City of Idaho Falls names interim zoo director

An interim zoo superintendent has been named for the Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park.

The City of Idaho Falls announced Thursday that Linda Beard will head the zoo after the former superintendent, Beth Rich, accepted a position as the director of animal care and health at the Milwaukee County Zoo in June.

Beard began working as the animal care supervisor at the Idaho Falls Zoo in 1993. She has been directly involved with the research, planning, construction and maintenance of nearly every exhibit at the zoo, the city said.

Beard also managed the duties of the zoo curator and helped as a veterinarian technician at the zoo until job positions were created to fill those duties.

She has an educational background from the AZA Management School and has attended numerous zookeeper-related workshops and trainings.

“I am looking forward to expanding my career at the zoo to include other aspects beyond animal care. I have passion and a love for what I do, and I’m honored to help ensure things run smoothly until a new superintendent is hired,” Beard said. “We truly have the best little zoo in the Intermountain West, and it is my goal to maintain the standards that our guests are accustomed to.”

The city is actively looking for someone to fill the position permanently, and it expects to have the position filled in about two months.