Keeping the Zoo

Rahkan, Orchid, Banyan, Jao Ying, and Sang Dao (the Clouded Leopards) give it five out of five paws... and that's really all you need to know. John Horton Houck's forty-four-year career in zoos and aquariums began at the Oregon Zoo in 1974, where he was hired in a new direction of zookeeping. The goal was to educate the public about animal conservation and depict natural habitats in the exhibits. After a dozen years, John accepted a curator position at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, and the family moved to Tacoma, Washington. Eventually, he became Deputy Director, retiring in late 2018. His career stories feature a cast of colorful reptiles, mammals, and birds, as well as the rise of a struggling zoo and aquarium from near closure to prominence as a community treasure and highly respected zoological facility.