LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - The director of the Louisville Zoo will retire later this year.
John Walczak, who began working at the zoo in 1985 and became director in 2004, will stay through the summer as the city conducts a national search for a new director, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said Wednesday in a statement.
Walczak has overseen the installation of the award-winning Islands, Gorilla Forest, and Glacier Run exhibits.
“It’s impossible to overstate John’s influence and commitment to making our Zoo one of the best in the nation, and his success can be seen in the smiles of every single person who visits,” Fischer said.
Walczak described his nearly four decades at the Louisville Zoo as “a labor of love.”
He said hearing stories from visitors about how the zoo has created not only great memories but has inspired caring for wildlife and the health of our planet is “beyond rewarding.”
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