Life at the Zoo: Behind the Scenes with the Animal Doctors

by Phillip T. Robinson

Seasoned veterinarian Phillip T. Robinson shares his remarkable stories of working at the world-famous San Diego Zoo. In vivid detail he describes encounters with foulmouthed parrots, gum-chewing chimps, and stinky flamingoes, and the sometimes dangerous consequences of both human and animal interactions. He relates insider stories such as escaping the affections of a leopard who wanted to be a lap cat, training a gorilla to hold her newborn baby gently (instead of scrubbing the floor with it), operating on a semi-anesthetized elephant, and figuring out how to feed koalas in captivity, as well as why the zoo's polar bears were turning green. Robinson's wildly entertaining tales illuminate the hazards and rewards of a world in which the "natural" and "unnatural" can collide, insightfully tracing the evolution of zoos from banal menageries to important conservation institutions.

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction, Science

293 pages, hardcover

First published August 18, 2004

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is a vet who worked at the San Diego Zoo for over 20 years. These are some of the stories about the animals and the people who inhabit the zoo world. Robinson tells stories but also discusses the ethics of zoos as well as the history of animal collecting from private menageries of wealthy collectors to the more modern zoological gardens created to attempt a more natural environment for the animals. It is very readable. I particularly enjoyed the glimpses of the zoo I visited for many years in San Diego.

[Sy Snootles · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for a light-hearted memoir akin to All Creatures Great and Small, this isn't it. It's comprehensive look at all the behind-the-scenes aspects of zoo management, from the history of zoological gardens to advances in veterinary care to modern trends in exhibit design. While I found the subject matter interesting and the scattered anecdotes highly entertaining, I agree with others who say that it became a textbook at times -- there's a lot of tedious detail that is not always presented in a way that makes you want to keep reading. The chapters were long and hard to get through at times. Plus the editing (or lack thereof?) was distracting; Robinson repeats some stories in multiple chapters, and some paragraphs seemed to come out of nowhere. Still, I learned a lot about zoos, and again, the anecdotes were excellent. Although some may say the book would've benefited from more anecdotes, less textbook, those tidbits that ARE included had me exclaiming aloud and paraphrasing the stories to my roommate. These neat tales of zookeeping are what keep you slogging through the technical parts -- but you WILL come out at the end having learned a lot about zoos. This book takes dedication and a real passion for zoology to get through, but since I was equipped with both of those qualities going in, I don't regret reading it.

[Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time with this one, and ended up not finishing it. I was hoping for a "behind the scenes with zoo animals" as promised in the subtitle, but it reads like a textbook. Still, it did have a few fun incidents of the kind I hoped for. And there's no doubt the author knows his stuff.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first job as a teenager was at a zoo, so I've always been interested in zoos. I love going to see the animals at zoos where the animals are health, not stressed and well cared for, and I loathe zoos that do not meet those criteria, so I was very interested in reading this book by a long time zoo veterinarian.

This book was published by an academic press, but it is written in an accessible style and there are lots of photos. It opens with a history of veterinary care in zoos (early zoos were resistent to veterinarians), and then goes on to describe aspects of zoo operations such as feeding, captive breeding, habitat design, and even some stories about quirky zoo visitors.

I particularly appreciate the authors acknowledgement of the concerns many people have about zoos, and his discussion of animal rights versus animal welfare. Although published in 2007 it does not feel dated, as his argument that resisting extremes and instead finding common ground will result in the best outcomes for the animals is still true today.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good up until the last couple chapters, which dealt with more of the political and ethical issues faced by zoos rather than the medical situations he found himself involved in as staff veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo. Understandably though, it would be hard to write a book about zoos in this day and age without at least addressing those issues. Robinson included a bit of history in each of his chapters to explain how treatment of zoo animals and opinions on having a vet on staff changed over time. Also, he described changes in zoo design to best accommodate the various animals to keep them happy and safe, but also ensure that visitors to the zoo got an experience worth their money and were themselves secure in knowing the animals wouldn't get out. The best part of the book was when he was including anecdotes and humorous accounts of situations he encountered while on the job. A piece on the morning report from the giraffe enclosure was perhaps my favorite.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was hard to rate. Parts of it were really interesting, and in other parts, the writing was awkward and really slow. Usually, when the author got wrapped up in an anecdote, his writing was really engaging, and those were the parts I loved. When he is in a more fact-relating mode, the writing is much less interesting. I love science and devour science related books, so it wasn't a lack of interest in the subject that made it hard to get through those parts.

The other problem was the lack of transitions. The chapters didn't have subsections, so often there would be an abrupt change of topic from one paragraph to the next with no connecting thought. It was strange and a bit confusing. It's possible that only the Kindle version didn't have the breaks between sections, but even within paragraphs there were sometimes weird transitions. I liked this book, but I think with a really good editor, it could have been a lot better.

[Adi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, interesting, informative--if you can get past the prose, which is so close to being... at least not incorrect... but keeps tripping up.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't what I was expecting. I was expecting a collection of amusing and enlightening anecdotes from a zoo's vet, reminiscent of James Herriot or Sailing with Noah. Which it isn't. It is, however, a good clear-eyed look at the field of veterinary medicine in zoo including a history. The writing is a little stilted, but the subject matter is interesting anyway, especially for anyone considering this field of work.

[Ashley]

#
NC
Own in hardback.

FS: "Zoogoing is one of America's favorite pastimes."

LS: "History will judge zoos by their tangible contributions to understanding and conserving animals at home in their natural environments."

[Abigail Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

good perspective and relevant information, but dryly presented