• become a Zoo member
• make a donation
• become a Zoo volunteer
• be an educated voter
• make your purchase count
• travel with the Zoo

Take Action

Buy A Ranch

Not interested in owning property? Don't worry; we're not really going to give it to you. More >

Be a Jaguar Guardian

Providing safe passage for jaguars back into the U.S. is as easy as resolving human-wildlife conflict. Hmm... More >

Picture This

Capturing wildlife, on film that is, can influence the extent to which a species is protected. More >

In his early twenties, David J. Field, President and CEO of Entercom Communications Corp., had a transformational experience that ultimately led him to the Philadelphia Zoo and to a key role in realizing of one of its wildest dreams.

Appalled at the sight of a clear cut forest in the Pacific Northwest, David Field was inspired to learn more about global environmental issues and to become more involved in making a difference. He has been working to protect wildlife ever since by doing what he does best - spearheading new initiatives, leading by example and facilitating effective communication.

Philadelphia-based Entercom Communications Corp. is one of the country's five largest radio broadcasting companies. In addition to heading up Entercom, David is also the Chairman of the Radio Board of the National Association of Broadcasters and was recently named 2006 Radio Executive of the Year by Radio Ink Magazine. He serves on several industry boards, the board of the Wilderness Society and in 2001, was invited to join the Philadelphia Zoo board of directors. Later that same year he also took on the Chairmanship of the Zoo's Mission Committee, a group of Zoo staff and board members working together to identify and streamline the Zoo's role in advancing stewardship of the natural world. It's in this area that David's contributions have been most valuable and far-reaching.

Thanks to his generosity, the Zoo's conservation program has expanded to include two new field projects, the Mexico Jaguar Project and the Laikipia Predator Project (the latter focusing on African lions). The projects will be featured in Bank of America Big Cat Falls, the Zoo's newly renovated big cat exhibit. David's contribution represents the largest individual gift to Zoo conservation programs in our history. This generous support will not only help to meet the needs of scientists in the field, but it will also set the stage in Bank of America Big Cat Falls for guests to have their own "transformational experiences" with wildlife.

David is looking forward to the May opening of Bank of America Big Cat Falls, which he has described as a "nexus between conservation and education." He's excited by its world class design that promises more "intimate exposure to extraordinary animals" and more opportunities for guests to learn about the amazing cats that live there. His own actions have helped the Zoo to reinvent its conservation program and he continues to be instrumental in finding new ways of personally communicating conservation messages to multiple audiences.

Though he loves the lemurs, David's favorite animal at the Zoo is the Amur tiger, one of the most endangered species in the world. His own experiences have moved him to support the conservation of wildlife and now he's paving the way for others to do the same.