Ron McGill

I'm surprised, though, that after all these years, you're surprised that people care about you.

You care about the animals in an uncommon way and you're going to be missed because you can't be replaced.

Well, no, that's not true.

First of all, I'm retiring from Miami-Dade County.

I'm not leaving the zoo because the Zoo Miami Foundation has created this fantastic position for me that's going to enable me to do all the things that I love to do.

I'm going to run the travel program.

I'm going to do the speaking engagements.

I'm going to work as an expert for the media without the bureaucracy and a lot of red tape that's normally associated with county government.

And what has surprised you about the reaction?

Just the extent of it.

I mean, I came in the next morning, you know, I made that announcement that evening.

And then the next morning I come to the zoo, I get to the zoo at 6 a.m.

every day.

And I'm driving in and there's three live news trucks in front of the zoo and I'm panicking.

I'm thinking, oh my God, something got out, something died, somebody got hurt.

What happened?

And I drive up to one of the botox and I go,

What are you guys here for?

And he just looked at me without hesitation.

He goes, for you, dummy.