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The Living Desert

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Palm Desert, CA
The Living Desert

Desert conservation through preservation, education and appreciation. The Zoo has been a top destination in the Palm Springs area for 50 years.
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The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is a nonprofit, accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, ensuring the highest standards of all aspects of animal care, education, conservation, public service, and operations. The Zoo is active in conservation research, habitat protection, breeding programs and education initiatives around the world, as well as in its own community. The Living D

esert is located at 47900 Portola Ave, Palm Desert, CA 92260. Follow us on our other social media channels:

Home
http://www.livingdesert.org

Twitter
http://twitter.com/livingdesert

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thelivingdesert/

For more information about The Living Desert, please visit our website at www.livingdesert.org

11/16/2024

Looks like 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘨 isn’t just for canines!🐆💛

📸: Guest, Darren W.

11/13/2024

✨ 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆! ✨

The magic of WildLights is less than two weeks away! So, to celebrate, we’re giving away TWO two-packs of tickets to this beloved holiday tradition! 🌟

Come see why fans have named WildLights a USA Today "10Best" event 5 years in a row! Whether you're a longtime fan or first-time visitor, WildLights is sure to bring some sparkle to your holiday season!

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟲 - 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝟬.

TO ENTER:
1. Like our page The Living Desert
2. Like this post
3. Tag two friends in the comments
4. Good luck!

Want to secure your spot? Get tickets in advance for your preferred date and time at LivingDesert.org/WildLights. Don't wait! Tickets are selling fast and capacity is limited each night! 🎟️✨

🌟 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛.𝗡. 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗖. 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

*Visit our Instagram page for a second chance to enter! Giveaway ends at 11:59pm PST on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. See comments for full contest rules.

11/10/2024

To boop or not to boop? That’s definitely 𝘯𝘰𝘵 the question! 🦨🐾

Mischief and Mayhem may look cuddly, but these two are a reminder that wild animals need their space — even the cutest ones! 🖤🤍

📸: Team Member, Madison H.

11/08/2024

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind-the-scenes at The Living Desert? This Saturday, November 9, tune in to CBS’s 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 with Miranda Cosgrove to find out!

Our very own Heather Down, Animal Care Curator, will take viewers inside the behind-the-scenes Desert Carnivore Conservation Center (DC3) here at the Zoo to share her passion for conservation and the powerful role that small — but mighty — cats play in the desert ecosystem.😺

𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, one of CBS’s top-rated kids’ shows, inspires young girls to explore STEM careers, featuring trailblazers in fields like engineering, biology, computer science, and zoology.

🧡 Tune in and celebrate the wonder of small desert cats. Can’t make it live? You can also stream the episode on Paramount Plus!

CBS Dream Team Mission Unstoppable

11/07/2024

Who needs a boop today? 🫎💓

📸: Team Member, Andrew U.

11/05/2024

STOP THE PRESSES.

There's a new in town. 😉

Bonnie, the yellow-footed rock wallaby, has been carrying some precious (and adorable) cargo. Which is why recent visitors may have noticed a tiny hand, tail, or even a curious little head peeking out of her pouch!

Wallaby joeys start out extremely small and underdeveloped, about the size of a jelly bean, safe and snug in mom’s pouch. 🦘 As the joey grows, they will become more visible and even begin to explore outside the pouch. First for brief moments, then for longer and longer periods of time, until they fully emerge at around six to seven months.

So on your next visit, keep a lookout — you might just catch a glimpse of our newest joey ready to hop into the world!

Tag a friend who needs a little today. 🥰

11/05/2024

The contenders for are neck and neck! 🦒🧡🦒

Want to share your favorite "awww" moments from around the Zoo? We’d love to see them! 👀

Our upload link is always open for photo and video submissions! Visit LivingDesert.org/Submit and don't forget to include your name and a brief description in the submission line! 😉

11/04/2024

Two words. Cuddle. Puddle. 🩷🐾

📸: Guest, Nicole C.

11/02/2024

Need an excuse to bask in this beautiful fall weather? Looking to 𝘱𝘢𝘸𝘴 the news cycle? Been looking to add more boops and floofs to your feed?🐾

We’re here to help! 🧡

Introducing awwwtumn – a 10-day mini-series packed with pure cuteness and pawsitivity. 🍂😻

Drop a comment to let us know what animals you’d love to see most and check back tomorrow for your daily smile!

📸: Team Member, Chloe S.

11/01/2024

🌍 When animals are rescued from wildlife trafficking, every moment counts. Thankfully, the new Wildlife Confiscations Network is here to help! 🐾 We're proud to be part of this initiative between AZA-accredited organizations and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide swift, expert care for confiscated animals. 🦅

10/31/2024

Halloween is for black (footed) cats! 🐈‍⬛🎃🖤

10/20/2024

What do the towering giraffe have in common with the tiniest of torts? 🦒🐢

Our passionate team working to protect their species! The Zoo has more than 200 dedicated professionals working together to care for over 600 animals, maintain 52 beautiful gardens, and oversee 80 acres of public grounds (plus 5 miles of hiking trails!).

From our veterinary technicians and zookeepers to conservationists, horticulturists, educators, and more — it truly takes a ZOO to make it all happen! 🧡

Thank you for being a part of our team and making our mission of desert conservation possible!

10/16/2024

BOO! Who? 👻 There's no boo-hoo's here! 🩹❤️

It might be spooky season, but we’re not scared — because we’ve got a team of superheroes behind the scenes taking care of all 600+ animals at the Zoo! From drawing blood 🩸 and taking x-rays 🩻 to applying casts 🩹, giving vaccinations 💉, performing dental work 🦷, and even conducting physical therapy, they do it all.

Who are these masked heroes, you ask? Our vet techs! Join us in thanking these ZOOper staff members.

10/13/2024

Have you heard? Kids get in FREE at Howl-O-Ween! 🎃

For a limited time, get a FREE child's ticket to Howl-O-Ween with each purchase of an adult's ticket. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗛𝗢𝗪𝗟𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗺.*

Join us on Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27 from 9:00am-3:00pm celebrate the season with fun Halloween activities and pop-up experiences as you explore the Zoo, such as:

🍭 Trick-or-treat stations
🦇 ALL-NEW limited-edition animal trading cards
🐍 Bewitching keeper connections
🎨 Free face painting
🖼️ Themed arts and crafts
🎃 Fall photo ops

And more! Don't miss out, book your tickets now for a howling good time!

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙖𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣. 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘵.𝘰𝘳𝘨/𝘏𝘰𝘸𝘭

*𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬-𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭-𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴.

10/05/2024

To save the desert tortoise, we must save their land! 🐢

The Living Desert is working to restore tortoise habitats near the Orocopia Mountains in Southern California to create an environment where the critically endangered desert tortoise population can successfully rebound. Our multi-faceted approach includes:

🌵 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀: To support desert tortoises during extended dry periods, we plant essential food sources like the beavertail cactus. These plants not only provide nutrition but also supply much-needed water to desert tortoises.

🌱 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀: We're collecting seeds in the Orocopia Mountains, carefully propagating them at our Desert Plant Conservation Center, and replanting them into the field to boost the native plant population. This ensures that the tortoise’s food sources are well-adapted to the local conditions and more likely to thrive.

💧 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: To maximize the benefits of scarce rainfall, we're implementing small changes to the landscape, like building rock structures that slow water down and help it soak into the soil. This supports the plants that tortoises rely on, while also benefiting the broader ecosystem — from small mammals to birds and insects.

By protecting the habitat, we can save the species!💚

09/28/2024

Beak-a-boo! 🦢

Florence is always front and center, sharing the spotlight with the giraffe herd! 🦒

📸: Team Member, Dillon S.

09/25/2024

When the buffet is 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘧! 🍂😋

🐐📸: Team Member, Lucas B.

09/17/2024

You know what they say about birds of a feather… we protect them best when we work together! 🦉

The Living Desert is honored to be able to lend a helping claw to our friends at the Big Bear Alpine Zoo and provide a safe haven for their staff and roughly 50 animals. 🤎

Thank you to the San Bernardino County Communications and The Big Bear Alpine Zoo for sharing the photos of Big Bear.

Address

47900 Portola Avenue
Palm Desert, CA
92260

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm
Saturday	8am - 5pm
Sunday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+17603465694

Website

http://www.LivingDesert.org/

Alerts

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Videos

You may know Florence, the ostrich, for her antics, such as sneaking snacks alongside the giraffe. But, did you know she has two fellow feathered-friends named Milan and Pisa? 💛🌟 #Besties #TallAndBeautiful #FlorencetheOstrich

𝘗𝘢𝘸𝘴 for a moment with Rose and Sage — just a little cuddle session to brighten your day! 🐱💞 #Awwwtumn #Pawsome #Caturday

𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀! 📺

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind-the-scenes at The Living Desert? This Saturday, November 9, tune in to CBS’s 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 with Miranda Cosgrove to find out! Our very own Heather Down, Animal Care Curator, will take viewers inside the behind-the-scenes Desert Carnivore Conservation Center (DC3) here at the Zoo to share her passion for conservation and the powerful role that small — but mighty — cats play in the desert ecosystem.😺 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, one of CBS’s top-rated kids’ shows, inspires young girls to explore STEM careers, featuring trailblazers in fields like engineering, biology, computer science, and zoology. 🧡 Tune in and celebrate the wonder of small desert cats. Can’t make it live? You can also stream the episode on Paramount Plus! CBS Dream Team Mission Unstoppable #MissionUnstoppableTV #Awwwtumn #BlackfootedCat #SandCat #STEM

It’s a swinging good time in the sand cat habitat!🐱🐈 #Awwwtumn #NightCam #Weee

Crunch, munch, repeat! 😋 Everyone loves a post-Halloween treat! 🪱🦡 #SpookySnacks #ASMR #Coati #TheLivingDesert

They’re heeeeere.👀 With their soft fur and wide eyes, sand cats may look like the ultimate cuddle companions, but don’t be fooled — they are fierce felines! These nocturnal and elusive cats are small, typically weighing between 3-7 pounds, but are excellent hunters, able to prey upon snakes and venomous vipers. 🐍 #SpookySeason #Sandcat #TheLivingDesert

Kip’s perfect fall snack? A pumpkin to-go with a bone on the (in)side! 🎃🦴 #Hyena #Halloween #TheLivingDesert

Who says dogs are the only ones who get to play with sticks? 🦌 Crush, the kudu, “spars” with anyone he can — including a nice bundle of branches! 🌿

Don’t be a scaredy cat — join the fun this weekend at The Living Desert’s Howl-O-Ween celebration! 🎃🐈‍⬛ Happening this Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27, from 9:00am to 3:00pm, this event is packed with fall festivities and is FREE with your membership or park admission. 🍬 Enjoy trick-or-treating, themed keeper talks, face painting, a NEW family-friendly haunted house, tons of photo ops, and more.🦇 And don’t forget… tomorrow is your last chance to receive a FREE child’s ticket (ages 3-17) for Howl-O-Ween with your purchase of an adult ticket! Use code HOWLFREECHILD at checkout to redeem.* Don’t ghost us — come join the fun! 👻 *Offer valid until midnight on October 24, 2024. This promotion is valid with the purchase of full-priced adult tickets only and cannot be combined with other offers or discounts.

Meet Nick: Your new BFF! 🐢 Are you thinking about adding a desert tortoise to your family? For over a decade, The Living Desert and the California Turtle and Tortoise Club (CTTC) have been dedicated to rehoming pet tortoises in the Coachella Valley, ensuring wild tortoises stay wild and pet tortoises find caring homes. 💚 Are you interested in Nick, or any other adoptable desert tortoise? Email [email protected] for more information! #DesertTortoiseWeek #DesertTortoise #TheLivingDesert #Adopt