POSAO I KUĆNI LJUBIMCI Damir Skok

Guest Damir SkokHosted by Marijana MatkovićMay 3, 2026

Damir Skok

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

The business of caring for animals extends far beyond the typical image of a zoo. It involves managing multiple public services and commercial ventures, often under the same organizational roof. This complex ecosystem demands a director who can navigate everything from exotic animal welfare to municipal waste management. Damir Skok, the director of the Zagreb Zoo, embodies this multi-faceted role. He not only oversees the care of its diverse animal population but also manages the Dumovec animal shelter, a dedicated 'Animal Corner,' and a commercial entity that operates the zoo's restaurant and Zagreb's newly opened pet cemetery and crematorium. His perspective offers a rare glimpse into how seemingly disparate parts of an animal care framework can be managed under one umbrella. This conversation explores the operational realities of running such a comprehensive enterprise, revealing how public engagement, financial sustainability, and even a community's relationship with loss are intertwined. You will walk away considering how the success metrics for a mission-driven organization often extend beyond simple visitor numbers, touching on everything from animal reproduction to changing public habits.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

The birth of a new sea lion and alpaca isn't just a happy event at the Zagreb Zoo; it's the director's primary indicator of organizational health. When your core product is living beings, their successful reproduction is the only real proof you're getting things right.

When attendance was historically concentrated in spring and early autumn, Damir Skok saw not an immutable seasonal pattern but an untapped opportunity. The real work of growth isn't just attracting more visitors during peak times, but extending the perceived 'season' by creating new reasons to visit year-round.

Instead of waiting for visitors, the Zagreb Zoo actively 'breaks out of its framework,' as Damir Skok puts it, appearing at the Esplanade hotel, on Tomislavac Square, even at Dinamo stadium. To expand your reach, your institution must go to where the community already gathers, rather than expecting them to always come to you.

When half the Zoo was closed for a year-long renovation, attendance still grew 17%. This wasn't a setback; it was proof that new initiatives and continuous activity can sustain momentum even when conditions are suboptimal. Don't wait for perfect conditions to pursue growth; sometimes the activity itself is the engine.

The traditional pattern of families visiting the Zoo once or twice a year has shifted, with some now coming ten times, even after their children have grown. This transformation from occasional outing to regular habit comes from continuous programming that offers novelty and engages adults as much as children.

The stereotype that you can't see animals at the Zoo in winter is a barrier Damir Skok actively counters, stating 'ninety percent of animals can be seen.' Overcoming ingrained public perceptions often means directly confronting them with facts and demonstrating how the reality differs from the common belief.

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