The ten people that have most influenced the development of the modern zoo

[Carl Jones]

Firstly this is a great thread. I have often wondered who the big influencers were in the zoo world. Maybe we need to look at different categories of influence. The pioneers of modern zoo (which include many of the names on your original list) and possibly another list of major (secondary?) influence (Fleay and Wayre would probably fall into this).
Also what about people outside the West? Bernard Harrison for Singapore (first Night Safari)? What about Africa or South America? And any women who made a lasting mark?

You are correct, trying to distil the major influences to ten people is of course a gross injustice to all the others who have influenced the development of zoos and animal collections world-wide. This is a complex subject and your idea to look at the different categories influence is a good idea.

 

[Batto]

And any women who made a lasting mark?

That's actually a good question, and worth pursuing. Off the top of my head:
- Belle Benchley: the first female zoo director [San Diego Zoo] and a pioneer of modern animal husbandry
Belle Benchley
Belle Benchley (1882-1973) And The Creation Of The Modern Zoo
- Katharina Heinroth: first female zoo director in Germany. She resurrected Zoo Berlin (and the aquarium) out of its WW2 ruins.
History of Zoologischer Garten Berlin - the first zoo in Germany | Zoo Berlin

 

[Batto]

And, although to lesser extent accountable as a zoo person ( due to being one of the first female zoo curators in the world), Grace Olive Wiley
http://www.chicagoherp.org/bulletin/41(Supplement).pdf
Female Entomologist: Grace Olive Wiley (1883 - 1948) - Tri-Trophic Thematic Collection Network

 

[Tim May]

And any women who made a lasting mark?

Joan Procter, Curator of Reptiles at London Zoo.

In addition to being a well-respected herpetologist, she was largely responsible for the design of London Zoo's Reptile House. She also contributed to the design of the Aquarium and designed the rockwork for Monkey Hill and the Antelope Paddock.

https://www.zsl.org/blogs/artefact-of-the-month/happy-birthday-joan-procter

ZSL Celebrates Dr Joan Procter for International Women's Day

Joan Beauchamp Procter - Wikipedia

 

[gentle lemur]

On the subject of women who made important contributions to the work of zoos, I would nominate the late Devra Kleimann. Working at the NZP Washington, her research on golden lion tamarins brought about an immense improvement in their husbandry and breeding, leading to one of the great success stories of 20th century conservation. This has shown the importance of zoo biology and has had important consequences for many other species in zoos.
In reminding myself of her work, I reread the Preface she wrote in Wild Mammals in Captivity the textbook that she co-edited to supplement and update Crandall's Management of Wild Mammals in Captivity. She wrote about the importance of three individuals who had 'the vision, the authority and the perseverance to drag U.S. zoos "kicking and screaming" into the twenty first century'. They were William Conway, mentioned above, George Rabb of Brookfield Zoo, who I hadn't heard of previously but was one of the pioneers of immersion exhibits, and Ulysses S Seal, the founder of ISIS (now Species 360) and worker on many conservation bodies. I would suggest that their influence has spread far beyond the USA.

 

[Carl Jones]

On the subject of women who made important contributions to the work of zoos, I would nominate the late Devra Kleimann. Working at the NZP Washington, her research on golden lion tamarins brought about an immense improvement in their husbandry and breeding, leading to one of the great success stories of 20th century conservation. This has shown the importance of zoo biology and has had important consequences for many other species in zoos.
In reminding myself of her work, I reread the Preface she wrote in Wild Mammals in Captivity the textbook that she co-edited to supplement and update Crandall's Management of Wild Mammals in Captivity. She wrote about the importance of three individuals who had 'the vision, the authority and the perseverance to drag U.S. zoos "kicking and screaming" into the twenty first century'. They were William Conway, mentioned above, George Rabb of Brookfield Zoo, who I hadn't heard of previously but was one of the pioneers of immersion exhibits, and Ulysses S Seal, the founder of ISIS (now Species 360) and worker on many conservation bodies. I would suggest that their influence has spread far beyond the USA.

Thanks for this wonderful comment which made me think about the many people who have, and are, driving zoo biology. I have met all four of the people you mention at various endangered species breeding conferences, held in Jersey, and else where. Uli, George Rabb, and Devra Kleinman are regrettably no longer with us although their work is still being built upon. George Rabb was also the chair of IUCN's Species Survival Commission in the early to mid 1990s and Ulysses Seal, whom I first met in 1980, was the driving force in the IUCN's Captive Breeding Specialist Group, and a pioneer of Population and Habitat Viability Analyses, and I several times participated in his wonderful workshops that were always dynamic, democratic and useful.

 

[MRJ]

, and Ulysses S Seal, the founder of ISIS (now Species 360) and worker on many conservation bodies. I would suggest that their influence has spread far beyond the USA.

Yes I was going to suggest Uli Seal, and you are right his influence has been global.

 

[Carl Jones]

There has been no mention of Jean Delacour in this thread, or perhaps his focus was too specialised upon birds and in particular pheasants and waterfowl. Who are the up and coming stars changing the direction of zoos?

 

[lintworm]

Who are the up and coming stars changing the direction of zoos?

That is hard to say, Pierre Gay from Doue-la-Fontaine ws the first to build mega-aviaries in which mammals and birds are mixed on such a scale. His idea has already been copied in multiple countries.

There are also some innovative exhibits on how to display invertebrates and making them the star species. Burgers' zoo (Fiddler crabs) and Nuremberg (Dung beetles) come to mind.

In terms of conservation I am not sure who is really innovating there recently.

 

[Dassie rat]

LOL among other things this is what Wikipedia said about David Fleay:

"He realised the importance of endangered species early in his career when, in 1933, he was the last person to photograph a captive thylacine or Tasmanian tiger at the Hobart Zoo. In the process he was bitten on the buttocks, the scar from the injury carried proudly throughout his life."

While I agree that David Fleay is an important person in this list, I'd be surprised in nobody photographed 'Benjamin' between 1933 and 1936.

 

[FBBird]

Perhaps the title of the thread should not have limited the people who shaped the modern zoo to ten. There are of course many who were a huge influence. In the first extended list I included Grzimeck, David Fleay and Philip Wayre. The latter two were founders of specialist facilities which have had a huge impact and continue to proliferate. Did Philip Wayre found the first wildlife park? Were there any predecessors in continental Europe?

Philip Wayre invented the term 'Wildlife Park'. There may have been specialist European fauna collections already extant on the Continent, but his was the first in UK.

 

[FBBird]

There has been no mention of Jean Delacour in this thread, or perhaps his focus was too specialised upon birds and in particular pheasants and waterfowl. Who are the up and coming stars changing the direction of zoos?

About time Delacour was mentioned, I believe he had some input into development of the Bronx in the 40s, and in the design of the (now revamped) Vincennes Zoo. He also, I believe, pioneered the keeping of gibbons on islands.

 

[HOMIN96]

As this was recently bumped up again, here are my thoughts about some of the names thrown in here...

Steve Irwin's influence on modern zoos has been anything but minimal.

Yeah, when it comes to zoos he probably isn't an important person, maybe even quite opposite...He undoubtedly did a lot for popularising nature protection, but not really in terms of zoos, he did some controversial stunts there and people who I knew that visited his zoo weren't really impressed by it at all... Also a side note: I cringe really hard whenever I see some video of Robert Irwin in some American talk show...

Josef Vagner at Dvur Kralove, Czech Rep.?

Probably only in terms of the Czech Republic, although his influence on establishing many captive populations of African ungulates can't be overlooked.

 

[Pertinax]

While I agree that David Fleay is an important person in this list, I'd be surprised in nobody photographed 'Benjamin' between 1933 and 1936.

Fleay was actually the last person to film the last Thylacine. The last known photo of it is the one taken by Ben Sheppard, and now reliably dated as May 1936, a few months before its death. This is the only one proven to have been taken after Fleay's photos in December 1933, taken at the same time as his short film. Other photos of him do exist, but with unsubscribed dates.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Firstly this is a great thread. I have often wondered who the big influencers were in the zoo world. Maybe we need to look at different categories of influence. The pioneers of modern zoo (which include many of the names on your original list) and possibly another list of major (secondary?) influence (Fleay and Wayre would probably fall into this).
Also what about people outside the West? Bernard Harrison for Singapore (first Night Safari)? What about Africa or South America? And any women who made a lasting mark?

I'd say with some regret that South America / Latin America hasn't yet produced anything uniquely its own in terms of zoos as it has mainly looked to the United States and Europe for models on which to base its institutions (and at least one of the directors of one of the more famous zoos of the region , Chapultepec zoo, was also a European). In my opinion , some of these zoos actually succeed in doing a better job in conservation and education , despite a chronic shortage of resources and funding , have more "heart" than your average European or American zoo (and also noticeably lack the institutional arrogance present in some of the former institutions).

From what I've seen IMO the closest thing to a uniquely regional vision of a zoo would have to be two zoos that I've seen and know of : Zoológico Miguél Álvarez del Toro / ZOOMAT (Mexico) and Zoo Gramado (Brazil). I suppose I would consider them to be unique because they both depart from the practice of keeping exotic species and instead have a vision and ethos that centres on the conservation of native Mexican and Brazilian species and educating visitors about the importance of conservating natural habitat.

In the case of ZOOMAT it was founded by a famous and charismatic Mexican biologist / conservationist Miguél Álvarez del Toro. Although I wouldn't put him in the same category as a Gerald Durrell or Peter Scott, at least in terms of impact, I do think that Del Toro certainly had a strong and individual vision of what he felt a zoo should be and do and so was a fellow traveller of sorts (albeit his legacy in conservation was local / regional rather than global). Gramado zoo on the other hand is a much younger institution (founded 2008) and is still "up and coming". However, purely in terms of its mission and ethos in terms of conservation and education and overall impact it is definitely IMO among the best zoos in Latin America.

There have been some and there are some incredible women in positions of power at zoos who have made a lasting mark on the development of these institutions in regards to a stronger and greater conservation ethos within the organizational culture. I can give two examples of this at two of the best zoos of Latin America that I have personally seen ,I know them personally, and they have in one capacity or another been my coordinators and mentors:

Erika Servin Zamora (Chapultepec zoo , Mexico city , Mexico) - Has helped radically overhaul the zoo and direct it from being a more old fashioned institution focused on exhibiting "ABC" species and being a recreational attraction towards being at the cutting edge and contributing greatly to ex-situ and in-situ conservation. This particularly with regards to that of native species such as the Axolotl, the Californian condor , the Mexican wolf and several other species. Erika studied at the DESMAN (not sure if thats the right spelling ? ) programe at Jersey zoo in the UK and has done some truly amazing things in terms of conservation.

Cecilia Lembra (Sorocaba zoo , Sao Paulo state, Brazil) - Has been the driving force of the development of conservation programes at the zoo for over three decades now and has helped develop ex-situ conservation programes for endangered and endemic Brazilian species like the Southern Muriqui , Golden lion tamarin , maned wolf and several others. Also encouraged research programes for students, sustainable culture and environmental education programes with the visitors that have been highly successful. Cecilia also studied at the conservation course of Jersey zoo back in the UK back in the early 1990's (I think it had a different name from DESMAN back then but I'm not sure). Once again she has done some incredible and wonderful things in terms of implementing conservation in Brazil and she will continue doing them.

 

[Jurek7]

Probably some Japanese people would qualify, for developing the most diverse collections of marine life worldwide.

I however sometimes worry that this thread can falsely give credit of a team work, or an idea developed by multiple zoos to a single person.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Probably some Japanese people would qualify, for developing the most diverse collections of marine life worldwide.

I however sometimes worry that this thread can falsely give credit of a team work, or an idea developed by multiple zoos to a single person.

Very true , even the most famous and maverick zoo owners wouldn't have got to where they did without the help of many other individuals and institutions.

 

[iluvwhales]

Some other people to consider:
Thane Maynard: director of Cincinnati Zoo. On his watch, Sumatran rhinos bred in American captivity, a premature baby hippo was brought from the brink of death, many innovations in the design of exhibits and eco-friendly buildings came about, and he tactfully saved face in 2016 during one of the worst zoo PR incidents of the modern era.

Ron Kagan: Director of the Detroit Zoo. He is known for the inclusion of animal welfare ethics into zoo exhibiting decisions. Elephants and bears have gone to sanctuaries; some of the finest exhibits in any American zoo are here (Arctic Ring of Life, Penguin Conservation Center, tigers and red pandas, the list goes on); some animals such as reptiles, horses, and lions were rescued; and he has established this zoo as one of the premier centers of animal welfare knowledge anywhere. Disagree with him where you will, but he is undoubtedly a major figure in the American zoo industry.

 

[Carl Jones]

I however sometimes worry that this thread can falsely give credit of a team work, or an idea developed by multiple zoos to a single person.

This is very true, Gerald Durrell could not have achieved what he did without the support of a wonderful team. He acknowledged this many times. It is the feature of a good leader that they develop and manage exceptional teams who develop their vision.

 

[Carl Jones]

….There have been some and there are some incredible women in positions of power at zoos who have made a lasting mark on the development of these institutions in regards to a stronger and greater conservation ethos within the organizational culture. I can give two examples of this at two of the best zoos of Latin America that I have personally seen ,I know them personally, and they have in one capacity or another been my coordinators and mentors:

Erika Servin Zamora (Chapultepec zoo , Mexico city , Mexico) - Has helped radically overhaul the zoo and direct it from being a more old fashioned institution focused on exhibiting "ABC" species and being a recreational attraction towards being at the cutting edge and contributing greatly to ex-situ and in-situ conservation. This particularly with regards to that of native species such as the Axolotl, the Californian condor , the Mexican wolf and several other species. Erika studied at the DESMAN (not sure if thats the right spelling ? ) programe at Jersey zoo in the UK and has done some truly amazing things in terms of conservation.

Cecilia Lembra (Sorocaba zoo , Sao Paulo state, Brazil) - Has been the driving force of the development of conservation programes at the zoo for over three decades now and has helped develop ex-situ conservation programes for endangered and endemic Brazilian species like the Southern Muriqui , Golden lion tamarin , maned wolf and several others. Also encouraged research programes for students, sustainable culture and environmental education programes with the visitors that have been highly successful. Cecilia also studied at the conservation course of Jersey zoo back in the UK back in the early 1990's (I think it had a different name from DESMAN back then but I'm not sure). Once again she has done some incredible and wonderful things in terms of implementing conservation in Brazil and she will continue doing them.

This is amazing, great to see some women in the list, and for me it is encouraging to see some who have been influenced by the training course in Jersey Zoo