Brendan Wiley, who turned things around at the Topeka Zoo, leaving it in much better shape

Brendan Wiley took over running the Topeka Zoo at a time of turmoil over the death of a hippo, pregnant giraffes, mistrust in management and a failure to obey federal rules.

Thirteen years later, Wiley leaves having restored the zoo as a "cherished community asset," said Fred Patton, the zoo's board president.

"It went from a zoo that was struggling and had a lot of concerns to one we're all proud of," he told The Capital-Journal.

Patton announced Tuesday that Wiley, 53, is resigning effective Nov. 10 to become director of the city-run Cameron Park Zoo near downtown in the warm-weather city of Waco, Texas.

That zoo houses more than 1,730 animals representing 300 species, its website says. The Topeka Zoo has slightly more than 400 animals.

Board president: Brendan Wiley's tenure was 'transformational period'

The zoo's board is deeply grateful for Wiley's leadership and dedication to the zoo and this community, Patton said.

"His tireless efforts have helped shape our zoo into the vibrant and respected organization it is today," he said. "We will long reflect upon Brendan's tenure as a transformational period that enables our zoo to flourish for decades to come."

The board will conduct a comprehensive, nationwide search, expected to take six to nine months, for a new CEO to uphold the zoo's commitment to excellence and will pick a temporary director before Wiley leaves, Patton said.

Board members have visited informally with search firms and feel good about their chances of bringing in a high-quality candidate who can build upon Wiley's accomplishments, he said.

A hippo death and pregnant giraffes at the Topeka Zoo

Topeka's city government's hiring of Wiley to lead the zoo took effect in May 2010, in the wake of the December 2009 resignation of its previous director, Mike Coker.

Topeka's city government in 2009 had asked the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to inspect the Topeka Zoo amid controversy over animal deaths and the zoo's failure to comply with federal rules.

Inspectors found problems that included misleading statements from the senior staff and a lack of trust in management.

Coker had contended to The Topeka Capital-Journal there were no repairs before, during or after the 2006 death of SubMarie, an aging hippopotamus who was found in 108-degree water.

The city later released documents showing maintenance had been ongoing on the hippo pool before SubMarie's death and that repairs began the day after her death.

The AZA in March 2010 tabled a decision for one year on whether to continue or rescind its accreditation of the zoo.

Wiley, a former curator at the Kansas City Zoo and director of an animal shelter in Johnson County, started work two months later as zoo director.

He announced in December 2010 that he intended to make improvements that would earn back the title of "World Famous Topeka Zoo." The facility previously bore that moniker for accomplishments that included becoming the first zoo to successfully hatch golden eagle chicks in 1971 and for opening its Tropical Rain Forest in 1974.

Wiley dealt early in his tenure with continuing noncompliance issues raised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as the August 2010 death of B.G., a 25-year-old pregnant giraffe who had been bred when Coker was director.

B.G.'s unborn calf died, too.

Topeka Zoo boosted by the survival of Hope the giraffe

But zoo supporters' spirits were boosted by the survival of Hope, a female giraffe born there in July 2010 with joint problems of the same type that had forced her mother's previous calf to be euthanized at age 7 months in 2006.

Hope was saved by a local veterinarian Joseph Kamer. The zoo received national attention for the steps Kamer took.

Hope ran for the first time when she was a month old, moments before she was to appear on "The Today Show." Her story came full circle in August 2018 when she birthed a healthy calf, Liz. Both remain at the zoo.

The AZA restored the zoo's accreditation to full status in March 2011.

The zoo under Wiley went on to build Camp Cowabunga, the Kay McFarland Japanese Garden and the Giraffe & Friends exhibit and to introduce its "Zoo Lights" attraction, which boosted holiday season attendance considerably.

The zoo in 2021 transitioned from city governance while implementing a new funding model that no longer relies on property tax. In addition, it changed Wiley's title from director to CEO.

Wiley also demonstrated a commitment to transparency by sharing information after one of the zoo's keepers was injured by one of its tigers in 2019.

Brendan Wiley is confident great things will continue at Topeka Zoo

Wiley told The Capital-Journal that his experience as zoo director has been "amazing," calling Topeka "an incredible zoo that supports the community in a wonderful fashion."

He said he wants Topekans to know the zoo now has "an incredible foundation to continue the forward growth, and I am super excited to watch that happen."

Wiley said he would tell whoever is hired to replace him that the zoo has an "incredible" team that includes a great staff, board of directors and "network of docents, volunteers, donors and supporters who together pull off amazing feats."

"I feel confident that great things are just going to keep on happening here," he said.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Brendan Wiley leaving Topeka Zoo to oversee zoo in Waco, Texas