Zoo Dudes E6: From Zookeeper to Zoo Director with Gene Peacock

What does the path from zookeeper to corner office really look like? In this episode of Zoo Dudes, Gene Peacock, Director of Zoo Boise, joins Gary, Larry, and Adam to trace a career that began as a weekend part-time keeper in North Carolina and wound through elephants, primates, and red pandas before landing in the director's chair. Gene shares hard-won lessons on working free versus protected contact with elephants, designing exhibits that serve animals and guests alike, and the surprising ways a zoo's governance — municipal, nonprofit, or some hybrid of the two — shapes everything from budgets and conservation funding to how it weathers a change in administration. Along the way, the guys dig into "zoo kids" — the unique experience of raising children who grow up hand-rearing red pandas and thinking it's perfectly normal. Gene also spotlights two species close to his heart: Laura the wolverine, Zoo Boise's elusive star, and the critically endangered African painted dogs that anchor the zoo's conservation partnership with Gorongosa National Park.In This Episode02:15  How Gene ended up in Boise — and the unusual road to becoming a zoo director03:00  From a weekend keeper job in North Carolina to a career: anthropology, primatology, and falling into the field06:10  Primates, aye-ayes, and a winding tour through Knoxville, North Carolina, Oklahoma City, and Zoo Atlanta10:10  Working elephants in free vs. protected contact — and why the whole field changed14:10  Designing big habitats that work for both the animals and the guests17:50  How direct animal care shapes the way Gene leads as a director21:30  The accidental path to the director's chair: Brandywine Zoo to Zoo Boise25:55  Raising "zoo kids" — and why they turn out a little different35:35  Zoo governance 101: municipal, nonprofit, and hybrid models — and why every zoo operates differently44:35  Surviving administration changes and Boise's "quarters for conservation" model50:30  The two things every director does most: be a cheerleader and be a referee56:40  What Gene looks for when hiring, and honest advice for breaking into the field1:03:30  Species spotlight: Laura the wolverine & the African painted dogs of Gorongosa National ParkAbout the GuestGene Peacock is the Director of Zoo Boise in Boise, Idaho, a role he has held since 2018, and also serves as Executive Director of the Friends of Zoo Boise nonprofit. With nearly four decades in the profession, Gene began as a part-time keeper in North Carolina and worked hands-on with primates, elephants, and more before moving into leadership at the Brandywine Zoo in Delaware and then Zoo Boise. Under his leadership, Zoo Boise directs roughly 12% of its annual revenue to conservation, supporting partners including Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique.Links & ResourcesZoo Boise — zooboise.orgGorongosa National Park — gorongosa.orgAnimal Care and Conservation Academy (ACCA) — professional development for zoo and aquarium teams — https://theanimalcareacademy.com/