The sign said something to the effect of: "The chimpanzee is our closest living relative, branching off from a common ancestor four million years ago."

Hicks complained that the sign offended his beliefs, and zoo officials eventually removed it.

"I think the zoo staff believes evolution is truth," he says. "And they think I'm an absolute nut."

But people are listening to him.

Hicks' latest battle has resulted in a city board's decision this week to allow the biblical story of creation at the Tulsa Zoo following complaints about other zoo displays with religious meaning, including a Hindu elephant statue.

The news has thrown the Tulsa Zoo into the national spotlight and unleashed a deluge of phone calls and e-mails to the zoo and city, mainly from people against the idea of having a biblical perspective in a scientific institution.

"It's an extremely sensitive topic, and people feel so strongly one way or the other," zoo spokeswoman Marnie Ducato said. "That's why it is getting so much attention."

Some people have called Hicks a nuisance, but he considers the latest decision at the zoo a victory.

For the last decade, the married father of three has been outspoken against public institutions that teach evolution as the only theory of the Earth's beginnings. He completely believes -- and he says many Tulsans believe -- the account in Genesis: God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.

"If you are going to open a discussion about origin, why is only one view presented, and it's the naturalists' view?" Hicks, 43, asks.

"When you suggest including creationism, there is a fury of opposition. It's forbidden to be discussed."

Born to a medical missionary in Africa, Hicks came to Tulsa with his family in the 1960s because his father wanted his family to live in the Bible Belt. He graduated from Edison High School, studied architecture at Oklahoma State University and now works as a designer at a local architecture firm.

He attends Tulsa Bible Church, 5838 S. Sheridan Road, and teaches a class for children there on Sunday mornings. Terry Devitt, director of counseling and ministries at Tulsa Bible Church, said the church is nondenominational, evangelical and believes in a literal interpretation of the Bible.

"Dan has much interest in creationism," Devitt said. "He is just zealous to get the truth out. He is a fervent servant of the Lord."

Hicks, who lives in Tulsa, gives creationist-centered tours at the zoo, and last week he spoke to the media against a gathering of gay people and their supporters at the zoo.

He is a member of a local pro-creationist group called Southern Plains Creation Society, which recently attracted a global creationist group called Answers in Genesis to present a seminar at Tulsa Bible Church.

At the seminar in April, Ken Ham, the leader of Answers in Genesis, explained the zoo situation to those attending and encouraged residents to sign a petition supporting a creationist exhibit.

Since the 3-1 vote on the issue by the Tulsa Park and Recreation Board, the governing body for the Tulsa Zoo, two park board members have been appointed to oversee organization of the exhibit in the zoo's Time Gallery.

The beginning of time according to Genesis will be a part of the exhibit that also will include creationist views from other cultures, zoo officials said.

Hicks says he is willing to pay as much as $3,000 for his part of the exhibit, but he won't pay for any other part of it.

After receiving a flood of criticism after the park meeting, including a crank call at 2 a.m., Hicks said he is ready for somebody else to take the torch.

He wants to focus on coaching soccer and going to his kids' games, as well as maybe visiting the zoo from time to time.

"Have a zoo that's just about animals," he said. "Parents and kids don't want to be bombarded by a war of world views at the zoo."

Tom Droege 581-8361
tom.droege@tulsaworld.com