The Call of the Wild Dinner Celebrates Conservation Excellence

This year’s Call of the Wild Dinner for the Nashville Zoo rolled out the red carpet for stars with scales, fur, feathers and shells. Guests couldn’t help but “ooh” and “ahh” when spending time with several beloved animal ambassadors — a charming pair of tortoises, Gully the sloth (boyfriend to Fern the sloth), Sasha the Burmese python, Alexander Hamilton the (juvenile) African serval, and Wednesday the vulture.

As with every Nashville Zoo event, this evening was all about the animals — and celebrating the organization’s excellence in protecting species and helping them thrive. Many revelers sported their best animal-print looks while sipping cocktails, visiting with friends and enjoying the sounds of Bobby Frank’s handpan, which created a rhythmic tropical soundscape. Alexander Hamilton peeked his adorable face out of the bushes, captivating guests, and many brave animal lovers stood inches away from Sasha during her highly supervised meet-and-greet. 

As the sun set, the evening grew brisk, and guests retreated inside a warm, cozy tent on the Jungle Terrace. Nashville Zoo president and CEO Rick Schwartz highlighted the zoo’s growing conservation program. “We’re getting ready to work on the largest project in our kitchen,” he said, referring to the Nashville Zoo’s upcoming orangutan exhibit, which will be the largest in the country.

Rick then introduced his wife, Heather (“the most beautiful veterinarian in the world”), who talked about species survival plans (SSPs). Nashville Zoo has over 50 SSPs in its repertoire, ranging from programs for small reptiles and amphibians to ones protecting larger key species, like Amur leopards. “It takes a village to manage these species within zoos and ensure them for the best future we can have,” Heather said.

She also made an exciting announcement: The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has 64 clouded leopards under its care, and the Nashville Zoo is proudly home to 17 of them. Rapturous applause filled the tent — a fitting sound of celebration for the organization’s triumphant achievements in conservation and animal welfare.