A selection committee has chosen Jeffrey Mahon to be the new director of the Honolulu Zoo, Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced today.

Mahon has extensive background working at aquariums and other underwater facilities. Most recently, he was with the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center as its director of exhibits and animal husbandry. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and holds a doctorate degree in zoology from the University of Hawaii.

Mahon was chosen from a field of 40 applicants, Caldwell said. Mahon replaces Manuel Mollinedo, who resigned in February for personal reasons.