If asked the question, “Do you have a training program at your zoo or aquarium?” a director might talk about a diabetic monkey that has been trained to take insulin injections and answers, “Yes, we have a training program.” But what happens if the animal caretaker who trained that monkey leaves the zoo? Does the ability to inject the monkey leave with that animal caretaker? If a director was asked to characterize his/her training program, what would that include?

The point here is that isolated training events do not constitute programs. Similarly, simply identifying a staff position (e.g., Enrichment and Training Coordinator) does not constitute a program. In contrast to what sometimes occurs with training, other programs such as veterinary care or nutrition are not implemented in a haphazard way. Veterinary care and nutritional plans are integrated programs and there is an expectation at the director, curator, and animal caretaker levels that animals will be medicated and fed in a prescribed and consistent manner (Shepherdson and Carlstead 2000). Most zoo training programs are not yet integrated or self-sustaining, i.e., they are dependent upon a few highly motivated animal caretakers. And finally, some current training programs lack strong leadership or direction (i.e., “What is our goal?”). Zoos and aquariums that have small sectors with successful training do not have successful programs. A successful program is goal-oriented, self-sustaining, and integrated into daily management of the animals – just as veterinary care and adequate nutrition are integrated into daily management. We suggest that a successful husbandry training program is dependent upon three important components: a solid framework; staff training; and perhaps most critically strong leadership (Sevenich MacPhee and Mellen 2000).