Central Park: People: Zoo Curator

By Emily Wilson

JOHN ROWDEN GETS paid to hang out with sea lions. And for him, that’s pretty much a dream come true.

Growing up, Rowden lived in a lot of different places. His dad was in the Navy and the family moved around often. But there was a constant in his life – he was always bringing animals home. Rowden, who volunteered at zoos as a child, had his own zoo at home that included dogs, turtles, lizards, snakes, parakeets, hamsters, and gerbils. This made him happy, but not everyone in the family was so enthusiastic about having so many animals.

“They would escape and my mom would freak out,” Rowden said.

Rowden’s mom may not have always loved his menagerie when he was a boy, but now that Rowden is the curator at the Central Park Zoo, she feels differently about her son spending all his time with animals.

“My mom’s very proud and excited,” Rowden said. “I’m sure she’s telling people I’m the mayor of New York or something.”

“It’s pretty spectacular
– the largest carnivore
on earth is living right
in the middle of Manhattan.”
—John Rowden,
Central Park Zoo curator

Rowden has been at the zoo since January 2003. Before that he was assistant curator in ornithology at the Bronx Zoo for five years. He loved that job, but says he welcomed the chance to broaden his experience and take on the responsibility of being in charge of a zoo. And the Central Park Zoo, which Rowden can walk to from his Upper East Side apartment, is a special place, he says.

“We’re in the middle of this incredible urban setting,” Rowden said. “Sometimes I’m up on Sea Lion Rock and I look around and I’m taken aback. The zoo is only six-and-a-half acres. It’s not a lot of space, but it does an amazing job allowing people to really connect with wildlife in a unique way. I mean, we have polar bears. It’s pretty spectacular the largest carnivore on earth is living right in the middle of Manhattan.”

Rowden thinks that despite its small size, the zoo is accomplishing its mission and making a difference in the lives of urban dwellers.

“We’re a conservation organization,” he said. “At the core of everything we do is to actually connect people with the beauty and diversity of wildlife. Sure, they can watch the Nature Channel, but coming here is a very sensory and visual experience. You can watch the animals’ behavior in a way that is not edited for you and see their interactions and how they live their lives.”

Rowden says his job is like being a curator at a museum. He has administrative responsibilities, plans the exhibitions, writes the interpretive material and tries to get the message of conservation across. But since Rowden’s collection is living, that makes things more complicated.

“It’s a joy coming to work every day,” he said. “It’s a privilege having this amazing collection of animals here, but it’s also a huge obligation. My work is 24 hours a day. There’s not a minute that goes by that I’m not thinking about the welfare of these animals. It’s a big responsibility but it’s also an honor.”

The biggest perk of his job? The time spent with non-humans.

“What I like most is every day I can look at animals,” Rowden said. “No matter how bad your day is going you just go watch an animal and it makes everything OK.”

The curator enjoys seeing the zoo’s visitors fall under the animals’ spell as well.

“We do reach people,” he said. “You don’t see that with everyone of course. Some people just come to eat a hot dog or whatever, but you do see cases where a little kid gets excited about the animals and that’s so gratifying in a way. That will have long-lasting effects.”


	MAP:	Central Park Zoo

		MAP: Elva Ramirez