♪.

TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," A LOOK AT WHY THE STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS NOW AT A POST-PANDEMIC HIGH?

>>> ALSO TONIGHT THE CHALLENGES FACING THOSE PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THE UNSHELTERED IN THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS.

>>> AND THE PHOENIX ZOO'S AMBASSADOR ANIMAL PROGRAM WORKS TO SHOWCASE THE NATURAL BEHAVIOR OF ANIMALS.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

ARIZONA'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE RECENTLY HIT A POST-PANDEMIC HIGH AS LAYOFFS AND BUSINESS CLOSURES LED TO A COOLING LABOR MARKET DESPITE ARIZONA OUTPERFORMING OTHER STATES IN YEAR-OVER-YEAR JOB GROWTH.

FOR INSIGHT ON THE CURRENT CONDITIONS AND WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE COMING MONTHS, ASU ECONOMIST DALE ROGERS.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> NICE TO BE HERE.

TED: WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE ARIZONA JOB MARKET?

HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE?

IS IT THAT BAD?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> CERTAIN PARTS OF IT AREN'T VERY GOOD, BUT MOSTLY THE ECONOMY'S BEEN OKAY.

TRUTHFULLY, THE POLICIES WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, NOT TRYING TO BE POLITICAL HERE, BUT YOU REALLY SAW MANUFACTURING JOBS GETTING LOST IN MOST STATES STARTING IN MAY OF 2025, THAT'S THE MONTH AFTER LIBERATION DAY, APRIL OF 2025, AND WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW STATES WHO ADDED MANUFACTURING JOBS, BUT IT WAS ANEMIC, ONLY A COUPLE THOUSAND, REALLY, LAST MONTH WHERE.

WE'VE SEEN THE LARGEST DEGRADATION IN JOBS IS IN GOVERNMENT WHERE LAST MONTH WE LOST 10,000 SOME GOVERNMENT JOBS.

THAT'S STILL SOME OF THE STUFF FROM D.O.G.E., IT'S ALSO A RESTRUCTURING OF BOTH THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

IT'S REALLY INTERESTING WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE 4.8 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, YOU KNOW, IN MARICOPA COUNTY AND PINAL, AND FOR SOME REASON WE GROUP THOSE TWO TOGETHER, NOT MY DECISION, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DO, THAT THAT'S 4.1%.

THAT'S OKAY.

AND TUCSON IS 4.7, BUT THE CRAZY THING IS, AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT MAKES SENSE, YUMA IS OVER 16% UNEMPLOYMENT, AND HOW COME?

WELL, WE'VE HAD BIG POLICY CHANGES ABOUT THE BORDER, AND WHILE WE'RE SEEING WAY FEWER ILLEGAL ALIENS COMING ACROSS THE BORDER, WE'RE ALSO SEEING REDUCTION IN BUSINESS SERVICES AND PRODUCTS FLOWING, AND NOW WE MAY BE GETTING OUT OF THE USMCA, WHICH THAT WILL PROBABLY MAKE IT WORSE AT THE BORDER.

TED: 4.8 NATIONAL AVERAGE, 4.3 MARICOPA COUNTY, 4.1, YUMA 16, MAYBE THE STATE NOT DOING AS BAD AS THE INITIAL NUMBERS INDICATE, EXCEPT OF COURSE, YUMA?

>> RIGHT, AND OTHER SPOTS AT THE BORDER, BUT LIKE MARICOPA COUNTY, WE'RE BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

TED: YEAH, OKAY SECTORS -- I SAW FEDEX, ELUSIVE MOTORS, THESE -- LUCID MOTORS, ARE THERE SECTORS THAT ARE HIT ESPECIALLY HARD?

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

>> THE WORST ONE IS GOVERNMENT.

TED: RIGHT.

>> A REPORT CAME OUT THAT DIDN'T INCLUDE GOVERNMENT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING, BUT THAT'S THE BIGGEST REDUCTION IN JOBS.

BUT LOGISTIC SERVICES IS TIGHTENING UP.

YOU KNOW, THE NEW LOGISTICS MANAGER'S INDEX WE DO EVERY MONTH COMES OUT TOMORROW.

TED: YES.

>> AND WE HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER, 71.1 WE'VE HAD SINCE MARCH OF 2022, AND MARCH OF '22 STILL RECOVERING FROM COVID, AND THE UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR STARTED END OF FEBRUARY 2022, SO IT ROCKED THE ECONOMY, CAUSED HUGE INFLATION, RELATIVELY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT, HIGH PRICES AND SO ON.

SORT OF SEEING THE SAME THING AGAIN, BUT THIS IS NOT BECAUSE OF RUSSIA AND UKRAINE FIGHTING HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD.

THIS IS BECAUSE STUFF WE'VE DONE OURSELVES.

THE IRAN WAR, THE TARIFFS WERE NOT GOOD, AND THEN THE REAL TIGHTENING DOWN OF POLICIES IN A LOT OF WAYS, AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT BUSINESSES ARE INCREDIBLY UNCERTAIN ABOUT SHOULD WE HIRE NEW EMPLOYEES?

TED: RIGHT, RIGHT, EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO ME.

IT'S A COOLING LABOR MARKET, I GET THAT, BUT THERE IS SOME JOB GROWTH, IT SOUNDS LIKE, JOB GROWTH IS THERE.

IT'S BETTER THAN IT WAS, AND YET CONSIDERED A COOLING LABOR MARKET.

HOW DO YOU SQUARE THAT?

>> WELL, THE NUMBER'S GOING UP, BUT THERE'S CERTAIN JOBS THAT ARE NEEDED MORE THAN EVER.

THE ECONOMY ISN'T UNIFORM.

THE TYPE OF JOBS THAT WE SAW PEOPLE START IN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY CAME FROM OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL OR CAME OUT OF COLLEGE, A LOT OF THOSE JOBS ARE DISAPPEARING.

THINK ABOUT WHAT A BUSINESS USED TO LOOK LIKE BACK WHEN I WAS A YOUNG GUY, EVERY EXECUTIVE HAD SECRETARIES.

WE DON'T USE THE WORD SECRETARY ANYMORE, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'LL HAVE ONE ASSISTANT OR MAYBE SEVEN, EIGHT, TEN PEOPLE, AND WE'RE SEEING A REAL INCREASE OF THAT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

SOME OF IT IS BECAUSE OF POLICY, SOME OF IT IS BECAUSE OF A.I., AND SOME OF IT IS JUST HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO INVESTMENTS DIFFERENTLY.

TED: WITH THAT IN MIND, WHAT ARE YOUR FORECASTS FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR?

WHAT DO YOU FORECAST THEREAFTER?

>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH FOURTH QUARTER.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH FOURTH QUARTER.

I THINK THAT WE'RE HEADED INTO A PERIOD OF GREAT UNCERTAINTY, AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, SOMEONE JUST SENT ME A THING ABOUT TEMPORARY LABOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND THAT IT'S A SIGN OF A RECESSION.

I'M NOT WILLING TO SAY THAT, YET.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT MAKE YOU NERVOUS.

TED: MAKE YOU NERVOUS NATIONWIDE?

>> YEAH.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE STOCK MARKET, WHICH HAD A DIP IN APRIL.

TED: YES.

>> IS DOING INCREDIBLE.

NOW MY GUESS IS WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF DIP LATE SUMMER AND THE STOCK MARKET IS GOING TO COME UP IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER AND SO ON AGAIN.

MAYBE SET NEW RECORDS, BUT THE FINANCIAL ECONOMY, THAT STOCK MARKET IS DETACHED BECAUSE AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT CHANGES, WE'RE ALSO SEEING THE RICH GET WAY RICHER AND THE POOR GET POORER, AND WE'RE REALLY BIFURCATING THE ECONOMY.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK MORE LIKE BRAZIL IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING.

TED: WITH THAT IN MIND, LAST QUESTION, NATIONWIDE.

ARIZONA -- >> WE'RE BETTER THAN A LOT OF PLACES.

TED: OKAY.

>> WE'RE TRUTHFULLY HURT BY POLICY CHANGES AT THE BORDER.

FOR US, FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT.

LET STUFF JUST ROLL BACK AND FORTH.

THAT'S GREAT FOR US.

YOU KNOW, THE PRODUCE, A LOT OF IT COMES THROUGH ARIZONA TO THE WHOLE U.S.

THAT'S GREAT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE HURT BY THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OLD SAYING, TED, WHERE YOU WANT TO LIVE IS IN A BLUE CITY AND A RED STATE, AND THERE'S REAL TRUTH TO THAT.

ARIZONA HAS BEEN GOOD AT BASICALLY KEEPING REGULATION DOWN.

WHEN THE ARIZONA COMMERCE AUTHORITY, AND THEY DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB OVER THERE.

WHEN THEY GO OUT AND TALK TO POTENTIAL BUSINESSES TO COME HERE, THEY'VE GOT A GREAT CASE BECAUSE WE'LL TAKE CARE OF BUSINESSES, AND THEN MARICOPA COUNTY, WHERE WE HAVE TRUTHFULLY THE BEST ECONOMY, MORE PEOPLE, BUT THAT'S KIND A BLUE CITY A LITTLE BIT, AND SO YOU'VE GOT -- NOT ALL OF IT, I KNOW, BUT IT'S PURPLISH, AT LEAST.

SO I THINK ARIZONA IS, OF EVERYBODY, LIKELY TO BE OKAY.

TED: ALL RIGHT, DALE ROGERS, ASU ECONOMIST, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THAT WAS QUICK.

TED: YEAH, IT WAS.

.

TED: EXTREME SUMMERTIME HEAT IS HERE WITH HIGHS IN THE VALLEY AT OR NEAR 110 DEGREES MUCH OF THE WEEK.

THOSE TEMPERATURES AND INCREASING TEMPERATURES MAKE FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY RISK FOR THOSE WITHOUT HOMES OR SHELTER.

WITH THAT IN MIND, PHOENIX RESCUE MISSION IS WORKING TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THOSE IN NEED WITH ANNUAL CODE RED CAMPAIGN.

JOINING US NOW IS MAGGI MITCHELL, PHOENIX RESCUE MISSION'S STREET OUTREACH MANAGER.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

TED: SUMMER SHELTERS.

HOW DIFFICULT?

>> VERY DIFFICULT.

THE HOTTER IT GETS, THE MORE INDIVIDUALS WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET INTO SHELTER WHICH MAKES THE WAITING LIST HARDER TO GET IN.

TED: IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING THIS SUMMER?

>> YES.

TED: WE HAVEN'T HIT THE HOT PART.

>> NO, WE'RE STILL EARLY.

TED: ANY DIFFERENCE THIS YEAR FROM PREVIOUS YEARS?

>> I'M NOT SURE THERE'S MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE BUT DEFINITELY AN INCREASE IN PUBLIC OUTREACH.

WE HAVE STARTED HEAT RELIEF PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY WHERE WE'LL HELP TRANSPORT INDIVIDUALS TO HEAT RELIEF CENTER TO GET THEM OUT OF HEAT.

TED: TALK MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM.

WHAT'S INVOLVED THERE?

>> ALL ACROSS THE VALLEY WE HAVE HEAT RESPITE CENTERS AND COOLS CENTERS RAN THROUGH MARICOPA COUNTY.

THE PHOENIX RESCUE MISSION WILL PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THOSE TO HELP NEIGHBORS GET OUT OF THE HEAT FOR A LITTLE BIT.

A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN REST AND GET SERVICES AS WELL.

TED: NOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE THIS IS CODE RED CAMPAIGN.

TALK ABOUT THE CODE RED CAMPAIGN?

>> LAST YEAR OUR CODE RED CAMPAIGN COLLECTED AND HANDED OUT 1.5 MILLION WATER BOTTLES.

GOAL THIS YEAR IS 2 MILLION.

TED: THAT CAMPAIGN STARTED IN MAY?

>> YES, THROUGH THE SUMMER, WHEN OUR NEIGHBORS NEED IT THE MOST.

TED: AND THERE ARE HOPE TOTES INVOLVED?

>> THE HYGIENE KITS ARE LITTLE BAGS THAT COME WITH SOAP, TOOTHPASTE, TOOTHBRUSH, THE ESSENTIALS TO HELP THOSE THAT MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO SHOWERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, TRY AND KEEP THEMSELVES A LITTLE CLEAN, BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT OUR HYGIENE KITS, THEY SERVE AS A CONNECTION POINT TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.

TED: THAT'S IMPORTANT.

IS IT DIFFICULT TO BUILD THE RELATIONSHIP?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE'LL SEE AN INDIVIDUAL FOR TIME AND TIME AGAIN BUT CONTINUE TO COME BACK, WE CONTINUE TO GIVE THEM THE HOPE TOTE HYGIENE KITS AND WHEN THEY ARE READY, WE CAN GET THEM INTO SERVICES.

>> AS FAR AS SHELTER IS CONCERNED, HOW MANY FOLKS AT THE SHELTER GIVE AND TAKE.

MORE THAN USUAL?

LESS THAN USUAL?

>> THERE IS TYPICALLY UPTICK DURING THE SUMMER.

>> YOU'RE SEEING THAT RIGHT NOW?

>> YES.

TED: I HAD 114 PEOPLE -- HOUSING WAS FOUND FOR 114.

TALK ABOUT THAT, TOO.

SHELTER IS ONE THING, FINDING HOUSING IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME.

>> YES.

THERE ARE VARIOUS TYPES OF HOUSING LIKE THE HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAM AND STUFF LIKE THAT BUT PERMANENT HOUSING IS OUR GOAL WITH OUR CLIENTS.

TED: YEAH, SHORT-TERM HOUSING OR LONG-TERM HOUSING?

>> LONG-TERM HOUSING, PERMANENT.

TED: INTERESTING.

YOU MANAGE TO GET THAT DONE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

TED: THAT'S A GREAT FEELING.

MAKE YOU FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THAT?

>> YES, DEFINITELY.

TED: THE PROCESS AS FAR AS CODE RED CAMPAIGN, ALL THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT HAVE YOU, HOW DOES THAT WORK?

DO YOU GO INTO PARKS AND AREAS WHERE PEOPLE CONGREGATE?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

>> WE FIND INDIVIDUALS ON THE STREETS WHETHER THAT BE A PARK, THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, JUST ANYWHERE TO GATHER, WE HAVE OUR VEHICLES THAT GO OUT AND MEET THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT AND IT WILL START WITH THE WATER BOTTLE AND THE HYGIENE KIT AND DEVELOP INTO A RELATIONSHIP.

TED: AND YOU ARE HOPING THAT RELATIONSHIP MEANS WHAT?

>> THAT RELATIONSHIP ENDS IN SHELTER OR IDEALLY PERMANENT HOUSING.

TED: IS IT DIFFERENT TO GET THAT -- CHECK THAT.

I IMAGINE THIS TIME YEAR IT WOULD BE EASIER TO CONVINCE SOMEONE THEY NEED SHELTER, TRUE?

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY AS THEY'RE STANDING ON THE HOT PAVEMENT AND THEY'RE STANDING ON THE HOT PAVEMENT, THEY'RE READY TO GO.

TED: INFLATION, WE HAD A SEGMENT REGARDING JOBS.

GENERAL ECONOMY, INFLATION, HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT ARE YOU SEEING OUT THERE?

>> I AM NOT ENTIRELY SURE OF THE DIRECT CORRELATION WITH INFLATION BUT HOMELESSNESS IS ON THE RISE IN THE VALLEY.

TED: MUNICIPALITIES ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR FOLKS TO FEED FOR A VARIETY OF ISSUES, HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES AT THE FOREFRONT.

ARE YOU SEEING MORE FOLKS GOING TO THE SHELTER BECAUSE OF THIS OR A DIRECT CORRELATION?

>> I'M NOT SURE OF A DIRECT CORRELATION BUT TYPICALLY HARDER TO FIND INDIVIDUALS IF WE CAN'T FIND THEM AS EASILY CONGREGATED IN THE PARK.

TED: THEY'RE SAYING THEY'RE NOT GETTING FED BY OTHER MEANS THEY WOULDN'T NECESSARILY CONGREGATE OR WHAT?

>> IT DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL IN THE AREA.

EACH AREA HAS ITS OWN CULTURE KIND OF, AND SOME OF THEM PREFER PARKS AND SOME OF THEM STAY OUT.

TED: YEAH, BIGGEST NEED FOR THE PHOENIX RESCUE MISSION, WHAT DO YOU SEE?

>> THE BIGGEST NEED WILL BE WATER BOTTLE TO HELP LIFE SAVING SERVICES FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.

>> YEAH, AND WHERE CAN WE FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION WITH THE WATER, DO YOU BRING WATER BOTTLES IN?

DO YOU BUY WATER?

>> SEVERAL PLACES ACROSS THE VALLEY THAT ARE DOING WATER DRIVES AS WELL AS CAN YOU GO TO PHX MISSION.ORG/CODE RED AND GET INFORMATION THERE.

TED: ONE MORE TIME WITH THAT?

>> PHX MISSION.ORG/CODE RED.

TED: MAGGI MITCHELL, PHOENIX RESCUE MISSION, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

.

TED: THE PHOENIX ZOO'S ANIMAL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, PROBABLY ANNUAL AS WELL, EDUCATIONAL EFFORT AND OUTREACH EFFORT DESIGNED TO INSPIRE CONSERVATION BY SHOWCASING THE NATURAL BEHAVIOR OF ANIMALS.

WE WELCOME KIM RICHARDS, SENIOR ZOOKEEPER AND ALONG WITH KIM IS ANIMAL AMBASSADOR LU LU.

THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL BIRD.

>> SHE'S STUNNING.

TED: WHAT KIND OF BIRD?

>> A GREATER SULFUR COCKATOO NATIVE TO AUSTRALIA.

THERE'S ABOUT 500,000 TO THEM, THEY ARE POPULOUS OVER THERE.

TED: GIVE ME THE EYE.

>> AND SHE LIKES TO HAM IT UP, TOO.

WE SAW HER DANCING BEFORE THE SEGMENT AND SHE DOES LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT TOO, BUT THEY CAN'T REALLY HAVE CONVERSATIONS LIKE YOU AND I ARE HAVING, THEY MIMIC THE THINGS THEY HEAR.

EVERY MORNING SEE SAY HI LU LU AND SHE SAYS IT BACK.

TED: LU LU IS FANTASTIC, TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM?

>> OUR AMBASSADOR ANIMAL TEAM IS REALLY SPECIAL BECAUSE OUR ANIMALS COME OUT AND ARE HANDLED, RIGHT?

THINK ABOUT THE LIONS OR THE TIGERS AT THE ZOO.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THEM OUT THEIR ENCLOSURE, THEY ARE GOING TO STAY SAFE IN THEIR BIG, GIANT ENCLOSURES AND GUESTS GET TO VIEW THEM.

ANIMAL AMBASSADOR ARE TRAINED TO KNOW HANDLED AND CAN SERVE THAT ROLE TO GET GUESTS UPCLOSE AND MAKE THE IMPACT TO HELP THEM REALLY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS.

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THAT.

THE IDEA IS GET TO KNOW THE BIRD OR THE ANIMAL AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE IDEA OF CONSERVING AND CONSERVATION HELPS MAKE SENSE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

MY FAVORITE PART IS LIKE WE SEE HERE, BEING ABLE TO TALK TO THE YOUNGER GENERATION BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE ONCE, WE WANT TO INSPIRE EVERYBODY BUT THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS, WE NEED ZOOKEEPERS AFTER WE ALL LEAVE, RIGHT?

TED: YEAH.

>> SPEAKING OF THAT.

THESE PARROTS, THEY LIVE TO BE 60 TO 80 YEARS OLD.

I WILL BE RETIRED BY THE TIME LU LU GETS TO WORK WITH YOUNG KIDS THAT ARE INSPIRED TO WORK AT THE ZOO.

TED: THEY LIVE THAT LONG?

>> YEAH.

TED: YOU KNOW HOW OLD SHE IS NOW?

>> 25 YEARS OLD.

TED: THAT'S A 25-YEAR-OLD BIRD?

>> YEAH, INCREDIBLE, RIGHT?

SHE WAS OWNED PRIVATELY BEFORE COMING TO THE ZOO, AND A GENTLEMAN WHO WAS A MAGICIAN HAD HER KIND OF AS A PET.

HE WOULD GO TO DIFFERENT SHOWS AND ON CRUISE SHIPS AND TAKE LU LU AND LU LU WAS A PART OF HIS SHOW.

THIS WAS NOT THE BEST PLACE FOR HER, SHE NEEDS TO BE INTERACTING WITH A BUNCH OF PEOPLE, AND HIS FAMILY CHOSE US TO TAKE HER.

WE WERE SO LUCKY TO BRING HER TO OUR AMBASSADOR TEAM BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ENCOURAGED IN THE WILD, THE SILVER CRESTED COCKATOO.

THE PARROT BEHIND ME, THE MACAW IS CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.

THEY ARE A GREAT AMBASSADOR FOR ALL PARROTS AND IT OPENS UP THE CONVERSATION WITH OUR GUESTS ABOUT OWNING ANIMALS AS PETS BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE HANDLING OUR ANIMALS IN FRONT OF OUR GUESTS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT SHOWING THEM AS A PET.

THIS IS MY CO-WORKER RIGHT HERE.

WE WANT TO PRESENT THEM THAT WAY AND EDUCATE THEM HOW WE CAN CONSERVE THEM IN THE WILD AND WHY YOU WOULDN'T WANT AN ANIMAL LIKE THIS AS A PET.

TED: IS THERE SPECIAL TRAINING INVOLVED IN ARE FOR THE ANIMALS THAT ARE USED?

>> ABSOLUTELY YES.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT ANY OF OUR AMBASSADORS, WE WORK WITH BIRDS, MAMMALS, REPTILES AND REPRESENT ABOUT 75 SPECIES.

ANY OF THEM WHEN YOU HANDLE THEM, THEY NEED TO BE USED TO THAT.

YOU CAN'T JUST WALK UP TO AN ANIMAL AND PICK THEM UP.

WE'LL DO SPECIAL TRAINING TO HANDLE THEM AND DEPENDING ON THE INDIVIDUAL SPECIES DEPENDS ON THE TRAINING THAT YOU DO.

THE PORCUPINE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PICK UP THE PORCUPINE AND HANDLE HER.

WE TRAIN THEM TO WALK AROUND WITH US, WE PUT STEPS ON THE GROUND AND GO TO DIFFERENT STATIONS SO THERE IS A LOT OF TRAINING AS WELL.

IT'S MULTIFACETED.

WE HAVE THE CARE, THE HUSBANDRY, AND THE SHOWS WE PERFORM IN AND ALSO TRAINING THAT WE DO.

TED: WHICH ANIMALS DO YOU THINK CONNECT BEST WITH KIDS?

>> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

SEE, HONEST, POSSIBLY THE PARROT.

THEY HAVE THE MENTALITY.

THIS COCKATOO, MENTALITY OF A TWO- TO THREE-YEAR-OLD CHILD.

SOME SPECIEIS ARE A FIVE- TO SIX-YEAR-OLD CHILD.

THEY HAVE FUN AND CAN RELATE TO KIDS.

>> SHE'S LOOKING AT ME EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

IT'S A NATURALLY CHARISMATIC BIRD.

>> EXACTLY.

THERE IS SO MUCH TO SEE HERE, ALL THE LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING TO LOOK AT.

TED: YOU ADOPTED SOME ANIMALS FROM THE ARIZONA HUMANE SOCIETY.

>> WE DID.

TED: A BUNCH OF BUNNIES?

>> YES, WE GOT THREE BUNNIES.

AS FAR AS LITTLE KIDS GO, THERE'S NOTHING THAT BEATS A FUNNY AND WE HAVE A FLEMMISH GIANT WHO IS A VERY LARGE RABBIT.

WE CAN BRING A PORCUPINE, OUR BIGGEST SNAKE AND WE BRING THE RABBIT OUT, AND HE IS HANDSDOWN THE MOST POPULAR RABBIT.

TED: WHEN YOU SAY GIANT RABBIT, HOW BIG IS HE?

>> WEIGHING IN AT 13 POUNDS.

>> BIG BOY.

>> REALLY BIG BOY.

TED: OKAY, WHEN YOU GO TO THE ZOO ARE THE ANIMALS IN A CERTAIN AREA?

CAN I GO SEE LULU AND OTHER AMBASSADOR ANIMALS AT THE ZOO?

>> CAN YOU SEE AMBASSADOR ANIMALS NOT IN THEIR ENCLOSURES BECAUSE THEY ARE LOCATED IN A PRIVATE AREA OF THE ZOO DIRECTLY BEHIND OUR STAGE.

THE BEST WAY TO SEE THE AMBASSADOR ANIMALS IS IN THE MORNINGS AND SEEING THEM AT FRONT GATES.

THEY COME OUT FOR SOME INTERACTIONS WITH GUESTS THERE AND PART OF OUR SHOWS AS WELL.

TED: IF A SHOW OR GROUP WANTS AMBASSADOR ANIMALS STOP BY, HOW DO THEY CONTACT YOU?

>> THEY CAN CONTACT THE ZOO DIRECTLY AND THEY'LL GUIDE THEM TO THE CORRECT PHONE NUMBERS.

TED: AND YOU DO OTHER GROUPS AND THINGS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THEY -- SOME OF THE ANIMALS HAVE TRAVELED TO HOSPITALS BEFORE.

THEY GO TO LIBRARIES FOR PUBLIC INTERACTION.

WE GO TO NEWS.

TED: THERE YOU GO.

LULU LOOKS LIKE A MESSY EATER THERE, 25 YEARS, YOU THINK YOU'D LEARN HOW TO EAT?

>> EXACTLY.

PARROTS ARE GOOD FOR SEED DISPERSAL, THEY HELP PLANTS GROW.

TED: THERE SHE GOES.

NOW SHE'S EXCITED.

>> SHE GOT A TREAT, VERY EXCITED.

TED: KIM RICHARDS, SENIOR ZOOKEEPER AT PHOENIX ZOO AND LULU, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

IT WAS FUN.

TED: THAT'S IT FOR NOW, I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.