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Ronald Theodore Reuther (1929–2007) was a committed naturalist who spent decades managing and improving several major zoos, and was an aviation enthusiast. Armed with a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Conservation, Reuther held curator and director positions for the Micke Grove Zoo, the Cleveland Zoo, the Indianapolis Zoo, the San Francisco Zoo, and the Philadelphia Zoo. As Director of the San Francisco Zoo, Reuther was instrumental in the creation of a project to teach the gorilla Koko sign language. As a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Reuther helped to advance the transformation of zoos into research centers, and to promote the conservation and care of wildlife. As an aviation enthusiast, Reuther founded the Western Aerospace Museum and pursued the study of his personal interest in the disappearance of pilot Amelia Earhart. == Early life == Ronald Theodore Reuther was born in Miami, Florida on December 25, 1929. As a young boy, he developed an early love of animals and a fascination with flight. He raised racing pigeons, ducks and chickens in his backyard, and would spend time at the beach with his brother and sister watching the birds at the shore. "The birds flying on the beach was a big part of his flying idea." said his wife, Gerry Elkus.〔[Tyche Hendricks 'San Francisco Chronicle' ''"Former San Francisco Zoo Director Ronald Reuther Dies"'' http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/26/BA3CSV16F.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea October 26, 2007, Retrieved August 24, 2008〕 After the start of World War II, Reuther's family moved to the Bay Area where he later attended San Francisco's Lowell High School. During this period he became active in naturalist concerns. During the summer of 1945, Reuther worked on a game bird farm in Napa, California. He also helped establish the Western Bird Banding Association, and worked to help stop the indiscriminate shooting of California sea lions by the U.S. Coast Guard at Point Reyes. Ron would also spend a great deal of time at the San Francisco Zoo visiting his uncle Carey Baldwin, who was its director for 23 years.〔 After graduating from high school, Reuther attended the University of California-Berkeley to study Wildlife Conservation. During this period, Ron continued to work on advancing the study of wildlife by establishing the Point Reyes Bird Observatory. He also worked with the U.S. Public Health Service, as a Field Biologist, studying the epidemiology of encephalitis. As a field biologist, he spent time in California and Japan studying the natural history of birds.〔[Association of Zoos and Aquariums ''"AZA Past Presidents"'' page 35 http://www.aza.org/AboutAZA/PA_TOC/index.html Retrieved August 24, 2008〕 Reuther received his bachelor's degree in Wildlife Conservation in 1951. He went on to do some graduate work studying Zoology at the University of Arizona, and Paleontology at the University of California-Berkeley. During Reuther's graduate work, he served in the Reserve Officers Training Corps for the U.S. Air Force. In 1954 he officially joined the Air Force and became a pilot. For the next two years, Reuther flew B-26 Bombers and C-119 "flying boxcars" during tours of duty in Europe and North Africa.〔[Trevor Dean 'Australian Aviation Museum Bankstown' attributed to Bay Area News Web Site http://www.aamb.com.au/laurie.htm Retrieved August 24, 2008〕 Reuther remained active in the Air Force Reserve for most of his life, until he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1981. Reuther received the Meritorious Service Medal. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ronald Theodore Reuther」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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