Zoo official to critics: Be quiet or be sued

One of Lowry Park Zoo's top managers, a man with close ties to its embattled former president, is threatening to sue his critics.

An attorney representing collections director Larry Killmar sent a letter to three former members of a zoo accreditation association directing them to stop making derogatory comments or risk being held personally liable.

"We respectfully request that you cease and desist from making any defamatory comments about Dr. Killmar and his employment at Lowry Park," attorney Cynthia Sass says in the letters. "Please govern yourself accordingly."

One letter went to Tony Bright, a private zoo owner in Tennessee; one to Ron Young, a kennel owner in Indiana; and one to John Chatfield, a rare-animal breeder north of Tampa.

Bright said Monday he was surprised Killmar sent such a letter, considering Lowry Park Zoo leaders' reputation for intimidating employees, as outlined in a December city audit.

"I was shocked; I thought they were over this," Bright said. "If he thinks I did something to slander him, then prove it. If not, he'd better shut up."

Bright sent an e-mail to interim zoo director Craig Pugh demanding an apology. Bright said he has not heard back.

Killmar declined comment. Zoo spokeswoman Rachel Nelson said it would be inappropriate to comment. "While we are aware of this, it is a wholly personal matter."

Last year, Bright asked Killmar and then-zoo president Lex Salisbury to step down from their leadership positions on the board of the Zoological Association of America.

Killmar served as chairman and Salisbury was secretary of the association, an accreditation group for breeders and owners of exotic species. The association had its headquarters in a rented office at Lowry Park Zoo.

Bright was a member but said he quit in disgust at the leadership under Salisbury and Killmar.

Bright said his call for the two men to step aside, at least temporarily, was prompted by Salisbury's use of zoo animals and equipment for personal gain, as detailed in a series of reports in The Tampa Tribune and, later, in a city audit.

Their affiliation damaged the association's reputation, Bright said.

Killmar and Salisbury initially refused to step aside from the association but resigned in December, the day Salisbury left Lowry Park Zoo.

The zoo board forced Salisbury out after the city audit showed he took more than $200,000 in animals and equipment. Killmar authorized many of the animal transactions, sending several zoo animals to Safari Wild, a for-profit park Salisbury wants to build in Polk County.

Ron Young, the kennel owner who received a letter from Killmar, is a founder of the Zoological Association of America.

Young said Killmar sent the letters as part of an effort to silence critics as he makes his pitch to become the new zoo president.

"It's his nature to intimidate," he said. "He has only one way of doing things, and that's his way."

Young said he sent a copy of his letter to the zoo and to Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, who called for the audit that led to Salisbury's departure from the zoo.

Chatfield, the animal breeder, said he was surprised by the letter because he has not spoken to Killmar in about a year. His dealings with Killmar involved the Zoological Association of America and never had anything to do with his work at Lowry Park Zoo.

Killmar remains part of the leadership team at the zoo and is widely credited with helping the zoo regain its accreditation in March from another group, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Salisbury hired Killmar in 2007 for the new position of collections director. Killmar held a similar job at San Diego Zoo, where he had worked for 37 years. Salisbury and Killmar had known each other through the Zoological Association of America.

After Killmar came to Tampa, the two traveled together at zoo expense, with at least one trip to South Africa and Paris.

Four months after Salisbury's departure, the zoo board isn't rushing to fill the job.

In a statement to the Tribune on Friday, board chairwoman Catherine Lowry Straz said, "The performance of the current management team has earned a high degree of confidence from the zoo board, which affords the board the opportunity to conduct a judicious and selective process to put permanent leadership in place.

"The zoo board is committed to taking the time necessary to make the right decision."