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Twenty Years At Zoo Boise: One Man's Vision Comes Alive

Zoo Boise marks a milestone Friday. It was twenty years ago that Steve Burns joined up with the zoo.

Back then, Steve Burns was working at the Nature Conservancy in Washington D.C. He shifted gears and took the job as the Executive Director of the Friends of Zoo Boise. After three-and-a-half years, he added head of Zoo Boise to his title and now holds both jobs.

Burns has helped build the zoo into one of the biggest attractions in Idaho. Last year, just shy of 350,000 people came to visit. And he’s helped raise between $18 and $19 million over his time here for capital improvements.

Burns says a lot has changed over the last 20 years.

According to Burns, the next project is building a 2.5 acre Gorongosa National Park exhibit that will include baboons and Nile crocodiles. A new primate exhibit is also in the works.

Find Samantha Wright on Twitter @samwrightradio

Copyright 2017 Boise State Public Radio

As Senior Producer of our live daily talk show Idaho Matters, I’m able to indulge my love of storytelling and share all kinds of information (I was probably a Town Crier in a past life!). My career has allowed me to learn something new everyday and to share that knowledge with all my friends on the radio.

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