Zoo-notable
Episodes
Dave Johnson with Katie Adamson Conservation Fund-- The Return
27 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dave Johnson is a retired-zookeeper-turned-conservation-hero. His conservation organization Katie Adamson Conservation Fund helps support conservation...
Zoo Lovers Day- Sailing with Noah by Jeffery Bonner
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For Zoo Lovers Day, I delve into a special memoir from St. Louis Zoo's CEO and President, Jeffery Bonner, PhD. I loved the stories Jeff shares abo...
You're Not Listening by Kate Murphy Part 2
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Want to improve your communication skills, make a stronger impact on the lives of the people around you, and develop empathy and understanding of othe...
You're Not Listening by Kate Murphy (Part 1)
30 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Want to improve your communication skills, make a stronger impact on the lives of the people around you, and develop empathy and understanding of othe...
International Women's Day with Sabrina Brando of Animal Concepts
08 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who else could I possibly bring on for International Women's Day than Sabrina Brando? Sabrina is the founder of Animal Concepts, an international ...
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this remarkable story, we get all the warm fuzzy feelings about friendship, kindness, and finding home. A short and sweet episode for a short and s...
Steve and Me by Terri Irwin
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Irwin was an inspirational figure to thousands of zookeepers and conservationists. But in Steve and Me, we get a rare and insightful look at the...
Leadership and Self-Deception
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our first required reading for the leadership development course I'm taking is a doozie-- Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute....
Sequels and More with Miranda Levi (author of The Fountain of Youth series)
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For 2/2, I thought it'd be fun to catch up with my favorite, VERY prolific author, Miranda Levi, to check in with her new(ish) book The Sea Withdr...
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
02 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do you get when you "Care Personally" and still "Challenge Directly"? You get Radical Candor, the most effective way to inter...
Penguin Awareness Day with Katie Propp (Penguin International)
20 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
January 20 is Penguin Awareness Day, so I sat down with Katie Propp of Penguin International to discuss all things penguins. We discuss the charisma o...
Honoring Karen Pryor- On Behavior
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Karen Pryor was a pioneer in modern positive reinforcement animal training practices. She was a mentor to thousands of trainers, whether they met her ...
National Bird Day- H is For Hawk by Helen MacDonald
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Macdonald’s father passed away, she was devastated. An experienced falconer she’d never before been tempted to train a goshawk. But in her gr...
Hoppy New Year! Bounce by Matthew Syed
01 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do Mozart, Picasso, Tiger Woods, and the Williams sisters all have in common? That they are all considered masters of their field. They have all ...
The Healthy Writer (celebrating NaNoWriMo) by Joanna Penn
24 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's one of my favorite times of year, National Novel Writing Month (also called NaNoWriMo), and to celebrate and honor all my writing friends, I thou...
The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I was very hopeful that we would be electing our first woman President this election, and I was excited it would be Kamala Harris. I read her memoir f...
Zoo Mysteries (Zoo-Dunnit) with Ann Littlewood
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I got the chance to sit down and chat with Ann Littlewood, one of my favorite authors, who got me interested in mysteries. She wrote Night Kill, Did N...
Wolf Awareness Week- Shadow Mountain by Wolf Fund Founder Renée Askins
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"After forming an intense bond with Natasha, a wolf cub she raised as part of her undergraduate research, Renée Askins was inspired to found the Wolf...
Mindset by Carol Dweck
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"Mindsets are just beliefs. They’re powerful beliefs, but they’re just something in your mind, and you can change your mind.” - Carol Dweck...
It's Not Just Who You Know by Tommy Spaulding
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do winning friends help us influence our well-being and our career? Well, by taking our relationships to the penthouse, we can foster connections ...
To Save a Starfish-- Mental Health Awareness Month Special
19 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To Save a Starfish is a wonderful workbook by Jennifer Blough to help animal care professionals identify compassion fatigue in their lives, discover t...
Stress Less Accomplish More by Emily Fletcher
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I'm kicking off Mental Health Awareness Month with my #1 recommended book and resource for strengthening our brains and relieving stress-- Stress ...
How Bad Are Bananas- Earth Month Special
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're closing out Earth Month and celebrating Earth Day with a special book on how we can reduce our carbon footprint: How Bad Are Bananas by Mike...
Earth Month Special: Stark Beauty of Last Things (Cli-Fi) with author Celine Keating
15 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As overdevelopment and sea level rise threaten the town of Montauk, an unexpected legacy grants the fate of its last undeveloped parcel to Clancy Fred...
Last Chance to See- Special Earth Month Zoo-notable
08 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when science-fiction humor author Douglas Adams takes biologist Mark Carwardine on adventures all over the world to experience some of th...
Note to Self- Special Interview with Author Laurie Buchanan
31 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're closing out Women's "Empowerment" Month with a banger-- an interview with author, life coach, and wonderful mentor Laurie Buch...
What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage
17 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's a Flashback day on Zoo-notable as I discuss a book from 2008, What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage by Amy Sutherland. An oldie...
Atlas of the Heart Part 2
09 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown is such an incredible book, I couldn't contain it to one single episode. So, here's part 2 of ways we can c...
Brené Brown- Atlas of the Heart- Celebrating Women in March
03 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brené Brown is one of my heroes, bordering on idol for me. And this book took my breath away. I'll definitely return to it time after time to hel...
Party for Polar Bears: Special Tell Me a Story with Cindy Roberts
24 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cindy is a special heroine of mine, getting involved with Polar Bears International and AAZK's Trees for You and Me program to help the furry love...
Animal Allies
19 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Animal Allies- 15 Amazing Women in Wildlife Research is perfect for younger audiences and inspiring them to go for their dreams. Whether studying ants...
Year of the Dragon Special: How to Train Your Dragon
10 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Lunar New Year to everyone, and welcome to the Year of the Dragon. I can't wait to share today's book, How to Train Your Dragon by Hiccu...
Dear White People
05 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Let's get (un)comfortable discussing racism in this very special discussion on the book Dear White Women by Sara Blanchard and Misasha Suzuki Grah...
Killing Imaginary Friends- A Special Interview with Ardelle Holden
27 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, I welcome Ardelle Holden, 4-time published author of mysteries (one of my favorite genres to read to just kick back and get away from it all). ...
When Elephants Weep-- The Emotional Lives of Animals
21 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week's book is one of those unique books that while I found some decent Big Ideas, I mostly felt it was the type of book that I read so you d...
Miracle Morning for Writers (and everyone else)
13 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How can being a better writer help us be better zookeepers, better conservationists, or just improve our quality of life, help us accomplish our goals...
Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod- Season 4 Premiere
06 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For Season 4 premiere, I'm revisiting Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod (listen to the very first Zoo-notable I ever did, see how much I've changed...
World Coati Day- Zoo-notable Special Interview with Colby Franz
03 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
December 3 is World Coati Day. So I sat down with Colby Franz of World Coati Day to discuss this incredible animal! We need coatis and coatis need us....
Zoo-Notable Moments (Look back at 2023)
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In my season finale, I share with you all my favorite books from 2023. I read more than 60 books this year, and shared ideas from 30 of them over the ...
Special Interview with Gerry Creighton, Elephant expert and author of "Raised by the Zoo"
20 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It was such an immense pleasure to sit down with one of my animal care heroes, Gerry Creighton, the former operations manager at Dublin Zoo and curren...
Orangutan Caring Week Special Episode: Telling My Story and Love the Orangutan by Stefan Casta
13 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week is Orangutan Caring Week (celebrate Orange is for Orangutans on the Wednesday of OCW, which is November 15th). I read a cute little book cal...
Everyone Has What It Takes with author Bill Kenower
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"As hard as the craft of writing is, the greatest challenges writers face are often within ourselves. Comparison, self-doubt, isolation, and othe...
Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy (S3E38)
29 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You ever find yourself procrastinating? Well then, my friend, it's time to Eat That Frog!! Brian Tracy gives us 21 good reasons to figure out the ...
Grit to Great by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval
23 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As we approach Halloween, I thought the topic of grit might be appropriate, and how we can gain a little more resilience, tenacity, and initiative in ...
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you reduce the gap between the life you live now and the life you want? How can choosing our response be our one truest freedom that no one on ...
Telling Amazing Stories with Miranda Levi- author of Mo(ther) Na(ture)
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I love it when I get to catch up with amazing friends while also discussing their amazing stories. Miranda Levi is a prolific author with three novels...
Training Thor- V-Spins and Targets (Telling My Story)
01 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is the most important behavior to teach an animal? For me, when working with dolphins, it was the "target". Teach an animal to touch a ...
Tell Me a Story with Shannon McKinney of GRAZE
17 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
GRAZE (Growing Resiliency in Aquarium and Zoo Employees) is an amazing organization dedicated to helping animal care professionals maintain their ment...
Reconfigured with author Barbara Wolf Terao
11 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I love chatting with my published author friends, but this was an especially wonderful treat, sitting down with author Barbara Wolf Terao to discuss h...
Wisdom from the Wild by Julie C. Henry
04 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate National Wildlife Day on September 4, I pulled out this fun book about leadership, titled Wisdom from the Wild: Nine Unbreakable Laws of ...
Asian Elephant Awareness Month-- Bamboo's Orange and Palm Oil
27 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this special Telling My Story episode of Zoo-notable, I share the origins of ZooFit, and sharing this program with others. Palm oil has become a &q...
Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain
21 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you find meditation, mindfulness, affirmations, and visualization to be a little too “woo-woo” for your taste? I honestly thought the same unt...
Interview with Dallas Woodburn of Thriving Authors (Zoo-notable S3E28)
13 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dallas Woodburn is a successful author and "book doula" who helps authors reach into themselves to write their stories. She's a coach wi...
A Peacock in the Land of Penguins
07 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you courageously stay true to yourself in a new place where there are new expectations, new challenges, and new people? We create a culture and...
Telling My Story: My Big Why (How to become an animal trainer)
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm continuing my new segment "Telling My Story" that I started in June. No one told me to stop, so I'll keep on sharing! This week ...
We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee
22 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wanted your own personal zoo? YOUR zoo? Where you could do all the things you'd love for the animals and conservation? Well, We Boug...
Writer in a Life Vest- A Conversation with Author Iris Graville
26 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I had the honor and joy to sit down and talk with local writer Iris Graville about her newest book Writer in a Life Vest. Iris was the first ever writ...
World Ocean Month Special- Tell Me a Story with Megan Paider (Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium)
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
June has a lot of significance to everyone-- Pride Month, Juneteenth, and World Oceans Month. To celebrate the latter, I sat down with Point Defiance ...
Soul of an Octopus (World Ocean's Month) by Sy Montgomery (S3E22)
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Celebrating World Oceans Month is one of my favorite things on Zoo-notable. There are so many incredible books out there, but this one, The Soul of an...
Telling My Story- Chapter 1: Watoto's Rumble
04 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As I transition back into the zoo field, I know I won't be able to maintain the momentum of one book every week, so to be able to continue my love...
Staff Sargent Jason Morgan and A Dog Called Hope
28 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Talk about two worlds coming together! I was nervous but very excited to sit down and talk to Jason Morgan, the Wounded Warrior whose book A Dog Calle...
Spoilers with Suzanne Akerman
21 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I sat down with the multi-skilled Suzanne Akerman of Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium to discuss her fascinating dystopian adventure novel The Delivere...
Karen Pryor's Don't Shoot the Dog! (S3E18 Zoo-notable)
14 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's Zoo-notable was a no-brainer as it is Karen Pryor's birthday. It's also appropriate for Mother's Day because I consider Karen ...
Go Wild by John Ratey and Richard Manning
07 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this essential book for anyone interested in tapping into and unleashing their true potential as humans and their wild nature, we'll discuss wh...
Nature's Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy
30 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We're closing Earth Month with yet one more book at ways we can improve our world by improving our relationship with our neighbors...our wild neig...
Earth Day Special- Once and Future World
23 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In The Once and Future World, MacKinnon invites us to remember nature as it was, to reconnect to nature in a meaningful way, and to remake a wilder w...
Wisdom from a Humble Jellyfish (and other self-care advice from nature) by Rani Shah
09 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I LOVED Wisdom from a Humble Jellyfish because it taught me a little about interesting animals (I honestly didn't think about the different types ...
Odder by Katherine Applegate- Children's Book Day/Earth Month
02 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Odder, the Queen of Play: Nobody has her moves.She doesn't just swim to the bottom,she dive-bombs.She doesn't just somersault,she triple-...
I Never Thought of It That Way (by Mónica Guzmán) (Zoonotable S3E12)
26 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are you ready to build bridges and create safe spaces where difficult conversations can happen, and REALLY understand one another? I Never Thought of ...
In the Flo by Alisa Vitti
19 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We couldn't celebrate Women's Month without a deep discussion of the powerful, and empowering book In the Flo by Alisa Vitti. This book is abo...
High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins
12 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is probably the best self-care habit we can incorporate into our lives? How about high-fiving yourself every morning. Welcome to Mel Robbins' fan...
Women's History Month-Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis
05 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Subscribe to Zoo-notable To kick off Women's History Month, I sat down with three of the authors from the She Writes Press anthology Art in the Time o...
Wangari Maathai- Unbowed (Zoo-notable S3E8)
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, I celebrate one of my all-time favorite conservation heroines, Wangari Maathai by reading her memoir Unbowed. I loved learning about Wangari's ...
All We Can Save (Zoo-notable S3E7)
12 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A collection of essays, poetry, and stories of hope, truth, courage, and solutions, All We Can Save celebrates diversity and women, and everyone who i...
It Starts With Food- An Intro to Whole30 Eating Lifestyle (Zoonotable S3E6)
05 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever heard of elimination diets to reset your body and figure out what foods work best for you? Well, this elimination and reset program has ...
It Takes What It Takes by Trevor Moawad (Zoo-Notable S3E5)
29 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After reading this book a couple of years ago, I re-read it and had to add it to my top 20 all-time favorite books. Every chapter is filled with fanta...
The Baddest Ass Women I Know-- Special Tell Me a Story (Zoo-notable S3E4)
22 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm a published author! In 2021, I joined a program called the Narrative Project, where I met my guests for today-- Isabel Castro, Lauren Trantham, an...
Atomic Habits Part 2- The Science of Making Habits Stick (S3E3 Zoo-notable)
15 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Part 1 of my Zoo-notable on Atomic Habits, I discussed the grand ideas that resonated the most with me, personally (Check it out here). In Part 2, ...
Atomic Habits (S3E2 Zoo-notable)
08 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our habits build our identity; we are what we repeatedly do. Let's create a system for success and make it easy, attractive, and satisfying by delving...
Superhuman by Habit: Zoo-notable Season 3 Premiere
01 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Want to go from ordinary to EXTRAordinary, gain superpowers, and show up as the best version of yourself for the new year? The best way to close the g...
Zoo-notable Season 3 Trailer
27 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
New episodes are dropping starting January 1! We have some incredible books lined up: Atomic Habits by James Clear It Takes What It Takes by Trevor Mo...
Season 2 Finale: My Favorites and a Special Tell Me a Story
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's my last Zoo-notable for 2022. As I prepare to go on my reading break, I thought I'd share some of my favorites from this past year. Here are my t...
Vet Tech Week Special Interview: The Unspoken Life with Dr. Kimberly Pope-Robinson
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Vet Tech Week. I'm sharing some really insightful and helpful information for animal care technicians from an expert in the field, Dr. Kimberly ...
Indigenous People Day: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Zoo-notable S2E44)
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate Indigenous People's Day, I'm sharing the fantastic wisdom from the book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. This is probably the ...
Flight of the Hummingbird (Revisited)- Butterfly and Hummingbird Day (Zoo-notable S2E43)
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While I have discussed this incredible book before, I'm revisiting it in honor of Butterfly and Hummingbird Day (10/3). This book is essential reading...
On Animals by Susan Orlean
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss being animalish, not being alone, finding your legacy, being objective, and conservation's long game. Check out your local library or local...
National Dog Week: Small Furry Prayer by Steven Kotler (Zoonotable S2E41)
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to Zoo-notable. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve shared a new note, but I’m back for the next month or so before I go on my readin...
Last Child in the Woods-- Celebrate National Park Month and Combatting Nature-Deficit Disorder
10 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
August is National Park Month, and what better way to celebrate than by discussing a book which discusses the positive benefits of experiencing nature...
Zoobiquity: Connecting Our Well-being with Animals (Zoo-notable S2E39)
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do animals feel anxiety? Do they cave under pressure, overeat certain foods, do risky behavior, become addicted to substances? More important than the...
Zookeeper Week- Tell Me a Story with Stephanie Miller (Zoo-notable S2E38)
25 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To close up National Zookeeper Week, I'm sitting down with my good friend and mentor, Stephanie Miller, to discuss her 30 year career working with ani...
National Zookeeper Week with Ken Ramirez and Eye of the Trainer (Zoonotable S2E37)
17 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
National Zookeeper Week is here! On this special episode of Zoo-notable, I sit down with Ken Ramirez, animal trainer extraordinaire, Vice President of...
Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet (Zoo-notable S2E36)
11 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What better way to celebrate Plastic Free July than learning how to be more mindful in our consumption and daily practices? Thich Nhat Hanh, great Bud...
Queer Ducks (and other animals) by Eliot Schrefer (S2E34)
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We end June with a special Pride Month celebration of LGBTQ representation in the animal kingdom and the fascinating book Queer Ducks by Eliot Schrefe...
Dolphins with Erin Pyne- Dolphin Journey and Tell Me a Story (Zoo-notable S2E34)
20 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In our second book celebrating World Oceans Month, I sit down to talk to author Erin Pyne to discuss her book Dolphin Journey. We discuss empathy and ...
World Ocean Day: Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols (Zoo-notable S2E33)
08 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate World Ocean Day, I'm diving into a fantastic book that inspired me and motivated me to get in touch with nature, myself, and connect with...
Biodiversity and Where the Wild Things Were (Zoonotable S2E32)
22 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On this International Day of Biodiversity, I show how we are all connected, and how you have a special purpose in life, no matter who you are. You can...
Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, Part 2 (S2E31)
15 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is part two of one of my favorite books of all time, Animal Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Last week we delved into the general Big Id...
Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver- Mother's Day Special (S2E30)
09 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate Mother's Day, here's one of my mom's favorite authors and our favorite book, Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. This is Part...
Cooking Green (Zoo-notable S2E29)
30 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We're heading to the kitchen (my favorite room in the house!) to learn how our eating and cooking habits impact the environment with today's book Cook...
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss (Zoo-notable S2E28)
17 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What better way to celebrate Easter and Earth Day than a children's classic environmental tale, The Lorax? We'll share some great insight on environme...