How does one go from being a marine mammal trainer to an employee at the Wildlife World Zoo? Ask Dr. Grey Stafford.  The self-proclaimed animal lover and zoology expert went from a stint at the Sea World of Ohio to earning his doctoral degree to heading up terrestrial and avian species as the Curator of Education at the Wildlife World Zoo and then as Director of Animal Management for Dolphin Quest.  He found himself back at Wildlife World Zoo later as Director of Conservation.

Sounds like a handful of animals already, but Grey says they never lose their appeal and even has his own pets at home with his wife.  Paw-Talk had the chance to talk to Grey about his promising animal career, his guide to training animals with positive reinforcement ZOOmility, and his subsequent website iReinforce presenting powerful tales of training animals using this positive reinforcement method.

Every once in a while, when I have the day off and the sun is shining, I drive up the New Jersey Turnpike, across the George Washington Bridge into New York City, and into the heart of the Bronx. It is there, nestled among the city blocks choked with apartment buildings, that Amur tigers, ring-tailed lemurs, giraffes, and western gorillas have taken up residence in the venerable institution known as the Bronx Zoo.

Even though I have lived in central New Jersey for almost 27 years I had never been to the Bronx Zoo until a few years ago. I first visited it as part of a class trip for a college zoology course and I was greatly impressed. The Bronx Zoo was very different from the small menageries my parents had taken me to as a child, places where leopards paced behind chain-link fences and monkeys huddled in sterile, concrete cells.

So you want to help the animal conservation and protection movement, but you're not sure what to do, where to go, who to talk to.  Enter WorldAnimal.net, an extensive network of animal protection societies with over 3,000 affiliates in more than 100 countries.   WorldAnimal.net's directory and website helps connect with animal organization across the world and even offers resources and ways to campaign for animal education, animal rights, animal rescue, and more. 

Wim de Kok, who maintains WorldAnimal.net's large directory was kind enough to offer some facts about the network and site for our Paw-Talk readers.

What kind of animal groups affiliate themselves with you?

Big and small, local and national, animal rights and animal welfare. The only requirement is that they work through legal means.

And now, a word from our favorite Science Cheerleader: 

Yale's official mascot (known as Handsome Dan XV11, or Sherman, if you live with him) was in Philly for the Yale vs Penn game so I thought I'd help give him a science makeover with the help of Discover Magazine.  He's definitely an Ivy Leaguer. (Thanks Keli, Churchill, and Dana for your participation.)

For more on Darlene Cavalier, the genius behind The Science Cheerleader, which aims to increase adult science literacy, help people learn about and get involved in citizen science projects, and create opportunities for people to participate in science and technology policy discussion, check out her accomplished site at ScienceCheerleader.com

Regardless of how lovable you may think they are, pit bulls need rescuing just as much as any other kind of dog.  In fact, according to statistics, pit bull type dogs are the most abused and misunderstood dogs in the US! And they need caretakers and loving homes!

Marcy Setter, a volunteer for Pit Bull Rescue Central explains why they need saving and what her organization, a virtual pet shelter and educational resource center, is doing to help the cause. 

What is Pit Bull Rescue Central and what are its goals?

Pit Bull Rescue Central, Inc. (PBRC) is an online virtual shelter and educational resource center for owners, rescuers, caretakers and shelters dedicated to the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier and pit bull mixes.  PBRC has been on-line since 1996 and became a 501(c) 3, in July of 2002.  Our organization is 100% volunteer run.  PBRC volunteers come across the United States, Canada and Europe.  Our volunteers are extremely knowledgeable and include: veterinarians, technicians, dog trainers, shelter personnel, rescuers and pit bull owners.

Terrie Miller is a woman with big dreams in areas of science and animals and she has the projects behind her to prove it.  First up, a glorious weblog called CitizenSci.com in order to help all people realize their true science potential (every single person has a bit of scientist in them, she tell us), to help adults reconnect to nature, and to keep track of all the citizen science projects she's been able to find in retrospect.  

But wait, there's more! Terrie is also a prominent bird watcher, beginning with hawks at the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory and gradually towards other birds, participating in a nest watch, feeder watch and more for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  

While no longer concentrating on her animal site Crittergeek, she is putting some emphasis towards Permie.net, a site about permaculture, the design practice of creating truly sustainable human settlements that cooperate with natural ecosystems.

In the mean time, here at Paw-Talk, we're avidly following her and can't wait to see what she does next!