Hey there, friends, and welcome to episode 316 of Just the Zoo of Us.

This week, I am joined by a wildlife ambassador and care specialist at none other than the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Maybe you've heard of it to talk about the towering birds that are ready to literally rumble cassowaries.

We discuss short kings and feminine rage,

a secret bird language that humans can't hear,

nature's best dads,

getting a modern dinosaur to be brave for his shots,

and so much more.

Just the Zoo of Us presents the Southern Cassowary with Marco Wint.

Music with Marco Wint. Hello, everybody. This is Ellen Weatherford with Just the Zoo of Us, your favorite animal review podcast. I'm so excited this week because I have a brand new friend for y'all. It doesn't feel like a brand new friend for me because we've been mutuals on social media for like a thousand years. So I feel like we're like buddies already. But I'm really excited to finally get to talk to you on the podcast. This is Marco Wendt. Say hi, Marko. Hey, everybody. Buenos Aires. Thanks for having me. Thank you for being here. Marco, what are your pronouns?

Ooh, I am he, him, his, and I appreciate you asking. Thank you so much. I'm so excited to talk to you because you are live on location.

I am. We're a lot. In fact, when I was coming to this office to do this amazing interview, I was hearing the tigers at the zoo vocalizing this morning. That was your fanfare. That's your intro music. You know how, like, in wrestling, when someone comes on stage, they got, like, the intro music playing? I mean, I don't want to be bragging your friend, but yeah, you'll see a flukkahs, maybe a roaring tiger, maybe a booming cassowary. You never know.

I feel like, because you are on location, on the scene of like world stage, everybody knows.

If you've ever heard of a zoo, you've heard of the San Diego Zoo.

Thank you. I feel like it was one of those places where like when I was a kid, every time I would

read like books about zoos or animals or something, it was always like San Diego Zoo is getting mentioned every time. I mean, I don't want to be braggy, but I think you're right, you know. But, you know, I do, with all, with all respect of all the accredited zoos and aquariums around the world. I mean, everyone does a lot of great work, right? But yeah, you know, it's not a contest.

It's not a contest, but if it was, maybe we all respect of all the accredited zoos and aquariums around the world. I mean, everyone does a lot

of great work, right? But yeah, you know, it's not a contest. It's not a contest, but if it was, maybe we do pretty good. Now, what did that journey look like for you? Because I feel like San Diego Zoo is such like a, like a dream job for a lot of people. How did you wind up here? Yeah, yeah, and just to add a little more to the complexity of the story, you know, so you're saying San Diego Zoo, which is the zoo in the heart of San Diego in Baboa Park, if your listeners aren't familiar, in the heart of San Diego City proper. I grew up in what's called the North County of San Diego. It's where you find the beautiful safari park. So the company is San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance with two conservation parks. And how I got started?

16, friend, out of high school. Yeah. You were a baby. I was a baby. There was a summer job. I remember the description of the job was nectar eating animals at the time called the wild animal park now the safari park. I thought it was going to be butterflies. Maybe I'm doing something with butterflies. So I show up. I get the interview. I get the job.

And I find out it's actually not a butterfly. It's a bird called a lorikeet, which is a nectar-eating

parrot. Yeah. They're adorable. Look him up, guys. They're awesome birds.

So cute.

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