SUMMIT AREA – On Tuesday, April 14, the SummitArea Old Guard speaker is Dr. Pat Thomas, who will explore the critical role zoos play in global species preservation. Dr. Thomas retired in 2022 following a distinguished 42year career with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), where he concluded his tenure as Vice President, General Curator, and Associate Director of the Bronx Zoo. Since joining the Bronx Zoo’s Mammal Department in 1979, he has held numerous leadership roles, including Curator of Mammals and eventually General Curator in 2007. His work has taken him across Africa, Asia, and South America to conduct field studies and lead reintroduction programs for species such as the black howler monkey in Belize and the Kihansi spray toad in Tanzania. His research has ranged from African wild dog rabies vaccinations to non-invasive genetic sampling of apex predators. Most recently, he spearheaded the establishment of a bison breeding group at the Bronx Zoo, partnering with the Osage Nation to return Bronxborn bison to their ancestral lands in Oklahoma. Dr. Thomas has also served as an adjunct professor at Columbia University, Fordham University, and Manhattan College.