![]() “We do that everyday, and if we can do it with Nat Geo as a partner, that’s definitely an added bonus.” “If we can touch the lives on a Sunday evening while you’re with your family … I think that’s what it’s all about,” Stalf said. Stalf and Rapp recognized that there is a criticism that exists against zoo facilities, but they stay focused on their mission statement: lead and inspire by connecting people and wildlife. Photo courtesy of National Geographic / Jesse Kennedy / Provided by press site with permission. This has been a great avenue for us to be able to share that message.” From left, Suzi Rapp and Tiffany Dollins dry off Willie and Marley, two otter pups, at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Anybody can see what we’re doing, and I think what people are finding out is it’s nothing but a labor of love, hard work, and obviously the animals come first. I think that’s the beauty of these shows is we have opened our doors. “Zoos, in general, I think we were a little bit late coming to the forefront and telling our story, and I think it’s just that we are caught up in doing conservation work and obviously good animal welfare and taking care of our collections that we really weren’t getting that message out there. “I think that this show has done a really good job of doing that,” Rapp said. She is a frequent presence on the series, and she hopes the show can effectively highlight the staff’s dedicated efforts, especially for those viewers who may be skeptical of zoo facilities. Suzi Rapp is the vice president of animal programming at the Columbus Zoo. And that’s a great story that we haven’t highlighted yet.” You can measure it by how many animals you have and the staff and all the greatness that we do, but for me, it’s what we can contribute worldwide for global conservation. When we sit back and we talk about why zoos matter, for me, there’s many ways to measure our success. We’re part of an organization that contributes $231 million every year for field conservation. We have 114 different conservation projects in 46 countries. But I will tell you there are so many stories out there that we’re not highlighting. There’s really no way to measure if they’re coming because they see the show, but I know that the thing that I love about Secrets of the Zoo focusing on The Wilds and Columbus Zoo, it’s highlighting so many stories. And we are very proud to welcome all of our guests in. Here at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and The Wilds, we see, well, literally millions of people a year, so nearly 3 million guests comes to our facilities. “We hear that quite often,” Stalf said of his staff being recognized in the public. Now many of the human characters on the series have become stars in their own right - not to take away from the bonafide rockstar status of the animals themselves. The series has been a hit for the network, which is no doubt why they renewed the show for a second season. So we were used to having cameras here and highlighting the greatness that we do, so, yeah, we wanted to continue that.” … Our great friend, Jack Hanna, has been with the Columbus Zoo for over 40 years, and he has three shows currently that are syndicated. “It’s very important for us to share the details and the behind-the-scenes, so when we were approached to talk about the opportunity to highlight our team and our animals, it was easy for us to say yes. “We’re always very proud to show off our staff and their passion for what they do every single day,” the CEO said. They wanted Secrets of the Zoo to serve as a platform to promote their efforts in conservation and animal welfare. When the zoo’s administration was approached about the possibility of having cameras document their staff’s every move, they were an immediate yes. “The zoo closed in mid-March,” Stalf said, “and we’ll open up when the time is right.” ![]() Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the zoo is currently closed until further notice. Tom Stalf is the CEO of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and he seems quite excited to open the facility once again to members of the public. There are adventures and narratives involving everything from beavers to ducks to cheetahs to cougars to gorillas and even a sloth bear. The series tells the many stories that can be found in the expansive facility: from the veterinarians who take care of the animals to the actual animals themselves. New episodes from season three air Sundays at 9 p.m. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, along with its sister property The Wilds, boasts 2,000 employees and 10,000 animals, meaning it’s an awfully large operation, and the ins and outs of that operation are the subject of the Nat Geo Wild reality series Secrets of the Zoo. Photo: Vet staff work on Oliver the gorilla at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
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