203-469-0214
alexis@intrepidtraveler.com
Interview
notes for Jon Wassner
America’s Best Zoos: A Travel
Guide for Fans & Families
Suggested
Introduction
Here’s an
interesting statistic:
Jon
Wassner is the co-author of
Commonly
Asked Questions:
Jon,
we have a great zoo right here in our city. Why would our listeners want to
make a trip to another? All zoos are pretty much the same, right?
First, I
agree that _________ Zoo is very good — one of
But all zoos are not the same. Like people, every zoo has its own unique personality and visiting three or four different zoos will give you three or four very different experiences.
For one
thing, not every zoo has the same animals. Some are particularly strong on
African animals, primates, or birds. Others have incredible reptile or even
insect collections. Some specialize in interesting animals native to their
region. And of course there are some rare animals that you’ll find in only a
handful of zoos.
Another
big difference is the way animals are displayed. There is an informal
competition among zoos to see which can come up with the most spectacular exhibits.
For example, you get an almost genuine African safari adventure at the Kansas
City Zoo or the Dallas Zoo. The “Range of the Jaguar” exhibit at the
Jacksonville Zoo is like going to the edge of the Amazon Jungle. In
And zoos
are becoming more and more entertaining. Some zoos have rides; some have
terrific special events or educational programs. Some zoos have great
restaurants with spectacular views. Some zoos have beautiful old architecture.
The list goes on and on.
Okay,
you’ve convinced me. But if I’m taking the kids on a vacation, a zoo’s going to
have a hard time competing with other attractions, like theme parks, right?
Actually,
some zoos are theme parks.
But let
me make the case for zoos versus theme parks.
Most kids
are fascinated by animals. In today’s zoos they can not only watch them and
learn more about them, but also get up close and personal—burrowing through
acrylic tubes to pop up in the middle of a meerkat or prairie dog exhibit, for
example, or watching graceful hippos or massive polar bears through crystal
clear underwater viewing windows. Today’s zoos also let children pet, feed, and
even groom some animals. I mean, in how many theme parks can you feed a
giraffe? And you don’t have the problem where your teenager is rushing off to
the roller coaster while your toddler’s left behind. The entire family can stay
together and enjoy the same things at a zoo.
Besides, it’s not necessarily an either/or tradeoff when it comes to rides and shows. A lot of zoos offer entertaining animal shows and most of the big ones have at least a few rides—exotic animal carousels, miniature steam trains, sky rides, and even monorails. Best of all, the lines are shorter and the atmosphere is much less hectic. You can take your time at a zoo instead of feeling like you have to rush around all day to do as many things as possible in order to justify the small fortune you paid to get in.
Which
brings me to another point: zoos are a genuine entertainment bargain. The same
family of four that pays over $200 for admission to a theme park can visit a
world-class zoo for less than $60. In fact, there are some zoos in
You
commented on the educational aspect in your book. Could you tell our listeners
more about that?
Education
is extremely important in today’s zoos. In fact, it is one of the primary goals
of the zoo world. Many school classes take field trips to the zoo. But learning
isn’t confined to class time. Zoos offer families the chance to have fun
learning together and they give parents an opportunity to be intimately
involved in teaching their kids about the natural world.
Enjoy the
many colorfully-illustrated signs at the zoo, filled with many facts and tidbits
about the animals on exhibit. Or, if you
get the chance, strike up a conversation with a docent, a zoo volunteer who is
very knowledgeable about the animals and can share some fascinating
information. They also often bring out animal artifacts, such as skulls and
bones, exotic animal pelts, and even small creatures for you to observe up
close. Yes, it’s education, but it’s great fun, too.
So
what about our [hometown zoo]? What do you like best, and what should listeners
be sure not to miss?
[Ad lib.
Author will tailor the answer to your local zoo.]
I
notice your book talks about exhibits in progress as well as those that are
already open. What brand new zoo exhibits opening this year are you most
excited about?
[Ad lib.
Author will highlight new attraction(s) coming to your region.]
Okay,
I can’t resist: Just which zoo is the very best in
To be
honest, we don’t like to evaluate that way. As I said earlier, no two zoos are the
same, and similarly, everybody has their own likes and dislikes. A zoo with an
excellent children’s section might be “the best” for a family with small kids.
On the other hand, many boys would pick a zoo with a top-rated snake and
reptile house. So, with all of these differing viewpoints in mind, we didn’t
try to rank zoos first, second, third and so on.
We carefully
chose the 60 zoos which, for a wide variety of reasons, we feel deserve to be
classified as
What we
have done, however, is single out 20 different categories and list the Top Ten
zoos in each and then offer our own opinion about which zoo is best in each
category. For example, we felt that the San Diego Zoo is best at exhibiting
bears, the Cincinnati Zoo is number one for wild cats, and the Bronx Zoo is
Did
our zoo make it into any of these Top Ten lists?
[Ad lib.]
Where
can our listeners get a copy of
America’s
Best Zoos is available in bookstores, online stores (including Amazon), and zoo
gift shops, or through AmericasBestZoos.com, where we offer some free
bonuses that provide even more information than we had room for in the book.
• • •
Additional
Questions:
How
did you happen to write
How
did you get interested in zoos?
How
did you research and write the book? How
many zoos did you two travel to? How
long did it take?
What’s
your favorite animal?
What
is your view of the recent tiger tragedy at the
Tell
us about some animals that would no longer exist if not for zoos?
What’s
the best time to visit a zoo?
Do you
have any tips for viewing the animals?
For
photographing animals?
Tell
us about your experience as a zookeeper.
What
was the biggest challenge?
For more information:
Alexis Elder • 203-469-0214 • alexis@intrepidtraveler.com
