After 20 years leading Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo, Karen Fifield is preparing to step down as Chief Executive.

So we sat down with her to ask a simple question: What has a lifetime in zoos taught her?

Her answer reaches far beyond the animals that visitors see. It’s about conservation, technology, ethics, diversity in the workplace, animal welfare, storytelling, and learning to share the planet with other living beings.

Karen reflects on what animals have taught her about authenticity, why good zoos must be built around care and trust, and why facts alone rarely change how people see the world.

As she puts it, “we’re storytellers as human beings, we are not fact collectors.”

This is a thoughtful conversation about animals, people, and the role of good zoos in a changing world.

Here are some of the key top ...