4 • The Louisville Zoo Trunkline • Spring 2016
MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP
FROM THE
MAYOR
Greg Fischer
Metro Mayor
I
am constantly
challenging
our Louisville
Metro
Government team to be world class
in everything we do, because I believe
that creates a culture of continuous
improvement — and results in better
service to citizens.
The Louisville Zoo has again risen
to that challenge, receiving the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA) Quarter Century Award. This
new award honors facilities that
have maintained AZA accreditation continuously for 25 years or
more, highlighting
their commitment to
animal care, welfare,
FROM THE
DIRECTOR
John Walczak
Louisville Zoo
Director
T
his year is
shaping up to
be a big year for your Louisville Zoo. We have some
sensational openings on the way:
NEW camel rides, a fantastic bird
show, an expanded and enriched elephant exhibit in our Africa area, and
later in the year — the new Penguin
Cove. Our staff has worked hard to
make these changes possible and I’m
excited for you to see the fruits of our
hard work.
I’m also excited to tell you about
the official new Master Plan that will
define the future of your Zoo. This
plan was drafted to ensure that the
Louisville Zoo continues to be the first
choice for family fun in the region, a
conservation, education and more.
I congratulate Zoo Director
John Walczak and his team for
the award, which shows their
commitment to excellence and
dedication to constant growth.
To be accredited, organizations must demonstrate they
are meeting the AZA’s high
standards through a meticulous onsite inspection covering animal care,
veterinary programs, conservation,
education and safety.
I applaud the Louisville Zoo’s leaders and staff for their hard work on
that score, and I thank them for their
commitment.
I and my team believe that the citizens of Louisville deserve the best city
government in the country, and we
are committed to setting best-practice
standards across the nation in every
aspect of our work.
Recently, the city’s website,
louisvilleky.gov, placed in the Center
for Digital Government’s 2015 Best
of the Web Awards. And the center’s
Digital Cities Survey included Louisville
as one of America’s top digital cities.
Our Office for Performance Improvement is always at work to
uncover smarter, more efficient ways
to deliver services, and these awards,
as well as the Zoo’s recognition from
AZA, confirm we are moving in the
right direction.
However, like the Louisville Zoo, we
are not resting on our achievements.
We are continually looking for innovative ways to better deliver services to
citizens.
We will continue to use all the
tools available to us to ensure that
all divisions of Metro Government,
including our Louisville Zoo, are measuring results, zeroing in on areas for
improvement — and making those
improvements.
That’s our promise to Louisville Zoo
visitors — and all citizens.
leader in innovation, and an everpresent reminder to our community to live in better balance
with the planet and those who
share it with us.
We plan to engage and
amaze our guests like never
before. A transformed welcoming
plaza will ensure you are greeted in
comfort and better prepared for your
adventure.
We plan to introduce even more
inventive exhibit designs to captivate
and inspire young conservation advocates. The proposed Crocotorium will
show species from novel perspectives,
surprising your family with natural
displays of athleticism as crocodiles
leap into the air.
We have plans for a Shark Conservation Institute that will bring you
closer than ever to the ocean environment with sharks, string rays and
other iconic ocean residents. You will
be introduced to important research
and shark conservation programs
that help us all better understand the
drastic plight of these apex predators.
We will redefine how you are able
to interact with the Zoo wildlife by
dissolving traditional barriers and creating new ways for animals to cross
our paths — at our feet and over our
heads. These passages will provide
unforgettable nose-to-nose encounters while encouraging enriching
opportunities for giraffes, elephants,
primates and others.
A new education hub will be built
at the front of the Zoo on the western edge of the reimagined multispecies African Savannah. Your children
will be able to learn while watching
the sun rise over grazing giraffes and
zebras.
Our Zoo is a story of innovation,
forward momentum, and a mission of
reconnecting people to wildlife, wild
places and to each other. We can and
will continue to inspire people to love,
respect and protect wildlife. We will,
“better the bond between people
and our planet.” Our Zoo of tomorrow begins today.