Rossifari Podcast - Zoos, Aquariums, and Animal Conservation

Latest Episodes:

Rossifari Zoo News 3.21.25 - The "Can I Have Your Bunnies" Edition featuring Katie Propp of Penguins International! Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

Dateline: March 21, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!
We start off with a quick update on me and a chat about Penguins International's March of the Penguin Madness competition!

We then move on to our births for the week, featuring animals from Mogo Wildlife Park, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, The North Carolina Zoo, Saginaw Children's Zoo, Sea Life Sydney, and Lincoln Park Zoo.
We say goodbye to beloved animals at ZooAtlanta, Seattle Aquarium, and Sedgwick County Zoo.
The rest of our Zoo News stories feature items from The Minnesota Zoo, Brevard Zoo, Altina Wildlife Park, and the Cincinnati Zoo!

Then in Conservation News Katie Propp jumps on to discuss March of the Penguin Madness AND a new legal victory for African penguins, we celebrate the largest sea turtle hospital in the world, discuss beaver reintroductions, look at stats about rhino conservation, and so much more!

In Other News, we talk about a new ray being discovered and go into details about how not to smuggle turtles through airports.

ROSSIFARI LINKS:
patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod
rossifari.com
@rossifari on socials
@rossifaripod on TikTok

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Vulturologists with Dani DiMarco of Lehigh Valley Zoo Mar 18, 2025

Show notes

Today, the Safari heads back to the Lehigh Valley Zoo to talk to Dani DiMarco about all the things. We catch up on what's new since our last interview, we go wander the zoo together and talk about some new and cool animals, and so much more. This is just one of those conversations where two friends just chat animals and zoos and have the best time!

EPISODE LINKS:

@lvzoo on socials

lvzoo.org

ROSSIFARI LINKS:

@rossifari on socials

@rossifaripod on TikTok

Rossifari.com

patreon.com/rossifari for stickers

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rossifari Zoo News 3.14.25 - The 36 New Bands Edition! Mar 14, 2025

Show notes

Dateline: March 14, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!
We start off with a quick update on me and a chat about Penguins International's March of the Penguin Madness competition!

We then move on to our births for the week, featuring animals from Roger Williams Park Zoo, Zoo Montana, Seneca Park Zoo, Zoo Miami, The Toledo Zoo, The Duke Lemur Center, Sacramento Zoo, The Denver Zoo, Sedgwick County Zoo, Henry Doorly Zoo, and the Nashville Zoo.
We say goodbye to beloved animals at Lehigh Valley Zoo, the Phoenix Zoo, Zoo de Granby, and the Jacksonville Zoo.
The rest of our Zoo News stories feature items from Monarto Safari Park, the Cincinnati Zoo, Zoo Poznań, Reid Park Zoo, Zoo Miami, the Columbus Zoo, and also a look at some fake stories that popped up online this week.

Then in Conservation News we discuss the latest Trump Administration decisions that affect conservation, some new rediscoveries of species, how six elephants dying in Sri Lanka illustrate the larger issues facing the species, and the start of sea turtle nesting season.

In Other News, we talk about a new discovery about mice that is truly fascinating.

ROSSIFARI LINKS:
patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod
rossifari.com
@rossifari on socials
@rossifaripod on TikTok

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Minternship with Delaney Sevchik, Megan Koehn, and Emily Gallo of Wildlife World Zoo! Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

Today, the Safari heads to Wildlife World Zoo outside of Phoenix, to talk to three trainers who had to put up with my sorry butt for an entire week as I did a voluntary mini internship (Minternship) with the sea lion training team at the zoo! We talk about why an incredible team matters so much, and how an incredible culture can create resiliency for animals and staff alike. We dig into so much more interesting stuff, and the episode ends with a very unique musical performance!

ROSSIFARI LINKS:

rossifari.com

@rossifari on the socials

@rossifaripod on TikTok

patreon.com/rossifari

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rossifari Zoo News 3.7.25 - The Grants Galore! Edition Mar 07, 2025

Show notes

Dateline: March 7, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!
We start off with where I am now, and wondering why is it so cold?

Our headline story is a look at Chappy, the seal pup rescued by Mystic Aquarium that came to national prominence before sadly passing away. What can we learn from all the things Mystic did so, so right?
We then move on to our births for the week, featuring animals from Blank Park Zoo, the San Diego Zoo, Jacksonville Zoo, the Indianapolis Zoo, the London Zoo, and Wild Discovery!
We say goodbye to beloved animals at Potawatomi Zoo, the Calgary Zoo, and the Toronto Zoo.
The rest of our Zoo News stories feature items from the AZA, Zoos Victoria, Zoo Atlanta, Buttonwood Park Zoo, Roger Williams Park Zoo, and more!

Then in Conservation News we discuss the latest Trump Administration decisions that affect conservation, some new rediscoveries of species, and the latest update on the quest to recreate the woolly mammoth.

In Other News, we talk about a death that wasn't and also a look at how your house cat can be affected by HPAI in new and exciting ways!

ROSSIFARI LINKS:
patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod
rossifari.com
@rossifari on socials
@rossifaripod on TikTok

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Let's Celebrate SAFE! Part 2 with Kristen Lukas of SAFE Gorilla and Jess Phillips of SAFE African Penguin Mar 04, 2025

Show notes

Today, the Safari continues our celebration of 10 years and 50 programs under the AZA's SAFE banner! We look at what individual programs are doing, talking to members of SAFE Gorilla and SAFE African Penguin about the work they are doing in the field, what goes into getting involved in a SAFE program, how conservation partners team up with SAFE programs, and more. We also spend some time talking about the incredible animals at each of their home facilities, The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo!

ROSSIFARI LINKS:

Rossifari.com

Patreon.com/rossifari

@rossifari on socials

@rossifaripod on TikTok

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rossifari Zoo News 2.28.25 - The End of the Quest? Edition Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

Dateline: 2.28.25

Today's episode of Rossifari Zoo News starts with Jon riffing about life and how tired he is. Lots of cool stuff going on this week,

Then we do a deep dive into what is going on at the SeaQuest chain of aquariums. It's a long story with a pretty solid ick factor.

Then it's Animal Holidays, because Jon is very, very tired.

ROSSIFARI LINKS:

patreon.com/rossifari

Rossifari.com

@rossifari on socials

@rossifaripod on TikTok

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Let's Celebrate SAFE! with Dan Ashe and Katey Leban of The AZA Feb 25, 2025

Show notes

Today, the Safari sits down with Dan Ashe and Katey Leban of the AZA to start a two-part series looking at the ten years and fifty programs of AZA SAFE! We talk about what SAFE programs are, how they are run, how they manage to maintain independence while being part of the AZA, and so much more! Tune in next week to hear from members of individual SAFE programs as they share the incredible work they are doing towards their goal of Saving Animals From Extinction!

ROSSIFARI LINKS:

Rossifari.com

patreon.com/rossifari

@rossifari on the socials

@rossifaripod on TikTok

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rossifari Zoo News 2.21.25 - The SNL50 Edition! Feb 21, 2025

Show notes

Dateline: February 21, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness!
We start off with a story about my time on SNL.
We then move on to our births for the week, featuring animals from Hogle Zoo, Zoo Tampa, the Perth Zoo, Smithsonian's National Zoo, and Zoo Miami.
We say goodbye to beloved animals at Zoo Boise, the Chattanooga Zoo, The Denver Zoo, Paignton Zoo, the Oakland Zoo, and a surprising and amusing farewell.
The rest of our Zoo News stories feature items from Milwaukee County Zoo, the Auckland Zoo, the Fort Worth Zoo, the Philadelphia Zoo, as well as a look at the Top 10 Zoos voting from USA Today and a look at grief.
Then in Conservation News we discuss Celebrity Jeopardy and two conservation stories from Scotland.

In Other News we talk about pet microchips.
ROSSIFARI LINKS:
patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod
rossifari.com
@rossifari on socials
@rossifaripod on TikTok

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Let's Add Another Acronym: EMA with Tripp Gorman of the Elephant Managers Association Feb 18, 2025

Show notes

Today, the Safari heads down to Fort Worth, TX, to talk to Tripp Gorman, the president of the Elephant Managers Association. This professional organization exists to help any human who takes care of elephants to increase their knowledge and skills! A lost-cost professional organization that focuses on welfare regardless of anything else going on at your facility is pretty rare, and I find it really inspiring!

EPISODE LINKS:

elephantmanagers.com

@elephantmanagersassociation on socials

ROSSIFARI LINKS:

rossifari.com

@rossifari on socials

@rossifaripod on TikTok

patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.