Dr. William G. Conway is an American zoologist, ornithologist and conservationist who began his career with the St. Louis Zoo. He joined the New York Zoological Society in 1956 as assistant curator of birds. He was later promoted to director of the society. In 1992 he became President.
During his tenure, Conway was responsible for modernizing the animal exhibits at the Bronx Zoo and he also introduced new attractions, including the World of Darkness exhibit in 1969 and the World of Birds exhibit in 1974. Conway has also been in the forefront of promoting captive breeding programs for endangered species. He was responsible for creating the Wildlife Propagation Trust in 1964, that resulted in the coordination of zoos to pursue the twin goals of preserving at-risk species and eventually reintroducing animals back to the wild. He retired as president in 1999.
In 1999, the National Audubon Society awarded Conway its highest honor, the Audubon Medal.