Jack Hanna, the zoo director who is known for the performances of TV talk shows with live animals, has been diagnosed with dementia, his family said on Wednesday.
Doctors believe it is Alzheimer’s disease, the family said in a statement.
“His condition has progressed much faster over the past few months than any of us would have expected,” his daughters said.
“Unfortunately, Dad is no longer able to participate in public life as he used to, where people around the world watched, learned and laughed next to him,” they said.
Hanna, 74, known as Jungle Jack, was director of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, where he was still an emeritus director.
He was known for bringing animals to TV presenters such as David Letterman and others, and to ‘Good Morning America’ – where he first appeared with twin baby gorillas in 1983.
He also had his own TV shows, Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures, Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild and Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures.
Hanna, who has always appeared in khakis, regards the animals as ambassadors for those in the wild.
He was appointed director of the Columbus Zoo in 1978 and retired last year. The zoo attributed to him that he was transforming it from an ‘obsolete collection of pens and buildings’ into what it is today. The zoo is regularly listed as one of the best in the US
The zoo said it was sad to learn of the diagnosis and asked fans to send messages with the family.
His daughters, Kathaleen, Suzanne and Julie, wrote that their father believes that people can see animals, leading them to be more engaged in conservation efforts in the wild.
“He always said, ‘You have to touch the heart to learn the mind,'” they wrote.
Mike DeWine, Governor of Ohio said together with the state he sent the best wishes to the family and kept them in their prayers.
Hanna’s daughters said they had asked for privacy due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which they call ironic, given their father’s love of dealing with people.
“While Dad’s health has deteriorated rapidly, we can assure you that his great sense of humor still shines through,” his daughters wrote. “And yes – he still wears his khakis at home.”
