Zoo Atlanta's rebirth story told in Zoo Man

Rating:

Bringing zoos back to life…

Author: Terry Maple

He was a formidable beast. Even these many years later, I still have sad memories of the massive gorilla sitting glumly in his sterile locker room-like abode. Known as Samson, he was the star attraction at the Milwaukee County Zoo in the ‘60s and ‘70s until his sudden death in 1981 at the age of 32. He lived and died back in the day when zoos were basically a collection of cages, each one featuring a different creature. Cement, tile and metal bars were the norm. It wasn’t until the 1980s that naturalism became a part of the zoo designer’s duty.

One of the Atlanta Zoo elephants in 2006.

One of the key figures in that philosophical transformation was a man named Terry Maple. Back in 1984, Maple – previously a professor of animal behavior at Georgia Tech with minimal managerial experience – was given the task of fixing the Atlanta Zoo. This was no trivial assignment, as Atlanta’s zoo was widely considered to be one of the worst zoos in the country at the time. But despite the long odds, he decided he was up for the challenge and in the ensuing decade managed to turn the zoo into a popular attraction, as opposed to a national disgrace. He tells his story and the story of Zoo Atlanta in Zoo Man.

A silverback gorilla chilling at the Atlanta zoo, also in 2006.

Much like the Milwaukee zoo, Atlanta’s zoo was a demoralizing place, each animal confined to its small prison-like cement and bar enclosure. Not surprisingly, the zoo workers were just as depressed as the animals, making it hard for any visitors to enjoy themselves. But by listening, learning and thinking creatively, Maple gradually gained the trust of co-workers and recruited them to start moving the zoo in a new direction. Focusing on the latest advances in naturalistic environments, he was able to secure charitable funding and transform the zoo into something Atlanta residents could be proud of.

The author’s story combines both a history of the evolution of zoos in the late 20^th century as well as modern developments in management philosophy and techniques. Interestingly, it seems that Maple used his background in animal behavior quite effectively to manage the zoo staff in ways that produced remarkable results and made the zoo a fun place to work at. Visitors responded enthusiastically and the newly christened Zoo Atlanta quickly became a popular and highly rated tourist destination. By the time he wrote this book in 1993, the author was in demand worldwide by those who wanted to learn more about his successful techniques.

An enthusiastic insider’s look at a remarkable zoological success story, Zoo Man is a fun read that is sure to bring joy to anyone who loves a great zoo. I visited Zoo Atlanta a few years ago and can personally attest to the fact that it continues to entertain large crowds of eager animal and nature enthusiasts. I could have spent an entire day just watching the gorillas in their expansive enclosure, noting all their complex social interactions. There’s nothing more depressing than a bad zoo, but thanks to people like Terry Maple, bad zoos have finally become a thing of the past.

— D. Driftless

photos by Angela Grider

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dave

Ceaselessly seeking out non-fiction writing on almost any topic, Dave can carry almost forty pounds of books in the pannier pack on his bicycle and knows all the librarians at his local public library by their first names.