After eight months, Austin Zoo's animal care manager to depart

The animal care director hired by the Austin Zoo after a zookeeper revolt last fall is leaving after eight months.

The city of Abilene announced Tuesday that Jesse Pottebaum has been hired as the new director of the city-operated Abilene Zoological Gardens. He will begin work there May 28, according to a city news release.

Pottebaum moved to Austin from Florida in September to be deputy director at the Austin Zoo, a private, nonprofit animal rescue operation in Southwest Austin. Pottebaum's hiring came after a group of six zookeepers in July gave a 54-page report to the zoo’s board of directors, detailing concerns they had about animal mistreatment and zoo mismanagement. The zoo fired its animal care manager around the same time, after a spat with an employee.

BACKGROUND: Turmoil at the Austin Zoo: Documenting a Zookeepers' Revolt

The American-Statesman reported in January about leadership decisions and animal care philosophies that had long troubled zoo employees, based on interviews with 24 current and former staff members — 17 of them zookeepers — and numerous reports, emails and animal care records. After the story, seven more former employees reached out with similar accounts of unorthodox animal care techniques, an unwillingness to euthanize suffering animals and acts of retaliation against keepers who shared concerns.

The zoo and its executive director, Patti Clark, faced outrage on social media after the story. The zoo fired three zookeepers who were questioned — or refused questions — about whether they had spoken to the newspaper. Clark remained the zoo’s executive director but stepped down as its board president — fulfilling one demand of critics who said she held too much power.

Via its website and emails to donors, the zoo defended its animal care and said it had made changes where necessary. Significant among the improvements, zoo representatives said, was hiring Pottebaum.

The zookeepers interviewed in January expressed widespread praise for Pottebaum, but said they were fearful he wouldn’t last long in the role.

Pottebaum said Wednesday that the Abilene facility offers a good opportunity for him because it is larger than the Austin Zoo and has more traditional infrastructure and management. He said the turmoil he stepped into in Austin is not the reason he is leaving.

“The staff is great, the animal care is great, and the professionalism has stepped up tremendously,” he said. “I am already assisting them with interviewing hopefully future candidates. We are definitely going to backfill the position.”

ALSO READ: Head of Austin Zoo steps down from board, remains director

He added that he believes the zoo has new checks and balances in place for its operations.

“The zoo is still going to have the same structure that I created,” Pottebaum said. “Patti Clark will remain executive director, but she will not be over animal care.”

The small zoo, which typically employs about 35 people, has seen widespread employee turnover. At least 35 employees have left since January 2018, eight of them fired. Most recently, six of the seven people who handled admissions and gift shop sales submitted their resignations in a single weekend in March, a former supervisor confirmed. The former supervisor requested anonymity because she is still looking for another job.

The zoo receives no public funding and is not managed by a public entity. Nevertheless, concerns about its operations drew the interest of state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, who said she had met with Clark and formed an informal group of independent but concerned area residents to see if they could provide help. Goodwin said Wednesday that she will check back in with that group after the legislative session ends this month.

"I think it's just a matter of watching and seeing if Patti does what she says she is going to do," Goodwin said. "I think she has the zoo's best interests at heart, and I think she does intend to make some changes."