Animal Behavior Conversations: The Podcast of The ABMA

Author: Shane Gorbett, Board of Directors, The Animal Behavior Management Alliance

The Animal Behavior Management Alliance (ABMA) strives to spread knowledge throughout the animal care field to help enhance animal care through operant conditioning. Each episode we will discuss a topic in the world of animal care and break down the science of behavior change. To achieve this, the podcasts host, Shane Gorbett, will interview fellow trainers and experts from across the world to discuss all things training, behavior, enrichment, welfare, and much more! This podcast will be a great resource for all trainers. Let's talk some training and banter about behavior!
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Language: en

Genres: Kids & Family, Pets & Animals

Contact email: Get it

Feed URL: Get it

iTunes ID: Get it

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75: Enrichment - Where We're At and Where We're Going with a special guest panel of Nicki Boyd, Rick Hester, and Elly Neumann
Episode 75
Thursday, 5 March, 2026

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 episode ends with looking towards the future with the role of animal personality in enrichment and innovative ways to implement a free operant strategy for enrichment. Instead of a "Training Tale" to end the episode, each panelist gives their best advice for taking your enrichment to new heights. For questions or suggestions about the podcast or to ask any of the panelists a question email ⁠abc@theabma.org⁠For more information on the ABMA’s virtual conference visit this link: ⁠⁠https://www.theabma.org/virtual-conference⁠4:35 Introduction to panelists 8:00 The focus on the animals’ experience and creating a new system 17:10 Updating the animals’ environment 24:10 How to look to nature to inform enrichment 26:40 How can we set up keepers for success when it comes to planning, implementing, and tracking enrichment 43:40 If an animal is displaying aggressive behaviors towards enrichment, can that impact the animal’s behavior outside of interactions with enrichment? 51:15 The role individual animal personality plays in enrichment 59:40 Free Operant Enrichment 1:07:45 The evolution of “audio” enrichment