Gretchen Ziegler Honored as Sequoia Park Zoo Director Emeritus

Press release from the Sequoia Park Zoo: 

Mayor Kim Bergel and Zoo Director Emeritus Gretchen Ziegler
Photo Attached Courtesy: Sequoia Park Zoo

During the April 1, 2025 Council Meeting, the City of Eureka bestowed the status of Sequoia Park Zoo Director Emeritus on former Zoo Director, Gretchen Ziegler.

Mayor Kim Bergel, on behalf of the City Council, read a Proclamation recognizing Ms. Ziegler for over 26 years of dedication and service to the City of Eureka’s Sequoia Park Zoo.

Gretchen made her mark on the Zoo first as a zookeeper caring for animals before being promoted to Zoo Curator, Zoo Manager, and Zoo Director, where she led the Zoo forward through innovative exhibit development, habitat design, and unwavering commitment to the Native Plants Initiative.

Ms. Ziegler oversaw the completion of major projects at the Zoo, including the reimagined Entry Pavilion and immersive Watershed Heroes habitat. Her visionary leadership culminated in the opening of the award-winning Redwood Sky Walk at Sequoia Park Zoo, which has drawn over a quarter of a million guests since 2021.

“Gretchen’s devotion to the Zoo is unmatched in the community,” says Miles Slattery, Eureka City Manager. “Honoring her as Zoo Director Emeritus is the obvious way to show our appreciation for her years of service and continued support.”

Ms. Ziegler’s legacy includes the cultivation and implementation of the Native Plants Initiative, which has seen the Zoo grounds transformed into a thriving collection of native plants that supports biodiversity and encourages conservation.

“Gretchen’s presence is seen and felt throughout the Zoo,” says Jim Campbell-Spickler, current Sequoia Park Zoo Director. “Three years later, she is still an amazing mentor to me, and I am grateful to have inherited this incredible facility and team that she worked so hard to develop.”

In her retirement, Gretchen continues to actively promote Sequoia Park Zoo and advocate for its animals, people, and plants, and she is often seen maintaining the Zoo’s native landscaping with the Eureka Sequoia Garden Club.

Sequoia Park Zoo and the City of Eureka thank Gretchen Ziegler, Zoo Director Emeritus, for embodying and advancing our mission to inspire conservation of the natural world by instilling wonder, respect, and passion for wildlife and wild places.

ABOUT SEQUOIA PARK ZOO

Sequoia Park Zoo has been owned and operated by the City of Eureka since it was founded in 1907. It is the oldest zoo in California and one of the smallest facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). Sequoia Park Zoo is home to over 150 individual animals from across 50 species and includes the award-winning Redwood Sky Walk and the tallest urban forest on the planet. Visit redwoodzoo.org and redwoodskywalk.com for more information.

Sequoia Park Zoo inspires conservation of the natural world by instilling wonder, respect, and passion for wildlife.