AquatiZoo podcast

A look into the inner workings of a zoo or aquarium accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Leadership, management, and career details that might interest someone who might be looking for a change or just might be curious about their favorite animal-related facilities!

Vocalizing What You Want 05/02/2025

Vocalizing What You Want Communication is complicated. When you're trying to get people to come along with you, there should be some clarity about the end goal. Don't just tell people what you don't want, tell them what you do want! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/36409275

Emergency Response 04/25/2025

Emergency Response What do power outages, hurricanes, zombie apocalypses, floods, wars, diver injuries, guest falls, and epidemics have in common? These are things that zoos and aquariums discuss and prepare for just to be ready! (Okay, maybe zombie apocalypse isn't on the list...) /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/36287200

Respecting Everyone's Time 04/11/2025

Respecting Everyone's Time A great way to show that you value the people around you is to respect their time as valuable to them and to you. Keeping meetings running as scheculed and understanding time boundaries can be something of a relief to all. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/36090615

Collaboration for Exhibit Design 04/04/2025

Collaboration for Exhibit Design It's frustrating, it's rewarding, it's stressful, it's exciting! Exhibit design may seem simple and straightforward on the surface, but when it comes to aquariums and zoos, there are a lot of opinions to be had. Today we discuss collaboration to produce new exhibits and experiences. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/35880595

Emotion Management 03/28/2025

Emotion Management This is something that can take a long time to identify and work on for oneself. Emotion management is important to practice so that you avoid doing something that could damage your reputation or career. Today we discuss the ins and outs of keeping your cool! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/35880555

Confiscations 03/21/2025

Confiscations While it isn't the most common way for aquariums and zoos to obtain animals, it is one of the most interesting and potentially complicated. Animals that are removed by law enforcement need some care and attention. Today we discuss the complicated situation that defines confiscations. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/35670265

"The Way We've Always Done It" 03/14/2025

"The Way We've Always Done It" There's a phrase that some people use to end an argument with a coworker that can be infuriating. Today we talk about the challenges of failing to be innovative and crushing creativity. Don't be afraid to re-think! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/35669795

Competition for Jobs 03/07/2025

Competition for Jobs There are a few things that hopeful aquarists and zookeepers might like to know about their intended field and there should be some deep thought about the road ahead. These are the things that I wish I had understood when I entered the field. I hope that this episode helps the animal care professionals of tomorrow! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/35568070

Grudges 02/14/2025

Grudges They're natural, but not particularly helpful. If you've ever held a grudge or been on the receiving end of a grudge, you might know that it's generally an unpleasant experience. Today we discuss the painful truth about grudges and how to overcome them. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/35280250

Parthenogenesis 02/07/2025

Parthenogenesis While it is not a commonly discussed phenomenon for those outside the world of biology, there are some animals that can reproduce in unexpected ways. You may have seen it in the news or heard talk of it before, but today we discuss the ability that some animals have to reproduce all on their own! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/35155920

Building Trust 01/31/2025

Building Trust Trust is important, but how can we develop it with the people around us? Believe it or not, there are things that we can do to purposefully and thoughtfully with our teams, friends, and family. Today we discuss the possibilities when it comes to developing healthy, trusting relationships with others. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/35092875

Animal Encounters 01/24/2025

Animal Encounters Aquariums and zoos may have up close and personal interactions with certain animals to enhance the learning experience. How are these animals selected? What preparation goes into such an interaction? Today we discuss the interesting details surrounding animal encounters. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34965625

Resistance to Demands 01/17/2025

Resistance to Demands When you're the leader and your team seems to be resisting what you're telling them to do, it can be frustrating. Today we look at ways to examine the problem and determine how to handle those who resist doing tasks. And no, it's not an immediate HR problem! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34887945

The Side Hustle 01/10/2025

The Side Hustle Whether it's for fun or necessity, many of us take on what are known as side hustles. A little extra income for talents you already have or for learning something new can't hurt, right? Today we discuss the idea of side work especially as an aquarium or zoo professional. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34699840

Discussing Politics at Work 01/03/2025

Discussing Politics at Work We all have thoughts and opinions, obviously. Politics can be a rather polarizing topic of conversation, however, and it's always a good idea to consider many factors before delving into political discussions in the workplace. Today we explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of discussing politics in the workplace. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34699125

Security 12/20/2024

Security You may have noticed them, but have you paid much attention to the group charged with maintaining peace and order in an aquarium or zoo? Today we discuss the scope and types of issues that they deal with on a daily basis to keep things calm and fun. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34460320

Developing Self-Awareness 12/13/2024

Developing Self-Awareness Sometimes, we understand our impact and how we are perceived, but not always. Self-awareness doesn't come naturally to everyone, but there are ways to develop it over time. You are capable of taking some time to reflect, ponder, and make choices to improve your impact. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34423750

Revisiting: Animal Enrichment 12/06/2024

Revisiting: Animal Enrichment An animal in human care should have the same opportunities to thrive as their wild counterparts (minus, perhaps, the constant threat of predators...). With that in mind, keepers have to get creative in how to make life fun, interesting, and intriguing for our animal friends. How do we know what to do? What kind of thought and preparation goes into enrichment? A lot is happening that you might not have considered in what seems such a simple idea. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34310945

Revisiting: Applying and Interviewing 11/22/2024

Revisiting: Applying and Interviewing You've found a job that you want, but now what? Here are a few helpful hints to increase your chances of getting your foot in the door and landing that position. It takes a lot of preparation, but if you're really ready to move on, it's got to be worth it, right? Good luck, and happy job hunting, friends! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/34072351

Revisiting: Conservation 11/15/2024

Revisiting: Conservation One of the central principles, goals, and missions of aquariums and zoos is to conserve the natural world. This might mean individual species or entire ecosystems. How do we approach this vast challenge? What are our methods? How might guests get involved? Take some time to ponder, research, and join in! Helpful links: /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33904407

Revisiting: The Skill of Apologizing 11/08/2024

Revisiting: The Skill of Apologizing Revisiting some advice for those who might need it. Vulnerability and discomfort are a part of admitting you've made a mistake. Take it a step further and apologize. It doesn't feel so great initially, but it will eventually pay off in the end. Free your guilty mind and let's all be better humans! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33844972

Revisiting: Crisis Management 11/01/2024

Revisiting: Crisis Management Please excuse the lack of new episodes for the moment. School work is occupying much of my time these days! Please enjoy a popular older episode and I will be back with something new as soon as I can! Aquariums and Zoos have to be ready for all sorts of scenarios in order to keep the guests, animals, and staff safe. We might be surprised by things on occasion, but we try to be methodical about our response so that everything goes smoothly. Hurricanes? Fire? Animal escape? We prepare for all sorts of things... just in case. www.magicalvacationplanner.com/staff/lori-semple /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33734132

Doing a Little Extra 10/18/2024

Doing a Little Extra Did you know that aquarium and zoo professionals often volunteer to take on more work than what falls within their job description or organization? Today we discuss the pros and cons of taking on more and being generous with your time and efforts in your field. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33432632

Choosing the Right Role Models 10/11/2024

Choosing the Right Role Models When we're feeling unsure, it's tempting to draw upon past experiences for guidance, even when they weren't so effective or pleasant. Today we discuss emulating behaviors and habits of other people, and why it may or may not work for you. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33413067

The D-E-R Portion of the SPIDER Model of Enrichment 09/20/2024

The D-E-R Portion of the SPIDER Model of Enrichment It's relatively easy to envision how the first portion of the SPIDER model of enrichment works, but the second portion is just as important. Today we discuss how we know our enrichment and training ideas are working and how we carry those ideas into the future. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33131582

Workplace Politics 09/13/2024

Workplace Politics Even when we've had our fill of politics, it's important to remember that politics in the workplace can be very important to consider when it comes to one's words and actions. There can be impact even when the choice is made to avoid workplace politics. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/33031882

The S-P-I Portion of the SPIDER Model of Enrichment 09/06/2024

The S-P-I Portion of the SPIDER Model of Enrichment It's fun to be able to think creatively on behalf of the animals every now and again. If you've ever wondered how animal care professionals come up with the enrichment ideas that we do, this is a quick rundown of the first half of the process. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/32937367

Nice vs. Kind Confrontation 08/30/2024

Nice vs. Kind Confrontation It's not uncommon for people to think they're doing something good by withholding their corrections in hope that the other person will figure it out on their own. Confrontation can be intimidating, after all. Today we discuss how and why difficult discussions should be done with kindness in mind. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/32802752

Holistic Enrichment Programs 08/23/2024

Holistic Enrichment Programs Keepers are only available for a small portion of the day. We have to consider the experience of the animals all through the day, though, so let's take a closer look as to how and why we care what the animals are up to when we aren't around. /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/32673647

Middle Management 08/02/2024

Middle Management It is perhaps not everyone's dream to be a middle manager, but rest assured, being in the position between a team of individual contributors and senior leadership requires special skill and awareness. It's not for the faint of heart! /episode/index/show/aquatizoo/id/32378057

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