San Diego Zoo associate director Charles Shaw points out the location of "the backcountry zoo" to board members and guests. From this lookout point, Dr. Schroeder had slowly—over a period of nearly five years—convinced board members, donors, and San Diegans that his dream could become reality, explaining with great enthusiasm, hands waving and eyes shining, where the exhibits would be, how the animals would roam in herds, and that it would feel like a safari. "Can you see it?" he would ask. Clearly, he could. To him, that valley was never empty—it was always full of promise.