Lincoln South Rotary Club heard from Evan Killeen, the CEO of the Lincoln Children's Zoo, during our meeting on April 26, 2024.
The Lincoln Children's Zoo is highly respected. They frequently get visits from CEOs of other facilities to tour and learn.
Evan shared that the zoo has been AZA accredited since 1990. That designation was gained during the tenure of John Chapo who set it as a goal. The accreditation process is not easy. There are onsite inspections of all aspects of the zoo from animal well being, veterinary services, staff training, and visitor safety. They also look at the financial stability, educational programs and guest services among other points. The inspection team submits their findings to the commission which are then thoroughly evaluated.
Only 10% of the zoos have earned this AZA accreditation.
Evan talked about the expansion which opened in 2019 with the 2nd phase in 2020. That nearly doubled the size of the zoo. The animal habitats and guest experiences are not found at any other zoo. Cheetahs were added as well as giant anteaters. They took over the Ager center that was previously owned by the City. That includes a large play structure, spider monkeys, as well as a The Mill Coffee Shop.
The Lincoln Children's Zoo is set apart from other zoos because of the unique activities and facilities.
Visitors can learn more about the fastest animal on earth and witness training during the Cheetah Run at 10:30 am daily. Cheetahs instinctively know how to run and the training is to help teach them how that needs to be done in a zoo environment. There are only 5 zoos with cheetah runs - besides Lincoln you will see them in San Diego, Cincinnati, Busch Gardens and the Columbus zoo.
Evan talked a little about animal rearing - they can be parent reared or have more of a human impact. That choice may be necessary such as a recent baby giraffe that had to be bottle fed which his mom was not able to care for him. In any case, training in the zoo provides an opportunity to ensure the animals have a comfort level with having humans around them.
We learned about the giraffe barn which is the 3rd largest in the country. During the first year, we had 2 babies born which put us among the top in the country for births. As they were designing the barn they always had the comfort of the giraffes in mind. Once they are inside they do not have the amenities that they have in their natural habitat. The flooring is made of thick rubber to provide some comfort. The air filtration system is continually circulating fresh air. There are multiple rooms available to the giraffes. He shared that one of the giraffes - Phoebe - consumed about 168,000 pieces of romaine lettuce the first year.
The economic impact of the zoo was about $17.5 million. Many of the visitors come from out of town, out of state. They may stay in hotels, eat in the restaurants, and purchase gas for their trip. Evan compared that impact to the anticipated $15 million annual economic of a new convention center.
Evan said he s proud that the zoo is out of the ordinary. In 2011 attendance was about 159,000 and last year it was 370,000. The Lincoln Children's Zoo had higher attendance than any other attraction in Nebraska other than the Omaha Zoo. He also pointed out that there is no public funding for the zoo - it is all from admissions and memberships as well as private donations ($2,426,111 raised in donations). The zoo also has spaces to rent for special events They get 100% of their concession and gift shop sales because they are managed by the zoo - not contracted as done by many attractions.
He reminded us of the special events held throughout the year - Boo at the Zoo, Brews at the Zoo and Zoo Lights. We learned that the Zoo Lights are designed, hung and maintained by the zoo staff.
CATZ (Chilren at the Zoo) is a program that provides free membership and admission to underserved members of the community. They coordinate through the Lincoln Public School System. Last year they had $410,184 In free admissions for CATZ program.
He closed with some "random" statistics including:
289 Employees
20 acres that horticultures takes care of
16 trees planted
600 Shrubs, Flowers, Grasses Planted
468 Maintenance Task Requests Completed
175 Animal X-Rays Since Sept
429 Rxs for Animals
1.9M Social Media Reach Up 26% from 2022
5 LJS Front Page Articles
20 acres that horticultures takes care of
16 trees planted
600 Shrubs, Flowers, Grasses Planted
468 Maintenance Task Requests Completed
175 Animal X-Rays Since Sept
429 Rxs for Animals
1.9M Social Media Reach Up 26% from 2022
5 LJS Front Page Articles
BIO
As the Chief Executive Officer for Lincoln Children’s Zoo, Evan Killeen oversees all operations of the Zoo and manages the revenues and expenses. Over the past 12 years, the Zoo has seen a great deal of operational success thanks to Mr. Killeen, with the Zoo budget increasing from $1.7 million to $7 million over that time. Additionally, Mr. Killeen presided over the largest expansion and capital campaign in Zoo history. A Nebraska native and graduate of the University of Nebraska Lincoln, Mr. Killeen has deep roots in Lincoln, Nebraska, and a strong focus on serving his community. Before becoming CEO, Mr. Killeen served as the COO from 2011 to 2022. Prior to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, Mr. Killeen successfully managed the Lincoln Children’s Museum as Deputy Director and previously led the Education Department at the Strategic Air and Space Museum.
As the Chief Executive Officer for Lincoln Children’s Zoo, Evan Killeen oversees all operations of the Zoo and manages the revenues and expenses. Over the past 12 years, the Zoo has seen a great deal of operational success thanks to Mr. Killeen, with the Zoo budget increasing from $1.7 million to $7 million over that time. Additionally, Mr. Killeen presided over the largest expansion and capital campaign in Zoo history. A Nebraska native and graduate of the University of Nebraska Lincoln, Mr. Killeen has deep roots in Lincoln, Nebraska, and a strong focus on serving his community. Before becoming CEO, Mr. Killeen served as the COO from 2011 to 2022. Prior to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, Mr. Killeen successfully managed the Lincoln Children’s Museum as Deputy Director and previously led the Education Department at the Strategic Air and Space Museum.