Ex-SMG chief becomes king of the jungle as he takes top job at zoo

DONALD Emslie is swapping the board room for the lion's den as he takes up a new post at Edinburgh Zoo, The Scotsman can reveal.

Emslie, right, the former chief executive of Scottish Media Group (SMG), is to succeed Henry Elliot as the chairman of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's (RZSS) council.

As well as running the zoo, the RZSS also owns the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig, near Aviemore.

There's no room for any monkey business, though, as Emslie will "set the values and standards" of the RZSS.

Emslie said: "It is an honour to be asked to lead such a renowned institution as the RZSS. It is rapidly becoming a world-class centre of excellence for the science and conservation of animals and their habitats, both here in Scotland, and abroad."

Challenges ahead for the zoo include a trial to reintroduce the beaver at Knapdale, in Argyll, and plans to bring a pair of giant pandas to Scotland from China.