ZOO attendance has plummeted to pre-panda levels over the past financial year.

Today, members of the Royal Zoological Society of South Australia will receive a letter about changes to the board and publication of the 2011-2012 annual report.

The report is available online and is yet to be tabled in Parliament.

Outgoing president Kevin McGuinness, who chose not nominate for another term, said there was "no question" the past 12 months had been a "tremendous challenge".

"The level of debt with Westpac was reset to $7.5 million at a concessional interest rate and with a five-year term," he said.

"In addition, the State Government agreed to increase the annual operating grant to $4.5 million as well as providing additional funding to meet interest costs on the Westpac debt."

Revenue dropped almost $2.4 million, because admissions slumped. At Adelaide Zoo, total admissions fell to 395,632 from the peak of 490,591 in 2009-10 and 485,382 in 2010-11.

"We saw a spike in 09-10 and 10-11, which was anticipated. That was after the arrival of pandas," Zoos SA chief executive Elaine Bensted said.

"It's just simply that that spike hasn't been maintained. We've gone back to slightly above where we were, before the arrival of the pandas."

Ms Bensted has been in the role since September, following the resignation of former chief executive Professor Chris West in April, but she remains up-beat.

"It's excellent, I'm loving it. It's a great organisation," she said. "There is incredible potential for Zoos South Australia to thrive in the future."

Memberships are down to 26,754 from 29,027 in 2011, largely due to a fall in family memberships from 24,466 to 20,569. But there are more life members and bequests.

There is no plan to review admission prices.

A chartered accountant, a marketing guru, a zoologist and the Guide Dogs SA chief executive officer are new Board members, who will help guide the organisation through the coming year.

UniSA animal behaviour expert Dr Carla Litchfield has been nominated for president and Rodney Hobbs vice president, subject to ratification at the AGM on November 29.