A recent documentary, "The Conservation Game," raised questions about how celebrity conservationists, including the famous Jack Hanna, acquire exotic animals, and the zoo has since cut ties with animal vendors who don't meet certain standards of animal care. Staffers with the accrediting group who recently visited the zoo commended it on the changes that have been made in leadership and the animal programs department. However, the group said it wants to see that these changes can be sustained. Tom Schmid, president and CEO of the Texas State Aquarium, was named the Columbus Zoo's next leader on Tuesday. Hanna was the zoo's director from 1978 to 1992 and then its director emeritus for many years. He was well-known for his live animal demonstrations on late-night talk shows, as well as his own syndicated television shows. His entertainment work boosted the profile of the Ohio zoo, leading to massive attendance increases over the years.
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Hanna's family announced in April that he had been diagnosed with dementia and would retire from public life.The findings are among the new revelations detailed in the zoo's first public update about the investigation by Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, which it shared Tuesday evening in a written preliminary report. Stalf and Bell resigned March 29 after a Dispatch investigation found that they used zoo assets personally and for the benefit of their families. On Tuesday, the firm suggested the zoo undertake a forensic audit to determine any money that Stalf, Bell and their families should reimburse the zoo. In an emailed statement, board Chairman Keith Shumate confirmed the zoo has engaged with a forensic auditor. The investigation confirmed what the Dispatch uncovered: For years, Stalf and Bell sought tickets paid for by the zoo's marketing department so their family members could attend various entertainment events for free. They did not specify in documentation who attended events with them or whether they reimbursed the zoo for these expenses, which included food and drinks.
In one instance, Bell admitted he caused the zoo to obtain approximately 60 tickets from the Columbus Blue Jackets so his son, who is also a contractor at the zoo, could attend games with his friends. Stalf and Bell arranged for family members to live in homes owned or controlled by the zoo for years and set the rental prices, another finding from the Dispatch's investigation. Stalf's in-laws paid $900 a month to live in a three-bedroom, 1,336-square-foot home on the Northwest Side. The amount Bell's daughter paid to live in a three-bedroom, 1,344-square-foot home near the zoo wasn't disclosed, but the report said the zoo paid for utilities, taxes and maintenance. The zoo sold the other home earlier this year. The zoo traded admission tickets in exchange for memberships for Stalf and former zoo Chief Financial Officer Greg Bell at the Wedgewood Country Club, an arrangement that was terminated last week. The recreational vehicle purchased for Stalf's exclusive use cost $45,000 and was intended for him to use to attend events at The Wilds, a 10,000-acre conservation park the zoo manages in Muskingum County. Instead, the vehicle was stored at an offsite location or Stalf's home.
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