ZooAmerica Celebrates Retirement of Assistant Director
ZooAmerica Assistant Director, Dale Snyder, Retires After 52-Year Career
Hershey Entertainment and Resorts (HE&R) is proud to recognize and celebrate the retirement of Dale Snyder, Assistant Director of Animal Care and Operations at ZooAmerica, after a career spanning more than 52 years with our company. We invite you to read more about Dale’s work and his tremendous impact on the development of the Zoo throughout his decades of service.
Dale’s career at The Sweetest Place On Earth began in 1972 in the Hersheypark Rides department and then to the Animal Garden in 1974, where he worked until ZooAmerica opened its doors in 1978. Named as one of the first naturalists at ZooAmerica, Dale cared for all outdoor animals. Within a few years, he became the Supervisor of Animal Services, taking on responsibility for the entire animal collection. He was later named General Curator and then promoted to Assistant Director of Animal Care and Operations in 2019.
Throughout his tenure, Dale prioritized a high level of animal care and education, especially for children. Dale believes the “big goal” is to inspire the next generation and challenge them to figure out what they will do to conserve and preserve nature and make the world a better place. During his animal presentations, Dale spoke about his former intense fear of snakes. Fear of any animal can be lessened or overcome through education and exploring that animal’s purpose in nature. If Dale can overcome his fear of snakes, anyone can! While he worked hard to educate others, Dale also constantly learned. There are always new theories, discoveries, and ways to improve; the job is never finished. Dale says, “It is so satisfying to leave and know that you made a difference.”
One of Dale’s fond memories of his career was taking tour groups to Africa during ZooAmerica’s former travel program. He was able to explore various parts of Africa and partake in safaris. He remembers their safari vehicle getting between a mother elephant and her calf, the resulting charge and quick driving by their guide. With a chuckle, Dale also recounted how there were hot water bottles covered in fur at the bottom of their beds in their tents in Kenya. He did not initially know their method of warming beds and thought he had joined a small African mammal in his bed that night!
Dale also speaks fondly of a wild, injured otter named Ookie from Delaware. The otter’s upper lip had been cut off by a boat, and a plastic surgeon from the Hershey Medical Center came in to work on it. After being bottle-fed and raised, the otter was successfully released back into the wild. In addition to Ookie, some of Dale’s favorite ZooAmerica animals include Callum the pronghorn, the bears, some of the mountain lions, Cosmo the barn owl, alligators, and Mingo the western hognose snake. His memorable moments at the Zoo include the births of animals such as pronghorns, ringtails, elk, porcupines, and the endangered thick-billed parrots.
Dale’s reputation at ZooAmerica is one of selflessness. His colleagues describe him as incredibly humble, knowledgeable, dependable, kind, and caring. Through the years, Dale ensured his team would have time for their families by giving of his own time, including working on holidays such as Christmas or covering animal areas and behind-the-scenes tours if the team was short-staffed.
While it’s difficult to imagine ZooAmerica without Dale, he is forever entwined in the fabric of our entire Zoo. Dale leaves a memorable legacy and lasting impact on the many team members who worked alongside him and learned from him during his time at HE&R, as well as on every animal that has called ZooAmerica “home.”
