Ronald Theodore Reuther

Who was Ronald Theodore Reuther?

Ronald Theodore Reuther was a committed naturalist who spent decades managing and improving several major zoos, and was an aviation enthusiast. Armed with a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Conservation, Reuther held curator and director positions for the Micke Grove Zoo, the Cleveland Zoo, the Indianapolis Zoo, the San Francisco Zoo, and the Philadelphia Zoo. As Director of the San Francisco Zoo, Reuther was instrumental in the creation of a project to teach the gorilla Koko sign language. As a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Reuther helped to advance the transformation of zoos into research centers, and to promote the conservation and care of wildlife. As an aviation enthusiast, Reuther founded the Western Aerospace Museum and pursued the study of his personal interest in the disappearance of pilot Amelia Earhart.