Miami Daily: Zoo Icon Retires, Deputies Stop Dog Mauling, Dolphins Shake Up Roster

Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill to Retire After 46 Years

Ron Magill, the longtime public face of Zoo Miami and one of South Florida’s best-known wildlife advocates, has announced he will retire from his role as communications director this spring. In a video message shared this past week, Magill said it was simply ‘time’ to turn the page after more than four decades at the zoo.

Magill has been central to Zoo Miami’s education and conservation work, appearing regularly on local television and at community events. He plans to stay involved as a goodwill ambassador and conservation liaison for the Zoo Miami Foundation, focusing on fundraising and outreach rather than daily operations. His last official day at the zoo is scheduled for May 10.

Local leaders and families who grew up watching his animal segments are already reflecting on how his storytelling helped make conservation a mainstream topic in Miami households.

Deputies Kill Two Dogs to Save Mauled Man in Southwest Miami-Dade

Miami-Dade deputies are under internal review after shooting and killing two aggressive dogs while rescuing a man from a vicious attack earlier in the week in Southwest Miami-Dade. Deputies were at a home near Southwest 172nd Avenue and 160th Street taking a robbery report when they heard screams and saw the man being mauled.

According to officials, deputies first tried a stun device, which briefly drove the dogs off. When the animals lunged again, the deputies opened fire, killing both dogs and ending the attack. The victim suffered severe arm injuries; deputies applied a tourniquet and called for an air rescue. He was flown to a local hospital and is expected to survive.

Neighbors told reporters they had complained previously about aggressive dogs in the area and were frustrated it took a serious attack to prompt such a response. The sheriff’s office internal affairs unit is now reviewing the use of force, which is standard in shootings involving deputies.

Dolphins Cap Cuts Send Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb to Free Agency

Off the field, Miami sports fans are still reacting to major roster moves by the Miami Dolphins. In a sweeping round of salary-cap cuts reported earlier in the week, the team released star wide receiver Tyreek Hill and pass rusher Bradley Chubb, along with several other veterans.

Hill, recovering from a serious knee injury that ended his 2025 season after four games, was due a massive cap hit in 2026. Cutting him reportedly saves more than $20 million in cap space but ends a four-year run in which he was one of the league’s most explosive receivers for Miami. Chubb, who missed the 2024 season with a knee injury before returning in 2025, was also deemed too expensive under the new front office’s plans.

The moves signal a reset for the franchise under new leadership, freeing tens of millions of dollars as the team prepares for free agency and the draft. For fans, it marks the end of an era built around Hill’s big-play offense and Chubb’s edge pressure, and raises new questions about how quickly the Dolphins can rebuild into a contender.

Sources

• https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/it-is-time-ron-magill-beloved-zoo-miami-communications-director-and-wildlife-guru-announces-retirement/
• https://www.local10.com/news/local/2026/02/15/wildlife-expert-ron-magill-announces-retirement-from-zoo-miami/
• https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/miami-dade-deputies-save-man-from-vicious-dog-attack-2-dogs-shot-and-killed/
• https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/dolphins-cleaning-house-wr-tyreek-hill-reportedly-released-miami
• https://www.wpbf.com/article/sports-reports-miami-dolphins-to-release-bradley-chubb-tyreek-hill/70381755