Advertisement

San Diego

Share

Kurt Benirschke, director of research at the San Diego Zoo for 10 years, will resign at the end of the year and accept a position on the San Diego Zoological Society’s board of trustees.

“Wherever I’ve been, after 10 years I’ve moved on,” said Benirschke, 61. “I don’t think there was any surprise from the people inside the zoo.”

Benirschke said he had intended to resign several months ago to concentrate on his scientific writing and his work in pathology and reproductive medicine at UC San Diego. He said he held up his announcement until he could finish organizing an international conference on primate preservation last month.

Advertisement

Benirschke came under personal attack during the conference from some animal rights activists who said cooperation between zoo officials and animal laboratory operators conflicted with the zoo’s role of preserving animals. Benirschke said he didn’t expect to escape those protests with his resignation.

“I will take the flak,” he said. “I can stand up to the public for what I’ve done.”

Benirschke founded the zoo’s Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species in 1975 to apply advances in human medicine to the study and preservation of endangered animals. He also established an endangered species sperm bank known as “The Frozen Zoo.”

Advertisement