The longtime chief of the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens announced her retirement last night, just days after Mayor Daniel Lurie called for her departure.
Tanya Peterson told the San Francisco Zoological Society board's executive committee that she will be retiring August 1st.
The San Francisco Standard reports that Peterson, who was hired in 2008, had come under fire recently in the wake of a report detailing animal welfare and staff safety concerns.
A recent inspection by the United States Department of Agriculture found the zoo was compliant with federal animal welfare regulations. But some animal rights groups have repeatedly called for Peterson's ouster.
