Lynda Collrin

Cherry Brook Zoo Inc.

Today's Date: November 5, 2006

1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?

Having lived in a zoo since 1979 it is difficult to single out one animal that has had the biggest impact on me. As a primatologist at the beginning my area of expertise was of course primates but working in a small nonprofit facility I have worked with every species from hoofstock to carnivores. Perhaps the defining moment was in 1981 when our Celebes Ape rejected her baby and it was brought to me to hand raise. There was not much information on hand rearing at this time and the baby was not doing well, I knew that the life of this tiny primate was in my hands and my decision to change it's diet from the standard one made me responsible for whether this animal lived or died, but having it look straight into my eyes and feeling the complete trust this animal put in me it was to me a milestone in working with animals. I am happy to say that my diet worked and the primate went on to be reintroduced back into another troop. My masters thesis was on working with these primates having hand raised five of them and finding out how to reintroduce them back to their own kind (this was not done prior to my research).

2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?

Yes, the small family farm before they became large conglomerates and put small farmers out of business. My favorite time was hand milking the dairy cows in the early morning in the barn before letting them out to pasture.

Now? The Cherry Brook Zoo - mostly before the public is in or at night when I listen to the sounds of the animals through the night. The zoo is a noisy place and I guess not many people live withe the sounds of a zoo at night. I am one of the lucky ones.

3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?

That is truthfully a question I cannot answer - each animal has it's own unique personality and though I can't say I love them all I can say I respect each and every one of them - all animals deserve to be respected for what they are, not because you can pet or feed them - we have no feeding allowed and there is no petting area in our zoo. We want to teach children that animals are worth something for their place in our environment and not because you can pet or feed them.

4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?

I believe our greatest challenge is over population of our planet, the loss of habitat, the loss of animals and the decline of our oceans is a direct link to over population and our course to reaching a level that our planet will not be able to sustain.

5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?

We must recognize the ties between our global environment and how they affect all of us. We must realize that what happens in another country does affect us and most importantly that one person can make a difference. By reducing our use of everyday products such as gas, lights, etc and reducing the amount of waste one person can make a difference, and if we approach it on a personal level then one person will affect another and hopefully it will have a domino effect. I also believe that our governments can do more but at this time they will still give money to save the painting of the tiger rather than support those facilities working to save the animal itself. Preserving the works of man and not funding the preservation of the works of nature.