The Knoxville Zoo began as the Birthday Park Zoo in 1948. Due to a lack of expertise and funding, the Humane Society started proceedings to close the zoo in 1971 after the animals' welfare came under scrutiny. The zoo was saved by Guy Smith, a local television executive, who took on the job as the zoo's first director at a salary of $1 per year. Smith managed to convince the City of Knoxville and the local community to invest in this wonderful sanctuary. As the zoo's conditions improved and awareness was raised, a focus was placed on breeding threatened or endangered animals. These efforts...