Search Results for:

Giant panda twins’ names to be revealed at 100 Day Celebration on December 12 In one of their biggest milestones yet, the giant panda twins at Zoo Atlanta will receive their names at their 100 Day Naming Celebration on Monday, December 12, 2016. Zoo Atlanta invited fans around the world to vote on one of … Continue reading "Revealing of twin pandas names!"

You’d be surprised how many individuals, talents and backgrounds it takes to run the Zoo! Zoo Atlanta employs an outstanding team of experienced professionals in a variety of departments. Check out brief reference bios below. For more information, please contact the Public Relations and Communications Department.

Rachel Davis Director of Communications 404.624.2812 or rdavis@zooatlanta.org

Biodiversity + Human Diversity = Bio-Prosperity As the oldest cultural institution in Atlanta, we value diversity and foster a work environment that respects differences related to race, gender, ethnicity, disability, religion and sexual orientation. We believe that diversity enriches our employees’ performances, volunteer opportunities, guest experiences and the communities in which we live. Diversity is … Continue reading "Diversity"

Vision We envision a world where wildlife and humans flourish together. Mission  We save wildlife and their habitats through conservation, research, education and engaging experiences. Our efforts connect people to animals and inspire conservation action. Values Integrity – We are respectful, honest, transparent and accountable. We expect the same from our industry colleagues and partners. Collaboration – We are … Continue reading "Vision, Mission, & Values"

Hello, everyone! My name is Emily, and I have been here at Zoo Atlanta for the past eight months working as a keeper in the Zoo’s Program Animals Department at Wieland Wildlife Home. I am a Jersey native who had never been to Georgia before, and I can say I have loved every minute of … Continue reading "Tuesday, December 6"

1999 was an unforgettable year for the Zoo with the arrival of Lun Lun and Yang Yang, a pair of giant pandas on loan from China. Even as the city celebrated the beloved bears, Atlanta joined the Zoo in mourning Willie B., who passed away in 2000 at the age of 42. The gorilla who … Continue reading "1999–2017: Pandas to Present"

On May 13, his first day outdoors, Willie B. explored his new home in The Ford African Rain Forest. In 1984, a series of highly publicized events revealed deteriorating conditions at the Zoo, prompting Parade magazine to label the institution as one of the top 10 worst in the nation. A subsequent investigation lost the Zoo its accreditation, and an outraged public demanded that the facility be closed. Mayor Andrew Young assembled an emergency crisis team, appointing Terry L. Maple, PhD, as interim director. The team set out to address immediate issues, beginning with reducing the collection in order to ... Continue reading 1984–1999: Turnaround

By the 1950s, a sweeping global trend had biologists and zoo directors questioning traditional hard, linear animal cages in favor of more naturalistic environments. The period from 1951 to 1967 was one of the Zoo’s greatest times of construction and renovation. This decade also marked the arrival of one of the Zoo’s most beloved animals, an infant gorilla who joined the collection in 1961. Named for Atlanta Mayor William B. Hartsfield, he would be known in perpetuity as “Willie B.” Despite a decade of progress and ingenuity, it would not be long before many of the Zoo’s facilities became outdated. In ... Continue reading 1950–1984: A Zoo Growing Up

Atlanta’s oldest cultural destination began the day a menagerie came to town – and never left. In March 1889, a traveling show bound for Marietta, Ga., stalled just south of its destination when cash flow problems forced its owner into bankruptcy. Left behind by defecting circus employees, the animals began to draw crowds of curious onlookers. Two weeks later, businessman George Valentine Gress purchased the collection at public auction and donated the animals to the city of Atlanta. City leaders relocated them to picturesque Grant Park, a favorite local picnic and promenade destination. Featuring a jaguar, a hyena, a black bear, a ... Continue reading 1889–1950: The Early Days