Zoo New York names Oswego County native as executive director

Zoo New York in Watertown has named Gabriel Yerdon, an Oswego County native, as its new executive director. Yerdon is scheduled to begin the position Nov. 16, 2026.

The Board of Directors of Thompson Park Conservancy Inc., which operates the zoo in Thompson Park, announced the appointment. Yerdon grew up on a dairy farm in Oswego County.

Yerdon previously worked for the Tug Hill Commission on regional land conservation and later joined the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on Finger Lakes watershed water quality, according to information released about his appointment. He also runs a family farm with sheep, alpacas and other animals. His conservation studies and research were at Tufts University, and he spent a year at a wildlife rehabilitation clinic in Brazil.

Zoo New York is a 32-acre park in Thompson Park that houses animals native to New York, including wolverines, black bears, eagles, mountain lions, Canada lynx and gray wolves. Yerdon described the zoo as “a special place for Watertown and the whole North Country.”

The zoo faced financial difficulties in 2023, when it announced plans to close and laid off most of its staff. It later reopened with community support. Mark Irwin served as interim executive director before returning to teaching at SUNY Jefferson, and Kathryn Allen then took over the interim role.

The conservancy board is studying whether the zoo could open year-round, including winter weekends, and is reviewing cost estimates for that decision. The zoo is listed as open daily from May through October and on weekends from November through April, along with school breaks. More information is available by calling 315-782-6180.