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Heart of the Zoo: How San Diego Zoo Director Chuck Bieler Earned His Stripes
As executive director emeritus of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Chuck Bieler guided the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park through unprecedented challenges—notably, with the support of his beloved wife, Judy. During his five-decade tenure, Chuck built connections with the local community and his Zoo family, cemented relationships with important donors, championed science and research, and established international partnerships that ultimately brought wildlife like koalas and giant pandas to the Zoo. Heart of the Zoo tells the extraordinary story of how Chuck "earned his stripes" at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. With inside stories and humorous details, it captures his tireless efforts to help create an international conservation organization where all wildlife thrives.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 28, 2022
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May 27, 2023
Having been a member of the San Diego Zoo for probably more than 20 years, I was surprised at how little I knew about the history of it. This book made me appreciate it even more than I always have because it showed how it grew to be the zoo that I am familiar with. And a big part of that growth is evidently owed to Chuck Bieler.
I'm in awe of people who flow seamlessly through society and feel so at ease with everyone from animal keepers to the Audrey Geisels of the world. Chuck had the sincere knack of making everyone feel special and anxious to be part of his vision. His strength was not any knowledge of animals, but the ability to see how to take a vision and make it happen. His courting of donors didn't seem manipulative at all to me - he just seemed to want to make them part of this institution that he had come to love as part of his family.
I enjoyed his story and left the book feeling grateful that conservation becoming a driving force under his direction and that he was able to solicit funds to create the amazing habitats that the animals have. Gifts of San Diego philanthropists are what allowed our zoo to thrive and grow. Bieler seems to have be responsible for a lot of that for many years.
The book was written in a fairly factual way but held my interest- maybe because of the familiarity with the subject matter. I'm anxious to get to the zoo this summer and enjoy it through new eyes.
I'm in awe of people who flow seamlessly through society and feel so at ease with everyone from animal keepers to the Audrey Geisels of the world. Chuck had the sincere knack of making everyone feel special and anxious to be part of his vision. His strength was not any knowledge of animals, but the ability to see how to take a vision and make it happen. His courting of donors didn't seem manipulative at all to me - he just seemed to want to make them part of this institution that he had come to love as part of his family.
I enjoyed his story and left the book feeling grateful that conservation becoming a driving force under his direction and that he was able to solicit funds to create the amazing habitats that the animals have. Gifts of San Diego philanthropists are what allowed our zoo to thrive and grow. Bieler seems to have be responsible for a lot of that for many years.
The book was written in a fairly factual way but held my interest- maybe because of the familiarity with the subject matter. I'm anxious to get to the zoo this summer and enjoy it through new eyes.
Displaying 1 of 1 review