LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) - He spends his days making one of Louisville's most popular spots spectacular. In this week's edition of our Five Questions series, you'll meet one of the zoo's top dogs.
The Louisville Zoo is a summer staple for so many. For Steve Taylor, it's more of a four-season, 24/7, 365 kind of commitment.
"Over 40 years, oh yeah,” Steve Taylor said.
Steve got his start back in 1975 as the Louisville zoo's first vet tech. He then transitioned into a keeper role before getting promoted to assistant director.
"And as they say, kind of the rest is history. I kind of worked my way up and eventually into this position,” Steve said.
It's a career that's become a calling.
"I love animals because I'm a behaviorist. So, I watch animal behavior a lot, and they're really true in terms of their behavior. Unlike people that can kind of mask behavior, try to hide behind facades or whatever, animals are just real. They're true,” Steve said.
Steve spends his days dedicated to each and every animal, but he’s partial to one species in particular.
"Probably a seal or a sea lion, they're probably my favorite animals I've ever worked with. I just really enjoy being around them so I'd probably enjoy being one,” Steve said.
Being comfortable with the uncomfortable is a mantra Steve adopted a long time ago.
"Get out of your comfort zone. If you want to grow as a person, grow in a career, you can't be satisfied to kind of plateau and play it safe,” Steve said. "If you play it too safe, you'll never really experience life.”
It makes sense he'd speed things up if he picked up another profession.
"I'd probably drive up at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 500,” Steve said.
This leader of the pack knows exactly what would top his list if he led the country.
"I would really try to work to help solve the climate change issue. It's trying to make the place where we live better, healthy for generations to come, be good stewards of the planet,” Steve said.
He can think about the future and live in the present, but Steve prefers a past memory most.
"I'd probably go back to the day I got married to my wife. I really have been blessed with a great wife, a good partner in life for almost 30 years now, and I'd replay that over,” Steve said.
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