Roy Hunter
Co-Chairman
ANGFA of North America
visit our website at:
http://www.angfa.org
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> From: Aleksei Saunders <asaunders at mho.net>
> To: rainbowfish at pcug.org.au
> Subject: [RML] My Appologies
> Date: Wednesday, February 26, 1997 9:47 PM
>
> Dear Rhonda,
>
> My appologies. I had just gotten off a really bad week at the zoo
> and your letter lit the fuse. Don't think of yourself as a nobody (I
sorry
> if I actually made you feel this way, really I am), every hobbist, no
> matter their experience or lack there of has something to contribute to
the
> field.
> I always thought the more eyes looking at a problem the better! I
> agree that the people at the Shedd should try a bit harder at their
> authenticity (but I hestiate to speak ill because I really don't know
their
> situation (although there is little in the way of excuses that make up
for
> poor display integrity).
> Again, I am very sorry if I sounded (and I know I probably did)
> angry, I actually did not take your letter personally (I always strive to
> better my work, and to do this I must make mistakes). I was actually
trying
> to give you a look into the life of a zookeeper (that sounds just too
> pretenious) because a lot of people think this job is a piece of cake,
more
> play than work, and that we should know the answers to all fish questions
> everywhere.
> If you're ever in Denver, please let me know so I can give you a
> look around the zoo. Brian Lang has already been down for a tour, and I'm
> happy to do this for anyone interested.
>
> I just read the rest of the posts, so I'll tack this on at the
end.
> I agree, regardless of the number of tanks keeping the correct fish is no
> harder than keeping hybrids. That isn't really the issue, if the former
> keeper gave a damn about display integrity they'd go the extra mile. Now,
I
> don't wish to speak ill of my fellow zookeepers but I'll give two
examples
> (Note, these people don't necessarily work at any insitution with which I
> am, or have, worked).
>
> 1) This zookeeper has been working in aquaria for the last 5
years. I
> can tell by talking to him he knows his stuff to some
degree. I
> can also tell he just doesn't give a crap anymore, in
fact he's
> going to school to work in computer programing. He's
hanging on
> because he's got senority, a cushy job, and is secure in
his
> position.
>
> 2) Another zookeeper worked mainly hoofstock before being
transfered
> into a fish section (long story). He is trying his best
and
> works very hard, but this is not his passion. He tends to
buy
> fish due to some internal colour scheme, he recently
bought
> some turquose blue dwarf gourami's. Even though this fish
is
> a mutant hybrid he'd like to display them because they
look
> pretty.
>
> I'll admit, sometimes I feel like saying "To hell with it, the
> public won't know and doesn't care". This week we escorted 3 groups of
> people out of our building because they think its their "right" to wash
> their hands in tanks, feed pennies to our turtles, or make our cobras
hood
> up by banging on the glass.
>
> I feel, as most zookeepers should, that it is by professional
duty
> (and payback for having what is usually a wonderfull job) to display
> animals as you would find them in the wild (plants, substrate, etc,
etc.).
> I think any job worth doing is worth doing right, many people, in many
> professions, would agrue otherwise. I'm not trying to defend either side
> here, I can see why things happen either way even though I might
> necessarily agree.
>
> Well, I've got to go take care of some large furry animals right
> now so I'll get off my soap box (sorry if I've sounded as if I was
> lecturing). I hope I haven't offended anyone, or driven them to think all
> zookeepers are ***holes. If any one is ever in CO and would like a tour,
> drop me a line before hand. I am always willing to take time to show the
> interested people around the zoo and have a good chat about fish (and my
> bark is really worse than my bite).
>
> P.S. Roy, I'll try and call you this week/weekend (that is if you'd
still
> like to talk :-) ).
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Alex
>
> asaunders at mho.net
> Denver Zoo,
Denver,CO
> Any fish is a good fish
> (especially with a little
butter)
>
>
>
>
>