Partners in Conservation
Learn about the Zoo’s financial commitment to holistic conservation efforts in Central Africa.
Jack Hanna: A Legacy That Continues to Inspire
For generations of families, Jack Hanna has felt like part of the family. The familiar face at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. The warm hello you still remember. The moment you met him at the Zoo and thought, “He’s exactly like he is on TV!”
Jack has a way of making people feel seen, welcomed, and completely at ease. Goofy in the best way, endlessly friendly, and always generous with his time, he created connections that stayed with Columbus Zoo guests long after their visit ended. Thousands of people carry stories of meeting Jack, often told with a smile and a little laughter.
That sense of joy, curiosity, and approachability helped shape the Zoo into what it is today, a place where animals inspire wonder and people feel right at home.
Memories
Jack is certainly legend status at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Scroll left and right to see images from over the past four+ decades!
Milestones
Jack transformed the Columbus Zoo and our understanding of animals. The charismatic man in khaki has become TV's wildlife expert and an advocate for education and conservation globally.
Jack's Early Years: 1947 - 1968
1947
John "Jack" Hanna was born in Knoxville, TN.
1956
On December 22, 1956 the Columbus Zoo made history when Colo, the first gorilla born into professional care, came into the world.
Though Jack was only 9 years old at the time – Colo’s birth foreshadowed our Zoo’s unwavering commitment to great apes. Colo passed away at the age of 60—setting the record for the oldest gorilla living in a zoo.
1968
Jack has always loved animals – he even brought his donkey with him to Muskingum College, and it lived in the fraternity house!
Jack also met his wife of 50+ years, Suzi, while at Muskingum University and was married in 1968. Little did Jack and Suzi know that their life’s work would bring them right back to the Zanesville area decades later. Today The Wilds, a 10,000 acre wildlife and conservation park in southeast Ohio, remains one of their favorite places on Earth.
Welcome to Columbus, Jack: 1978 - 1979
1978
The Hanna family started calling central Ohio home in 1978. Columbus was a great fit for the Hannas – it had an impressive childrens' hospital to treat their youngest daughter’s leukemia and the perfect zoo director position open for Jack. He had dreams of transforming the Columbus Zoo into the #1 zoo in the US, but knew he had a long way to go...at that time, the Zoo was part of the City of Columbus' Sewers & Drains Department!
1979
In 1979, thanks to support from a prominent local philanthropist who knew Jack, the gorilla habitat was transformed, adding an expansive, custom outdoor living space, and it represented a turning point for the Zoo – the community and other zoos took notice!
Jack also welcomed Betty White to the Columbus Zoo in 1979. Betty was a beloved animal enthusiast and lover of zoos. Until her passing in 2021, Betty remained a dear friend of the Hanna family. This celebrity visit was the first of many more to come!
Putting the Columbus Zoo on the Map: 1980 - 1988
1980
In the early 1980s, every gorilla birth at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium felt like a big deal, because it was. Jack believed these babies deserved the very best start, and that belief guided everything that followed.
Gorilla infants were raised by their mothers, supported by the Zoo’s dedicated gorilla care experts and surrounded by a strong family group. And in one of those unforgettable, only-at-the-Zoo moments, Jack even brought in experts from La Leche League to help demonstrate breastfeeding techniques for new gorilla moms. Equal parts heart, creativity, and care, it was a reflection of Jack’s hands-on, people-first approach to animal wellbeing.
1981
Jack teamed up with his oldest daughter to do his first animal TV series, Hanna’s Ark. The show aired locally for two years and foreshadowed Jack’s future on TV.
1983
Jack was invited to appear on Good Morning America following the birth of baby twin gorillas at the Columbus Zoo – the first twin gorillas born in the western hemisphere. He and the Columbus Zoo team eagerly accepted the invitation knowing that this was a great opportunity to educate people across the nation about animals. Jack remained a regular guest and wildlife correspondent for decades.
1984
The Columbus Zoo participated in a national program that helped restore bald eagle populations in the wild. 21 eaglets were born at the Columbus Zoo as part of the program, and 20 were released - helping the species get one step closer to being removed from endangered lists.
1985
Jack appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman for the first time. Dave and Jack “hit it off”, and Jack appeared over 100 times before Dave’s retirement in 2015.
From day one, Jack knew that the community had to embrace the Columbus Zoo for it to succeed. It needed to be held a treasured community asset and a place where families could make memories together while learning about the world’s amazing creatures. In 1985, the Franklin County voters in Ohio passed a levy to support their Zoo – the community’s leaders and residents believed in the Zoo’s vision and have generously funded its expansion ever since.
1988
Jack started the beloved central Ohio holiday tradition, Wildlights! In its first year, Wildlights featured 120,000 glowing lights. Today, there are more than 3+ million shimmering LED lights, and 400,000+ guests enjoying the celebration of the holiday season annually.
In 1993, Jack wanted to "jazz up" Wildlights and installed an ice rink at the Zoo. For the rink’s grand opening he invited Olympian Peggy Fleming to take a spin on the ice...what a night to remember!
Jack Takes the Zoo Global: 1991 - 2007
1991
In 1984, Jack saw mountain gorillas for the first time in Rwanda, and, from then on, he made it a priority to visit them regularly. With Jack’s encouragement and blessing, a group of volunteers and zookeepers founded Partners In Conservation (PIC), a grassroots humanitarian and wildlife conservation organization. To this day, PIC has continued to lead efforts that educates and assists local communities that live near gorilla habitats on behalf of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
1991 was a pivotal year for Jack and the Columbus Zoo. The Zoo’s attendance reached 1 million guests for the first time and cemented its commitment to wildlife conservation.
1992
Jack’s title shifted to “Director Emeritus” so that he could focus more on representing the Columbus Zoo and animals in the media and around the world.
1999
Bringing manatees to Central Ohio to participate in a rehabilitation program was a dream come true for Jack! Working with the US Fish & Wildlife’s Manatee Rehabilitation and Recovery Program, the Columbus Zoo became a temporary home for the manatees while they recovered from cold-stress and boat strikes. After being nursed back to health, the manatees returned to be released back into their native Florida waters. To this day, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium remains one of only four facilities outside of Florida to partipate in this program.
2007
Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild debuted in living rooms all across the country and won an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Series in its first season! Since the first big win, Jack and the show have been nominated 14 other times with wins in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2018.
In that year as well, Jack was honored to join Rwanda’s President, Paul Kagame, at its annual Gorilla Naming Ceremony. The ceremony celebrated the birth of 23 mountain gorillas that year – a species that the Columbus Zoo’s Partners In Conservation had supported for nearly 20 years.
His Impact Continues: 2008 - 2017
2008
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) presented Jack with the R. Marlin Perkins Award for professional excellence for outstanding commitment to AZA’s mission of education, conservation, science and recreation. Jack was beyond humbled and honored. Growing up, he idolized Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom’s host, Marlin Perkins, and considered him his hero.
2009
The Wilds became an official part of the Columbus Zoo family. Having honeymooned in Zanesville, Jack and Suzi have witnessed, first-hand, the miraculous transformation of The Wilds over the last 50 years. From the barren, strip-mined land to the beautiful savanna that it is today – both the visitor experience and the research being done at The Wilds is like nowhere else in the world.
2011
Jack Hanna’s Wild Countdown debuted on ABC on Saturday mornings around the country! Wild Countdown brought some of his favorite experiences with the world’s rarest, most endearing, and fascinating animals to viewers around the country.
2012
Although always an Ohioan at heart, Jack officially became a Buckeye when he accepted an honorary Doctorate of Public Service at The Ohio State University’s fall commencement. The Columbus Zoo's animal ambassadors also took the stage as the "featured speakers".
2014
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium opened Heart of Africa, a new 43-acre region filled with an expansive savanna habitat for lions, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and more; a central watering hole surrounded by a boardwalk to view daily cheetah runs; and immersive experiences including camel rides and giraffe feedings. Longtime friend Betty White joined the Zoo for the ribbon cutting ceremony on opening day.
2015
Jack made his last appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman. On-air before Letterman's retirement, and he presented Dave with a "lifetime membership" to the Columbus Zoo and The Wilds. He also announced some heartfelt news: The Wilds had named its new rhino calf, Letterman.
Jack began the next stage of his late-night television career and made his first appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden in October 2015.
2017
Jack and Suzi received a Points of Light Tribute Award for their contributions to volunteering and service that make their community and world a better place. Points of Light was founded by President George H.W. Bush in 1988.
The Hanna Years, Forever Felt: 2018 - 2020
2018
Jack and Suzi celebrated their 40th year at the Columbus Zoo (and their 50th wedding anniversary)! In the Hannas’ honor, the Zoo launched the Jack and Suzi Hanna Fund – an organizational fund that supports the three areas closest to their hearts: Wildlife Conservation, Transformative Education and Innovative Habitats.
2019
A mountain gorilla census, partially funded by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, announced an increase in numbers, bringing the total mountain gorilla population from a low of 242 in 1981 to 1,069 in 2020 across central Africa. The conservation efforts that Jack and the Columbus Zoo invested was successful! While there is always more work to be done, it is always a highlight to see any threatened population grow in numbers.
2020
The Columbus Zoo opened Adventure Cove featuring sea lions, harbor seals and a reimagined immersive animal habitat area called Jack Hanna’s Animal Encounters Village, built to honor Jack’s living legacy of connecting people with wildlife.
At the end of 2020, Jack retired from the Columbus Zoo after 42 years of leadership.
Passion for animals, dedication to teaching, and a great sense of humor.
That’s the recipe that made Jack and Suzi Hanna two of the most well-respected and well-loved conservationists ever to grace the national stage.
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium created the Jack and Suzi Hanna Fund to honor their leadership and living legacy. The fund supports three impact areas that are close to the Hannas’ hearts - Wildlife Conservation, Transformative Education, and Innovative Habitats - and are also aligned with the Zoo’s mission: Empowering People. Saving Wildlife.
