Author Biography: Peter Karsten was born in Goettingen, Germany and pursued his formal education in Germany and Sweden. Following his graduation from the Federal Institute of Agriculture in 1961, he immigrated to Canada in 1962, and began his career with the Calgary Zoo, Botanical Garden and Prehistoric Park in 1964. He held the position of Zoo Director and Executive Director from 1974 until his retirement in 1994.
He has a keen interest in animal husbandry and animal behavior, and created an in-service apprentice zookeeper program - including a series of sixty lectures, which have been translated into several languages - to assist zoological gardens in many countries. He has presented papers on various subjects of zoo biology and zoo management and teamed up with zoo architect firms in the USA on projects in Canada, Chile, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and the USA. The development of habitat exhibits is his special focus.
Peter was the founding president of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (1974), president of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (1983), and president of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (1993). He remains an honorary member of these organizations.
When not attending to his private aviaries, Peter divides his time between painting and sculpting wildlife subjects, and continues to work as a zoo consultant. |
