Houston Zoo — the ghost of the first zookeeper watches his animals

The commissary building at the Houston Zoo in Houston, Texas, is said to be haunted by the ghost of the zoo's first zookeeper, Hans Nagel, who served from the zoo's opening in 1922 until his death. Nagel was deeply devoted to the animals in his care, and his spirit is said to remain on the grounds, still watching over his charges. Staff working in the commissary — where animal food is prepared and stored — have reported seeing the apparition of a man in old-fashioned zoo keeper's attire standing near the storage areas, apparently inspecting the food preparation. He vanishes when approached or when staff call out to him. Other reported phenomena include the sound of footsteps on the commissary's concrete floors at night, the feeling of being watched while preparing animal feed, and lights that turn on and off by themselves. Zoo workers on the night shift have described hearing someone whistling tunes from the early 20th century in the empty building. The ghost is consistently described as benevolent — a caretaker who cannot stop caring, even in death. The Houston Zoo's lush grounds, with their mature trees and older buildings from the zoo's early days, provide a setting where the past and present feel closely connected.