manager and safety guru to chat about networking, resumes, interview tactics and insider tips for you to become a zookeeper!

Links we talked about:

Ep. 29- The AZA shift to wellbeing and what it means for you

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we talk about AZA's new document "A Strategic Framework for the Wellbeing of Animals". We go over the position statement on the shift to wellbeing, the 5 priorities in the document as well as what this shift means for you in the day-to-day husbandry of animals.

Here is a link to the framework: https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2332/aza_animal-welfare-strategy.pdf

Ep. 28- How to become a zookeeper part 2 with Denise Soufflant

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Part 2 of our interviews with hiring managers! We are joined by Denise Soufflant to chat about how to become a zookeeper!

Ep.27- How to become a Zookeeper with Kelsey Worth

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I am joined by Kelsey Worth, hiring manager, animal trainer and a keeper who has worked all over the world. We take you through the journey of becoming a zookeeper, from networking, resume dos and don'ts interview tips and tricks and finally, how to get a full-time job when you get your foot in the door! Check it out and have your hiring questions answered!

Ep. 26- The ins and outs of animal welfare management with Demi Booth

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we are joined by Demi Booth, an Animal Welfare Specialist. We chat about the ins and outs of what it's like to run an animal welfare/ behavioural husbandry program at a large institution as well as some of the fascinating work Demi has been a part of.

Check out Demi's work at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demibooth/.

Links to resources we talked about

Ep. 25- Sarah Bonser-Blake of Wild Welfare

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Bonser-Blake, Animal Welfare Feild Manager at Wild Welfare. We talk about animal welfare assessments, some of the great work Wild Welfare is doing and the free Wild About Welfare: Digital Education Programme and much more!

Check out Wild Welfare at:

Ep. 24- Amanda Gobel of Enriching Equines

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 06:53:58 -0400

In this episode, we are joined by Amanda Gobel of Enriching Equines to talk about all things horse welfare and enrichment.

Check out Enriching Equines at:

Ep. 23- Dealing with Burnout in the Animal Care Industry

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 14:51:12 -0400

Good employee welfare = Good animal welfare! In this episode, we go over some useful tips and tricks to avoid burnout and learn to soar in the animal care industry. Check out my article on this topic as well: https://wildenrichment.com/articles/learn-to-soar-dealing-with-burnout-in-the-animal-care-industry/

Ep. 22- Are you leaving welfare ”on the table”?

Tue, 31 May 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Animal welfare is a continuously evolving science and proactively keeping on top of the welfare needs of every animal in a collection is a tremendous undertaking, but looking critically at the people and processes around you as well as your own skillset is a great place to start, find out more on today's podcast!

Link to full article: https://wildenrichment.com/articles/are-you-leaving-welfare-on-the-table/

Ep. 21- Lets Talk about Reptile Enrichment

Fri, 06 May 2022 12:52:07 -0400

In this short episode, I talk about my thoughts on reptile enrichment and where I think everyone should start when they are looking to make a reptile's life more enriching and increase their welfare.

Ep. 20- Sarah Feliciano and Matthew Owens of Zoo Enrichment Lab

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 06:00:00 -0500

Today we are sitting down with the incredibly talented Sarah Feliciano and Matthew Owens to chat about their company, Zoo Enrichment Lab.

Check them out on:

Their website: https://zooenrichmentlab.com

Their shop: https://zooenrichmentlab.com/store

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zooenrichmentlab/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zooenrichmentlab/

Ep. 19- Emily Cain and Nick Naitove of WildThink

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 08:15:43 -0500

In this episode I sit down with Emily Cain and Nick Naitove of WildThink and we chat about their company, the enrichment vending machine as well as some important topics surrounding enrichment.

Check them out at:

https://www.wildthink.org

https://www.instagram.com/wildthinkenrichment/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/wildthinkenrichment/

Ep. 18- A Guide to Domestic Horse Enrichment

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 09:57:29 -0500

This podcast is one that has been in the works for a while now! I’ve spent a lot of time creating enrichment plans and behavioural husbandry programs for a variety of exotic animals, and many of the key concepts and ideas transfer over to the domestic animal world. So let’s take a deep dive into what a behavioural husbandry program for a domestic horse might look like and how it will not only benefit your beloved horse, but also allow you to have fun doing it!

Check out my article: https://wildenrichment.com/articles/a-guide-to-domestic-horse-enrichment/

Ep. 17- How to establish a baseline for an enrichment program

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode Ben and I sit down to talk about how to go about setting a baseline for an enrichment program and what that even means. We also answer some audience questions about what to do with an animal that just wont interact with enrichment! Enjoy!

Ep. 16- Getting your team on board with an enrichment program

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode we are once again joined by Ben! We talk about how you can go about getting your team on board with an enrichment program and what to do when a team member won't budge. We also talk about how important it is to get everyone on your team on the same page when it comes to enrichment evaluation and overall interpretation of animal behaviour. Enjoy!

Ep. 15- Behavioural Husbandry for the Individual

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 09:07:38 -0400

An important concept to always keep in the back of your mind with behavioural husbandry, is the fact that you are trying to enrich the lives of the individual animals under your care and not the entire species. What I mean by that is, when you are designing an enrichment program, you need to design the program to benefit the individual animal or group of individuals that you are caring for, many of these individuals will have special needs, tendencies and behaviours that could stray from what we envision the “ideal” needs, tendencies and behaviours should be, based on what we know about these animals in the wild.

Ep. 14- Thinking Critically and Making Decisions in Animal Care

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 07:39:18 -0400

I think that the ability to think critically and make “good” decisions is one of the most important skills in animal care. Luckily It’s a skill that can be learned and improved upon with some practice. Here’s a podcast on how to do just that, check it out!

Based on the article "How to Think Critically and Make Better Decisions in Animal Care"

https://wildenrichment.com/articles/how-to-think-critically-and-make-better-decisions-in-animal-care

Ep. 13- Dealing with pandemic burnout, Enrichment data and how to use it.

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 10:44:19 -0400

In this podcast we are once again joined by Ben Martin. We start by talking about the various effects the pandemic has had on the animal care industry as a whole as well as how to deal with professional burnout from the pandemic. We also Answer some questions from our audience including data surrounding enrichment and how to use it.

Ep. 12- Natural vs Non-Natural Enrichment Items, Enrichment Challenge Survey Results

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 11:39:48 -0500

In todays episode we once again sit down with Ben Martin to chat enrichment. We go over the results of the Enrichment Challenge survey and what those results mean for the industry. We also talk about how to save time with enrichment and the debate between natural and non-natural enrichment items.

Ep.11- Talking With Chris Isbarn from Widukind Enrichments

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 08:29:41 -0500

To check out Widukind Enrichments work, check out the links below!

https://www.widukind-enrichments.de

https://www.instagram.com/widukindenrichments/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/widukindenrichments/

Ep. 10- Getting Community Involvement in your Enrichment Program

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 15:38:35 -0500

Times are tough for zoos all around the world right now and these tough times often negatively effect enrichment programs. Getting community involvement in an enrichment program is a great way to still have a great program during these tough times!

Ep. 9- Using Browse in an Enrichment Program Ft. Ben Martin

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 08:34:05 -0500

In this podcast I sit down with Ben Martin and we talk about how browse can be used as a tool in an enrichment program and how it can help bridge the gap between environmental enrichment and nutrition. We also talk about the many ways browse can be enriching for a variety of animals as well as how to go about starting your own browse program.

Ep.8- Foraging time in Zoos and Aquariums

Sun, 04 Oct 2020 13:40:05 -0400

In this episode we will be talking about the importance of monitoring foraging time in the animals under you care and how it can be improved to mimic their natural environment. Read the original article here: https://wildenrichment.com/articles/foraging-time-in-zoos-and-aquariums/

Ep. 7- How to come up with new enrichment ideas

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 16:38:51 -0400

In this episode we will be discussing the most effective method to come up with novel enrichment ideas. Check out the article with all the links discussed in the show: https://wildenrichment.com/articles/how-to-come-up-with-and-implement-novel-enrichment-ideas/

Check out the resources page for the enrichment road map!

Ep 6- Training as an enrichment tool

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 18:19:49 -0400

In this episode we will be talking about how training can be used effectively as an enrichment tool.

Check out the full article here: https://wildenrichment.com/articles/using-training-as-an-enrichment-tool/

Ep. 5- A Modern Guide to Environmental Enrichment in Zoos and Aquariums

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 12:26:23 -0400

In todays podcast we are going to b going over what I view as a guide to what a Modern Enrichment program should look like. Read more here: https://wildenrichment.com/articles/a-modern-guide-to-environmental-enrichment-in-zoos-and-aquariums/

Ep. 4- Talking Zookreepers with Caitlin Gordon-Hall

Tue, 05 May 2020 19:48:30 -0400

Today we sit down and interview Caitlin Gordon-Hall the founder of the popular Facebook group Zookreepers. Check out Zookreepers here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/zookreepers/

Ep. 3 Contrafreeloading in Zoos and Aquariums

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 15:25:38 -0400

Today we will be exploring the concept of contrafreeloading and how it relates to behavioural husbandry programs in Zoos and Aquariums. Check out the full article here: https://wildenrichment.com/articles/contrafreeloading-in-zoos-and-aquariums/

Ep. 2- What is animal enrichment?

Sun, 22 Mar 2020 09:51:40 -0400

In this podcast we will answer the question, what is animal enrichment? We will go over the types of enrichment applied in a zoo and aquarium setting as well as how these various forms of enrichment can be used effectively. https://wildenrichment.com/articles/what-is-animal-enrichment/

Ep. 1- The Benefits of Zoos and Aquariums

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 14:00:18 -0500

https://wildenrichment.com/articles/the-benefits-of-zoos-and-aquariums/

For today's episode, we will be focusing on the Benefits of Zoos and Aquariums based off an article I wrote last year on the subject.

Ep. 0- Introduction

Sat, 08 Feb 2020 15:53:06 -0500

A basic overview of the channel and what you can come to expect from The Wild Enrichment Podcast. Check out https://wildenrichment.com for more and follow me on Instagram and Facebook @wildenrichment.