Animal Behavior Conversations: The Podcast of The ABMA

This episode, through daily live recordings, features a recap of the 2026 ABMA-IAATE Annual Joint Conference (March 30-April 2, 2026) hosted by Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio, United States. Each day of the conference, one of the presenters for the day discusses their presentation and other learning that impacted them. 

Day 1: Brett Williams, North Carolina Zoo, United States

Day 2: Tzu Ying Lee, Mandai Wildlife Group, Singapore

Day 3: Tom Morath, Hawk Conservancy Trust & Nature’s A Hoot Podcast, United Kingdom

If you are an ABMA member be sure to log in to AnimalProfessional.com to watch mos...

This episode continues on "The Behaviors of..." series which dives into the people side of the animal care field. This episode, is a live panel recording from the 2026 ABMA-IAATE Joint Annual Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States with live submitted questions from conference attendees. The panelists discuss “The Behaviors of Partnering for Success” and give advice for both formal leadership and frontline staff.  Among other topics asked by the live audience, the panelists discuss what it means to be a good teammate, setting up systems for success, how to “disagree well”, and how leadership and staff can partner together for succe...

To commemorate the 75th episode of the podcast, a special guest panel discuss current progressive practices in enrichment and the future of innovative enrichment strategies. The panel consists of Nicki Boyd (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance), Rick Hester (Cheyenne Mountain Zoo & BehaviorWorks), and Elly Neumann (Jerusalem Zoo).  The discussion starts with looking to nature to inform enrichment and using that knowledge to create environments that are responsive to the animals’ experience.  Next, the panel discusses strategies for setting up an enrichment program for success.  The panel also answers listeners questions about aggression and the evolution of audio enrichment. The episo...

This episode continues on "The Behaviors of..." series which dives into the people side of the animal care field. This episode, is a live panel recording from the 2025 ABMA Virtual Conference with live submitted questions from conference attendees. The panelists include leaders at all levels of animal care from keepers to curators to executive directors which give a holistic view and advice on what leadership can look like at any level in the animal care field. The panelist are Chris Jenkins, Clint Lusardi, Darren Minier, Julie Grove, Missy Lamar, Sandy Jabas, Shea Eaves, Stephanie Joe, Torianna Green, and Trelle...

This is a very special episode where we highlight ABMA’s 2025 Premier Sponsor: Pets for Vets with the organization’s founder and executive director Clarissa Black.  Clarissa starts by discussing how the organization was formed, what the organization does, and their very important mission.  She then gives information on how trainers can get involved with the organization and the process for applying for a pet while sharing some incredible and life-changing success stories.  Clarissa finishes the conversation by giving advice and learning into the world of therapy pet training and examples of some of the incredible training that is accompl...

This episode Ryan Cartlidge, Animal Training Academy, discusses how to get “unstuck” in training. Ryan starts the episode by operationalizing what getting “stuck” in training may look like and the process of thinking “How do I get unstuck?”  Ryan breaks down this process into three steps 1. Building a tool kit of knowledge 2. Having the Courage to Act and 3. Having the Systems for Learning in place. Throughout the entire episode Ryan details multiple tactics and learnings that can assist in getting unstuck such as understanding reinforcement systems, videoing your training sessions, utilizing flowcharts, and so much more!   Stay tuned in for Ryan’s ver...

This episode continues on "The Behaviors of..." series which dives into the people side of the animal care field. This episode, which is a continuation of episode 29, Dave O’Connell, Bearizona, discusses “The Behaviors of a Unified and Supportive Team”.  The biggest takeaway from the entire episode is that one of the most important behaviors of a supportive team is the ability to talk with another.  Through talking with one another we are able to create shared team goals, disagree in a productive and positive manner, give and receive growth minded feedback, and provide effective corrective feedback.  Dave discusses that the...

This episode Justin Garner, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, provides some great learning on behavior chains and the process of chaining.  Justin starts by breaking down the process of chaining while giving practical application examples.  The discussion then dives into how a behavior chain works and dissects what it means for each behavior in the chain to serve as both a discriminative stimulus and a conditioned reinforcer.  Justin then explains the difference between backward and forward chaining and why it is recommended to utilize backward chaining.  The discussion ends with advice on preventing behavior chain breakdown and an explanation on the...

This episode wraps up (for now) the two episode arc discussing how changing conditions can change motivation with Wouter Stellaard, Behavior 360 and the Kuzo Group. Before listening to this episode, please take the time to listen to Part 1 of this topic which is episode 68 of the podcast.  This episode is a direct continuation of Episode 68 in which Wouter discusses a multitude of ways in which we can change conditions to change motivation without utilizing diet/weight management.  Wouter discusses strategies if you have come to “the last stop” and determined that the best decision is using food to change motiva...

This episode begins a two episode arc discussing how changing conditions can change motivation with Wouter Stellaard, Behavior 360 and the Kuzo Group. In this episode Wouter discusses the many, and not exclusive, ways in which we can change conditions to change motivation that do not involve diet management.  The episode begins by discussing motivation as a construct and a label and then breaking down motivating operations and setting events. Wouter educates on the many ways in which we can alter antecedents and the environment in order to effect motivation.  Additionally, Wouter encourages listeners to evaluate ourselves and our shaping pl...

This episode Ari Bailey, Natural Encounters, Inc., discusses a topic that she will be presenting on at the IAATE Symposium titled “Get Out of the Way and Let Behavior Happen.”  The episode is a great conversation that focuses on recognizing when to fade out and when to implement specific tools such as baiting, prompts, target, etc.  Ari also gives advice on how to approach others with ideas on changing or trying something new in the training process.  The discussion finishes with Ari discussing how getting out of the way of the animal’s behavior can create more consistent and resilient...

This episode Dr. Susan Friedman, Behavior Works, provides some great learning and insights into a multitude of current topics surrounding the science of behavior change.  Dr. Friedman starts with discussing the Hierarchy of Behavior Change Procedures; what it is, how we can view it to provide optimal welfare to animals, and also the importance of antecedent arrangement and the environment to behavior change.  She also breaks down what it means and looks like in practice when we strive for most positive, least intrusive, effective intervention.  Dr. Friedman then gives a summary on the free operant approach to enrichment.  She fini...

This episode, through daily live recordings, features a recap of the 2025 ABMA Annual Conference (April 27 - May 2 2025) hosted by Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas, United States. Each day of the conference, one of the presenters for the day discusses their presentation and other learning that impacted them. 

Day 1: Marie Filipek, Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park

Day 2: Heidi Moomaw, Charles River Labs

Day 3: Benjamin Fainsod, Jerusalem Zoo

Day 4: Matthew Nguyen & Li Shan Tan, Resorts World Sentosa

If you are an ABMA member be sure to log in to Animalprofessional.com t...

This episode was a live panel recording at the 2025 ABMA annual conference in Galveston Texas hosted by Moody Gardens.  The expert panel consisted of Tim Sullivan - Brookfield Zoo, Elly Neumann - Jerusalem Zoo, Nicki Boyd- San Diego Zoo, Anaka Nazareth - National Aquarium, and Chris Jenkins - Natural Encounters Inc.  The panel’s theme was “The Importance of Behavior in Modern Animal Care” with questions submitted in real time from the conference attendees. The panel discussed a wide range of topics ranging from the growth of the role behavior plays in welfare to the evolution and next steps in enric...

This episode Steve Martin, President and CEO of Natural Encounters, Inc., discusses training on a continuum by moving away from coercion and towards genuine choice. Steve starts the episode by giving a review of the concepts of choice and… control with some practical examples.  The discussion then turns to breaking down behavioral degrees of freedom, genuine choice, and coercion with many more great practical examples. The episode ends with Steve outlining that real-world animal training requires us to train on the continuum but always striving towards providing genuine choice in order to enhance an animal’s welfare.  Stay tuned in for...

This episode Mel Paynter and Alyse Stitt, Georgia Aquarium, discuss motivation in the context of animal behavior and training.  In part 1 of this two episode discussion Mel and Alyse discuss what motivation is, what it looks like in practice, and give some o-fish-ally great examples from the many aquatic species that they work with in the Ocean Voyager habitat at the Georgia Aquarium.  They both dive deeper into breaking down and discussing some of the numerous stimuli and events that can affect motivation.   The discussion finishes with their advice on how to productively and effectively use motivation as a too...

This episode Shane Gorbett, Philadelphia Zoo and host of the podcast, discusses and breaks down fading. Shane first discusses examples of what fading looks like in practice and how we can apply the artful application of the science of behavior change in order to know when and how to fade.  Shane also discusses the challenges of fading too quickly, too slowly, or not at all.  Stay tuned in for Shane’s "Training Tale" about Nile crocodile crate training and the importance of paying attention to the communication that we provide to animals.  Visit www.theabma.org for more information and f...

This episode Tricia Dees, the second vice president of the ABMA, continues on with the discussion from Episode 59 and goes deeper into primary/unconditioned and secondary/conditioned reinforcers.  Tricia gives some common examples of primary/unconditioned and secondary/conditioned reinforcers but also talks about how individual preference plays a role in determining what is actually a reinforcer for each individual.  The discussion then turns to why and how we can condition a reinforcer and the importance of watching the animal’s behavior to ensure that a conditioned reinforcer maintains its effectiveness. Stay tuned in for Tricia’s “Training Tale” about how...

Welcome back for the first episode of 2025!  This episode Shawna Spencer, Coral World Ocean Park, dives deeper into breaking down reinforcers and punishers.  This episode is full of examples and practical applications.  Shawna starts with a brief introduction to primary and secondary reinforcers before listing examples of common reinforcers and punishers.  The episode finishes with a discussion about how reinforcers can change over time and how to tell if something is no longer a reinforcer for an animal.  Stay tuned in for Shawna’s two doggone great “Training Tales”, one featuring dog training in German.  You can also learn more informa...

This episode Jose Bello, Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, discusses superstitious behavior. Jose starts with breaking down what it means for a behavior to be superstitious and examples of what that looks like in a practical application.  Next, Jose educates about the “potential danger” in labeling behaviors as superstitious and how taking the blame away from the animal and placing it on us as the trainers, can give us a better understanding of what is accidentally reinforcing or punishing a superstitious behavior. The episode ends with a discussion and a reminder that all behavior has function and how that mi...

In a special ABMA Behavior Month 2024 episode, Jonelle Mason, California National Primate Research Center - UC Davis, discusses training and behavior in a research setting. Jonelle educates about the similarities and differences between training, cooperative care, and enrichment programs in a zoo compared to a research setting. Additionally, Jonelle talks about some of the unique challenges that arise and the future of behavior management within a research setting. Stay tuned in for Jonelle's "Training Tale" about training her pet corn snake to help with a regurgitation issue. For questions or suggestions about the podcast email abc@theabma.org and...

This episode Sam Meinke, Palm Beach Zoo, and podcast host, Shane Gorbett, discusses what it means to be a modern zookeeper. The definition of what a zookeeper is and does has drastically changed and is constantly evolving as we continue to progress animal care forward. Some other modern zookeepers were kind enough to share what being a modern zookeeper means to them so Sam and Shane dissect those answers as we redefine what it means to be a zookeeper. The discussion wraps up with the importance of redefining what a modern zookeeper is and does both for the knowledge...

This episode Rick Hester, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and BehaviorWorks, discusses a free operant approach to behavior management. Rick starts with explaining the practical application of free operant behavior and, in order to get the full scope, also discusses discrete trial training and the relationship between the two. Breaking down some of the science, Rick educates about Lindsley's (1996) Four Free Operant Freedoms and the considerations for providing and maintaining a free operant environment (depletion, satiation, and dosage of resources). Rick finishes the episode with giving advice on how to start curating free operant environments by celebrating each approximation. Stay tuned...

This episode continues on "The Behaviors of..." series which dives into the human side of the animal care field. In this episode Scott Trauger, Natural Encounters, Inc., dives deeper into a discussion centered around his presentation at the 2024 ABMA Annual Conference titled "Expanding Our Feedback Loop: Evolving the Way that We Give Feedback to Our Peers". Scott discusses the different types of feedback and considerations to think about in order to effectively give specific and honest, but also kind, feedback. Scott also discusses the thought of also giving choice and... control to people while providing feedback. Stay tuned in...

This episode we are joined by Tegan Noel, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, to discuss some practical applications and examples of providing choice and... control. This episode is a continuation of Episode 50 where Ken Ramirez broke down the science of choice and... control. The episode starts with Tegan commenting how the focus of those two topics have changed and shaped behavior in recent years. Additionally, she educates about what it means to remove "forced" choice and providing control through the use of encouraging animals to say now. Tegan gives thoughtful examples of providing choice and... control and why it...

This episode we are joined once again by Chris Jenkins of Natural Encounters, Inc. in order to dive deeper into Antecedents, specially looking at Distant Antecedents and navigating the role they play in behavior.  This episode is a continuation of Episode 6 where Chris broke down the fundamentals of Antecedents. The episode starts with defining the difference between immediate and distant antecedents and then shifts to the slippery slope that is labeling behavior using distant antecedents as the reason. Chris educates about how behavior is influenced by a myriad of environmental conditions and gives advice on how to take away t...

This episode continues on "The Behaviors of..." series which dives into the human side of the animal care field. In this episode Justin Garner, Committee Chair for The ABMA, helps to give advice on how to successfully implement change. The discussion begins with ideas and advice on communicating ideas to others and how to then put those ideas into action. Justin and Shane also talk through ideas to overcome some of the common "roadblocks" to successfully implementing change including not enough time, we've always done it this way, and a lack of resources. Stay tuned in for a "Training...

For the 50th episode of the podcast, special guest Ken Ramirez, Karen Pryor Clicker Training breaks down what it means to provide animals with choice and... control. Ken discuss why these terms have often been connected and how to ensure that we are providing both for animals. Ken also speaks to the importance of training in a modern animal setting and how it can be used to help animals get to the "yes" behavior in order to provide control. This episode is filled with practical examples that can provide clarity and help to focus these topics into welfare discussions. Stay...

This episode Sandy Jabas, The First VP of The ABMA, discusses what it means for a behavior to be under stimulus control. Sandy educates about how to tell if a behavior is under stimulus control and also the importance of stimulus control in our training. Sandy also teases the 2025 ABMA Annual Conference in Galveston, Texas hosted by Moody Gardens! Stay tuned in for three "Training Tales" about a funny mishap when shifting dolphins, a dolphin tail fluke splash gone wrong, and interesting research about dolphin dive reflex. For questions or suggestions about the podcast email abc@theabma.org and...

This episode, through daily live recordings, features a recap of the 2024 ABMA annual conference (April 15-19 2024) hosted by the Nashville Zoo. Each day of the conference, one of the presenters for the day discusses their presentation and other learning that impacted them. 

Day 1: Benjamin Fainsod, Jerusalem Zoo & The Animal Behavior Community (carnivores@jerusalemzoo.org)

Day 2: Dr. Cathy Mingee, North Carolina Zoo (cathy.mingee@nczoo.org)

Day 3: Cam Luna, Nashville Zoo (cluna@nashvillezoo.org)

Day 4: Chandelle Cotter, Bird Treatment and Learning Center (chandelle_cotter@birdtlc.org)

If you are an A...

This episode Tim Sullivan, Brookfield Zoo Chicago and one of the founders of The ABMA, discusses how to use behavioral goals to provide purposeful lives to animals. Tim starts by giving a little history to the founding of The ABMA and then jumps into discussing why behavior is an all encompassing word. If you were at the 2024 ABMA annual conference in Nashville or if you are an ABMA member and watch Tim's environmental enrichment workshop on animalprofessional.com, this podcast episode is a great companion to his presentation. Tim educates about shifting our mindset in order to provide purposeful...

This episode Sarah van Herpt, Animals Asia - Vietnam, discusses relationship and trust building with animals who previously lived in adverse and traumatic environments. Animals Asia rescues bears from the bear bile industry so Sarah is able to give practical examples of how they help the rescued bears move from trauma to trust. Sarah educates about desensitization and different techniques used to build trust such as temporarily using negative reinforcement with animals where the best reinforcer is distance and space. Sarah also talks about how to build trust back quickly after a situation that may require some of that...

This episode is a collaboration with AAZK (American Association of Zoo Keepers) for their "Spotlight on Aquariums Week". The guests for this episode are Sarah Snider-Keys from the Board of Directors of AAZK and Sarah (SK) Ivkovich from The Dolphin Research Center (DRC) as they discuss behavior management in an aquatic setting. Sarah and SK discuss some of the differences and challenges of working with purely aquatic species and some of the creative solutions and successes that come from an aquatic setting. This episode also touches on when and how to start training baby animals and training animals in...

This episode Cassie Malina, Awesome Animal Solutions, discusses a topic that has been requested by multiple listeners: How to start a behavior program! Cassie starts by detailing what a behavior program could entail, where to start, and how to approach leadership and your team about the process. Cassie also discusses all of the benefits of starting a behavior program to both animal and human wellness. Stay tuned in for two "Training Tales" from Cassie! The first involves a crowned crane learning the importance of an elevator and the second is a unique way in which a hyacinth macaw learned...

This episode Heather Samper, Moody Gardens and “All Things ABMA”, discusses the importance of body language while training. The first part of the episode focuses on learning to read an animal learner’s body language, how to implement that into your sessions, and the benefits of being a keen listener of body language.  The second portion of the episode focuses on why it is so vital for us as trainers to be cognizant of our own body language.  Stay tuned in for two "Training Tales" from Heather! The first is a hilarious story involving a coati and Russian secret service...

This episode Kelli Meyers, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, discusses The 10 Modern Principles of Shaping as created by Karen Pryor and how they have evolved from "The 10 Laws of Shaping". Kelli breaks down each principle and gives advice on how to best implement and think about each of the principles. The 10 principles can be found below in the timestamps for this episode. Stay tuned in for Kelli's "Training Tale" about how she had to get really creative with her body positioning (hint: it included floating in the middle of the habitat) to help teach a sea lion a "clapping" behavior...

This episode Esther Verhoeven discusses the human perception of animal intelligence (both from the point of view of an animal care professional and a guest) and how that effects behavior. The conversation starts with Esther discussing how behaviorists should view animal intelligence so that it doesn't create excuses or affect the way we manage the animals in our care. Esther finishes the discussion by commenting on educating guests about animal intelligence and the importance of the language that we use when talking to and about animals. Stay tuned in for Esther's "Training Tale" as she dives into discussing how...

This episode Gabby Harris, uShake Sea World, discusses an article that she wrote for "Engage", the quarterly behavior publication of The ABMA. The article is titled "Welfare Considerations for Behavior Management of Animals in Human-Care: The Role of Self Regulation”. Gabby educates about why self-regulation can affect an animal's wellbeing and how we can provide opportunities for self-regulation to animals. Stay tuned in for two "Training Tales" each focusing on learning moments with dolphins! For questions or suggestions about the podcast email abc@theabma.org and to contact Gabby email gabby@seaworld.org.za or visit her website: www.to...

This episode Kyle Banton-Jones, Wild Enrichment, discusses the importance of focusing on the individual vs the group or species in regards to behavioral husbandry. This episode was recorded in collaboration with Kyle's podcast and is a compliment to episode 53 of the Wild Enrichment Podcast, so be sure to check out here: https://wildenrichment.podbean.com In continuation from that episode, Kyle talks about the evolution of enrichment and advancing behavioral husbandry of under-represented species. Additionally, Kyle discusses an article that he wrote, "Behavioral Husbandry for the Individual", and gives considerations for focusing on both the species/group while also...

This episode Dani Larson, Southwick's Zoo, discusses prompts and how they provide additional information to animal learners. Dani gives great examples of prompts and discusses the difference between a prompt and a discriminative stimulus. Additionally, Dani educates about the importance of fading prompts, but also how to utilize prompts when a behavior breakdown. Stay tuned in for a wild "Training Tale" about how Dani used a soup spoon to teach her dog "Paw". For questions or suggestions about the podcast email abc@theabma.org and to reach Dani contact her on Instagram, @danipoirier, or email dani@southwickszoo.com Let's t...