A Wild Childhood
Being born the son of Jungle Larry™ & Safari Jane™ (Lawrence and Nancy Jane Tetzlaff), David Tetzlaff was almost destined to a life among wild animals.

His father performed stunt work for Weissmuller in the Tarzan movies, milked venomous snakes to be made into serum during the second world war, filmed wildlife on four continents, and educated thousands of school children and millions of adults at Cedar Point theme park in Ohio and later at Naples Zoo. David's mother, Nancy Jane traveled with Larry on many safaris and complemented his films with still photography. Together Larry and Nancy cared for their population of wild animals and operated both Ohio and Florida zoological facilities.

In addition to growing up in the zoo environment, David Tetzlaff also accompanied his parents on trips to Africa where his experiences ranged from playing along rivers in western Africa to witnessing stacks of leopard skins confiscated from poachers.

Life with the Big Cats
As David was working at Cedar Point and Naples Zoo during the 1980s and early 1990s, he became one of the country's most accomplished big cat trainers with a focus on leopards. Unlike many American trainers who highlighted the ferocity of the animals, Tetzlaff trained in the European style keeping very close contact with the cats and focusing on the relationship between man and cat. That contact was perhaps best seen when Tetzlaff was covered in a living blanket of seven-leopards - each cat possessing all its teeth and claws (as all cats in the Tetzlaff's operations have always had). Tetzlaff's extraordinary relationship with the cats received attention in national magazines, European journals, and even internationally on Japanese television.

An Educational Revolution
But during those years, Tetzlaff began to see that even when he talked about the plight of tigers in the wild or other endangered species, audiences frequently walked away with a different perspective on animals than Tetzlaff would like them to have. To resolve this, Tetzlaff started a revolution in shows at Naples Zoo - a revolution that returned the zoo to the educational roots of his parents.

What emerged was the Safari Canyon Open-Air Theater. Home to both Planet Predator and Serpents: Fangs & Fiction, it showcases the first and still only presentations of their kind in the U.S. featuring living animals complemented by stunning wildlife footage giving audiences an accurate understanding of the animals and the issues affecting them in the wild.

From Trainer to Zoo Director
As zoo director, Tetzlaff spearheads the creation of new exhibits and improvements of existing facilities and methodologies. This is exemplified by his initiative to have Naples Zoo accredited by the prestigious Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Founded in 1924, the AZA requires rigorous standards for member zoos and has an intensive application process involving multi-day inspections by zoo professionals and veterinarians. Each zoo undergoes the complete accreditation process every five years or before if any concerns arise. Beginning in 1998, Tetzlaff and staff began the intensive work required to prepare the application and prepare the facility for its first inspection. Their work was rewarded with AZA accreditation being granted in 2001 and again in 2006. As an accredited institution, Naples Zoo is able to be even more involved in conservation outside the wild and zoo guests will be able to enjoy an increasing diversity of exotic animals. As Tetzlaff looks to the future, he continues to speak to audiences daily about conservation while he interacts with the animals in the zoo's presentations.