W Dedication . Inspiration . Conservation . When he was a boy growing up in Oklahoma, Norberto “Bert” Castro attended a birthday party for friends at the Tulsa Zoo. After his mother picked him up, the 7-year-old son of Cuban immigrants told her he knew what he wanted to do with his life. “I want to be a zookeeper, and I want to take care of the elephant that I got to meet today,” Castro recalled. Seventeen years later, after earning a degree in zoology, Castro did become that elephant’s keeper. Her name was Gunda, and she was an Asian elephant. “I was mystified and amazed at how smart she was,” Castro said. “I’ve had a tremendous love for animals all of my life, so that has been my calling.” Over the past 35 years, Castro has heeded that call at six zoos, starting as a volunteer and then working as a zookeeper, curator, executive director and, now, president and CEO of the Phoenix Zoo. Over that time, he’s seen how zoos have evolved from menageries where people came to gawk at animals to bio parks to conservation organizations. “Even though they’re family-oriented and great places to have wholesome fun and see animals from all over the world, our mission is to protect animals and ensure that they will be around for many, many years to come,” he said. THE PHOENIX ZOO HAS FOUND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO COPE, CONNECT AND CONTINUE TO CARE FOR ITS ANIMALS AUGUST 2020 | 20 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA COVER STORY {by karen werner}

“You have to be prepared to pivot and find ways to ensure the success of your organization. That’s what we’ve tried to do here at the Phoenix Zoo.” FRONTDOORS MEDIA | 21 | AUGUST 2020