Suzanne Akerman Returns!

Friend of the show, Suzanne Akerman, returns to give an update on the haps at Point Defiance Zoo. Suzanne spends her days sharing her passion for animals with visitors at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium where she works as a staff biologist for the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater. When she is not performing in shows or scooping poop, Suzanne is chair of Drinking for Conservation, a committee dedicated to conserving wildlife through fun social gatherings. Her hobbies include reading, solving crossword puzzles, trivia, dancing, and occasional modeling. Suzanne holds a B.A in English and an M.A. in Education from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma and an M.A. in Biology from Miami University. She’s joined the GCP cast also on episodes 110, 80, 76, and 16!

01:44 – Brogan gives the team a review of how his day has been so far, they share type of alcohol they’re enjoying, and Brogan gives an update on when Cosmic Bottles is opening. Suzanne share’s how she’s feeling, things she’s been doing at the Point Defiance Zoo, and how the zoo has been shifting during Covid. She shares cool tarantula facts, the wide range of critters she gets to work with, and the new avenues the zoo has opened up during this crazy time.

21:12 – Jeff throws his otter question to Suzanne, he reminds listeners that otters do have a great PR team but they are monsters, and Suzanne talks about plans to send Jeff a special shout out from the Sea Otters. She talks about the upcoming event with Drinking for Conservation, they talk about the various Zoom meetings they’re all attending, and Suzanne explains what the Grit City Carnivore Project is.

39:11 – Brogan shares that his dog howls when he plays the harmonica, Suzanne expands on what that phenomenon is, and Justin encourages Brogan to share that on TikTok. Brogan gives props to the GIFs on Discord, Justin poses the question on if the zoo has a hippo, and Suzanne shares that the zoo in Seattle has one. Brogan suggests that they host a live Drinking for Conservation when Cosmic Bottles opens, Justin talks about Pierce County Restaurant Rally, and Scott asks Suzanne what animals she loves to see and work with at the zoo.

58:48 – Suzanne agrees to go out with GCP on their Big Foot Hunt, Justin shares his excitement on who their upcoming guest is going to be, and they share their favorite Clownvis songs. Scott talks about their new shirts that are available to their Patreon listeners, gives a shout out to their latest Patriot, and Suzanne talks about the methods used to train a tortoise to do tricks. Suzanne lets the group know how kids that are interested in being a zookeeper can start getting involved in it now, how adorable tiny pigmy rabbits are, and Justin encourages listeners to join their Patreon team!

Thanks Suzanne for catching up and letting us know what’s been going on at Point Defiance Zoo!

• Cougar Mountain Zoo
• Prom for Penguins!!! — Free for people to drop in and share some ways to raise money for penguins!
• Grit City Carnivore Project — Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is partnering with the Schell Lab at the University of Washington, Tacoma and Northwest Trek on a community science project – reporting sightings of carnivores like coyotes and raccoons in the greater Tacoma area.
• Pierce County Restaurant Rally
• Pygmy Rabbit - Conservation Northwest — Washington’s pygmy rabbits are small, few and far between. We’re working to conserve and improve their habitat.