ON BEHALF OF STUART D. STRAHL, PRESIDENT & CEO

Hello Everyone:

It is with deep sadness that I write to inform you of the passing of former President of the Chicago Zoological Society and our President Emeritus, Dr. George B. Rabb the afternoon of Thursday 27 July.  Dr. Rabb worked tirelessly on behalf of wildlife and conservation until a recent illness, and he passed peacefully while surrounded by friends and loved ones.

Dr. Rabb passionately served the Chicago Zoological Society for almost 50 years from 1956 until his retirement in 2004 at which time he was appointed President Emeritus.  During his tenure, the Society developed innovative approaches to the science of animal care and welfare, education and conservation and Brookfield Zoo enjoyed unprecedented revitalization of its exhibits and dramatic expansion of membership and attendance.  His pioneering, collaborative work in developing the field of conservation psychology was incorporated into many exhibits, most notably the Hamill Family Play Zoo, and led Brookfield Zoo to its position as a leading conservation center among zoos. Without question Dr. Rabb is one of the world’s leading conservationists, and as President Emeritus, continued to drive change and pursue important conservation work globally in amphibian conservation and other critical issues.

In 1956, Dr. Rabb started at Brookfield Zoo as the Curator of Research, with formal training as a herpetologist and an undergraduate degree in biology from the College of Charleston and master’s and doctoral degrees in zoology from the University of Michigan.  He was one of the first Ph.D.’s to work full time in any American zoo and was appointed as Associate Director for Research and Education in 1964. During this time, Dr. Rabb fostered a growing emphasis on the importance of zoos in education, charting a new course for the role zoos play in a rapidly urbanizing society. 

Twenty years after arriving at Brookfield Zoo in 1976, Dr. Rabb took the helm as President of the Chicago Zoological Society and Zoo Director and worked closely with the then chairman of the Board, Corwith (“Corky”) Hamill.  After Rabb’s appointment as President, there was steady organizational growth, and education and research took on a whole new scale at Brookfield Zoo.  He was also instrumental in driving the concept of naturalistic and immersive exhibits, as can be seen by the physical changes in Brookfield Zoo exhibits during his career.  His pioneering work led to the eventual establishment of what are known today as the Chicago Zoological Society’s two Centers of Excellence, the Center for the Science of Animal Care and Welfare and the Center for Conservation Leadership. 

Over his career, Dr. Rabb gained prominence globally as a conservation leader.  He was associated with many organizations worldwide and was a highly respected spokesman on conservation issues.  He received many awards and esteemed recognition including the 1996 Heini Hediger Award, the 1997 Silver Medal (Zoological Society of London), and the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award (National Conference on Science, Policy and the Environment). The Chicago Zoological Society's George B. Rabb Conservation Medal is named for him, among many other awards.  In addition, in recognition of his lifetime commitment to amphibians, a new species of frog was discovered in 2005 was named in honor of George and his wife, Mary Rabb, for their lifetime work as conservationists and herpetologists. 

Dr. Rabb helped start the International Species Information System.  He was chairman of the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) from 1989 to 1996, He served as board member for the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, the Center for Humans and Nature, Chicago Wilderness and the Illinois State Museum.  Throughout his career, Dr. Rabb published widely on many topics, such as the evolutionary relationships of viperid snakes, behavioral development in okapi, social behavior in captive wolf packs, and breeding behavior of pipid frogs.  He founded the Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force and continued to be active in amphibian conservation issues with the Amphibian Survival Alliance and the Amphibian Ark.

Dr. Rabb leaves a deep legacy and lasting impact on the zoo world and the field of conservation.  He will be best remembered for his caring ethic, his deep concern and advocacy for animals, people and the environment, and his unwavering energy and commitment to make a difference for the natural world.  His impact is far-reaching and can best be measured by his lifetime of accomplishments, the thousands of individuals he inspired to pursue conservation careers and advocacy, and how deeply he touched the hearts and lives of so many who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. 

The Chicago Zoological Society is establishing a George B. Rabb Memorial with funds directed to the CZS Conservation Fund.

Please make your memorial gift payable to:

Chicago Zoological Society
Memo:  George B. Rabb Memorial
3300 Golf Road
Brookfield, IL 60513

Please call (708) 688-8300 with questions.

Thank you,