Meet The Zoo Director - December - Tony Vecchio, Oregon Zoo

Name: Tony Vecchio

Actual title: Zoo Director

Name of your zoo or aquarium: Oregon Zoo

URL for your facility: www.oregonzoo.org

Number of species at your facility: 256

Total number of animals or fish at your facility: 2,134

Number of visitors annually: 1.5 million

Number of employees: 171

Number of volunteers: 2,000

Annual budget: $24 million

Degree(s): MSc, Biology: University of South Carolina; BSc, Environmental Resource Management/Wildlife Conservation, Pennsylvania State University

Experience prior to this position: 9 years as Zoo Director (Roger Williams Park Zoo, RI); prior to that, General Curator (Roger Williams Park Zoo, RI); Curator of Mammals (Zoo Atlanta, GA); Senior Keeper of Carnivores, Primates and Small Mammals (Riverbanks Zoo, SC); Carnivore and Primate Keeper (Riverbanks Zoo, SC); concessions and Children’s Zoo keeper (Highland Park Zoo, PA)

Your favorite critter at the facility: Visayan warty pigs

Favorite part of your job: Meeting with zoo supporters

One dream wish for your facility: More land

Family: Yes

Pets at home: 2 dogs, 2 cats

When you retire, you plan to: Travel the country, birdwatching