Tag archives for Michael Hutchins
Elephants in Captivity: A Perspective from Former AZA Director/William Conway Chair of Conservation & Science
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on May 5, 2013 Any discussion of elephants in captivity is met with controversy and criticism. Last week, I asked my colleague Jim Naelitz to provide his expert view on elephant management in zoos. The career elephant trainer and curator has worked with elephants at three AZA institutions. I felt Jim would provide a perspective fairly representing zoo elephant…
Captive Elephant Management: Interview with Knoxville Zoo’s Curator of Elephants
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on April 23, 2013 As I plan for my trip to India to work with South Asia’s largest animal welfare and conservation organization, I realize that the one area that is the most removed from my field of expertise is elephant management and the captive breeding of elephants for conservation purposes. Sure I have been around Asian and African…
Evolutionary Perspectives & Approaches to Conserving Vanishing Wildlife
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on April 20, 2013 In prior interviews with Dr. Michael Hutchins, we discussed the impact of threats such as emerging infectious diseases and invasive species on extant wildlife populations. In recent times, many species have not fared well in the face of such threats, and in some cases have been rendered extinct in the wild merely since the industrial…
On the Brink of Extinction: A Closer Look at Endangered Species
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on April 5, 2013 Many naturalists and certainly most birding aficionados are well aware that the last passenger pigeon died in 1914 while in residence at the Cincinnati Zoo. And I regretfully acknowledge that the last wild passenger pigeon was shot in 1900 in my home state of Ohio. The Zoo’s passenger pigeon known as “Martha” was only presumed…
The Threat of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases to Wildlife
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on March 22, 2013 In this 6th interview with renowned wildlife biologist Dr. Michael Hutchins, we discuss the challenges facing vanishing species and other threatened free-ranging and captive populations of wildlife due to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Jordan: Zoonoses and anthroponoses may be confusing terms to some of our readers. Can you define these terms and any others…
Human-Wildlife Conflict: An Interview with Dr. Michael Hutchins
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on March 9, 2013 In our fifth interview in a series on environmental issues, Dr. Michael Hutchins and I explore human-wildlife interactions from a global perspective. In his responses to my questions, the noted wildlife biologist provides an array of examples of conflict, solutions to some of these pressing conservation concerns, and some direction as to where we can…
Tragedy of the Once Common Rhesus Monkey: Wildlife SOS Conserves the Iconic Urban Primate
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on January 22, 2013 Contributing Editor Dr. Jordan Schaul examines the plight of the most wide-ranging, non-human primate on the planet—the rhesus monkey (aka the urban macaque). Included in this post are interviews with Wildlife SOS co-founder and professor Geeta Seshamani and distinguished wildlife biologist and professor Dr. Michael Hutchins. Last week, Wildlife SOS came to the rescue of another animal…
The Climate Change Conundrum: What the Future is Beginning to Look Like for Wildlife
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on January 10, 2013 Contributing Editor Dr. Jordan Schaul and distinguished wildlife biologist and professor Dr. Michael Hutchins discuss the current and anticipated impact of climate change on wildlife species around the globe in an exclusive Nat Geo News Watch interview. Jordan: In collaboration with the National Wildlife Federation, and Arizona State University scientists, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) recently…
The Threat of Invasive Species—An Interview with Dr. Michael Hutchins
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on December 25, 2012 In an ongoing series of interviews with renowned wildlife professional and ecologist Dr. Michael Hutchins, Newswatch Contributing Editor Dr. Jordan Schaul explores another threat to nature. In the last interview Michael and Jordan discussed the Nature Deficit Disorder. Here is a complete bio for Dr. Michael Hutchins. Interview: Jordan: People, including scientists, often confuse or…
The Nature Deficit Disorder and How it is Impacting our Natural World—An Interview with Dr. Michael Hutchins
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on December 14, 2012 Contributing Editor Dr. Jordan Schaul interviews Dr. Michael Hutchins concerning some societal trends that have dire consequences for our natural world. This is the second in a series of interviews Jordan has conducted with his friend and distinguished colleague. Michael is a wildlife biologist, professor and conservationist currently living in Silver Spring, Maryland. Here is…
Former AZA Director/William Conway Chair of Conservation & Science Discusses the State of Zoos & their Future
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on December 2, 2012 Contributing Editor Dr. Jordan Schaul interviews his friend and colleague Dr. Michael Hutchins, one of the foremost experts on zoos in the world, to continue discussion about the future of zoos, related conservation breeding facilities and their role in global species preservation. Michael is the Director of Conservation and Science for Safari Professionals (SP), one…
