San Francisco Zoo

San Francisco Zoo To connect all people with wildlife, inspire caring for nature & advance conservation action

The San Francisco Zoo connects people with wildlife, inspires caring for nature and advances conservation action.

06/24/2025

16-year-old female Giant anteater Jade and her mobile enrichment is quite possibly the best thing you’ll see all day.

06/23/2025

It’s National Pink Flamingo Day which actually celebrates the plastic lawn flamingos and not real flamingos! We thought we’d give a shout out to our Chilean flamingos anyway!

06/22/2025

Happy World Camel Day!

There are three species of camels in the world today: the Dromedary camel, the domestic Bactrian camel, and the wild Bactrian camel. Our male, Bactrius Maximus II, is a domestic Bactrian camel and serves as an ambassador for his critically endangered relatives, the wild Bactrian camels. Fewer than 1,000 wild Bactrian camels are estimated to remain in the wild, found only in southwestern Mongolia and northwestern China. Although domestic and wild Bactrian camels share similarities, they are two separate species.

Bactrian camels are uniquely adapted to extreme climate shifts. They grow a thick, shaggy coat in winter to withstand freezing temperatures and shed it in the summer to stay cool. A common misconception is that a camel’s humps store water, but in fact, they store fat. This fat reserve allows camels to go long periods without eating- an essential survival adaptation in their arid and harsh desert environments.

Dromedary camels have one hump, while Bactrian camels- both wild and domestic- have two. These incredible, resilient animals have played a vital role in human development across many cultures throughout history. Join us in celebrating camels and the important work being done to protect their wild counterparts.

Bactrius Maximus II may look a little different right now…he is currently shedding his winter coat!

06/21/2025

Join us as we celebrate World Giraffe Day on June 21, the longest day of the year, honoring the tallest land animal with the longest neck!

On this special day, we’re sharing some information on giraffe species. Through several genetic research studies, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) has identified four distinct species of giraffe: Masai, Reticulated, Northern, and Southern giraffes, though this research is not universally adopted yet by all taxonomic authorities. This challenges the earlier view of giraffes as one species with multiple subspecies. A key factor supporting their classification as distinct species is that each species occupies a different range and does not interbreed in the wild due to geographic and behavioral barriers. The harsh reality is that giraffes are undergoing a “silent extinction” due to habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. Giraffes are actually less numerous than elephants in Africa with about 1 giraffe for every 4 elephants. This important information allows for the area of focus when considering how to approach giraffe conservation. Northern giraffe are considered to be critically endangered while the Masai and Reticulated giraffes are considered to be endangered. Southern giraffe are of Least Concern.

World Giraffe Day was created by GCF to bring awareness to this reality in order to reverse the decline and protect the giraffes. Organizations like GCF and Save Giraffes Now have programs in place to do just that.

06/20/2025

A full-circle moment that has all the feels as after a year, our conservation and veterinary teams have successfully rehabilitated nearly 250 endangered Mountain yellow-legged frogs who were close to death last year due to a chytrid fungus outbreak where they lived in Kings Canyon National Park. The adults, which range in age from about 6 to 15 years, are healthy and sound, and as the majority of the females are in a gravid state (or carrying eggs), they will be returned to their homes ready to lay eggs and contribute to the wild population. As the most endangered frog species in California, there are only a few wild populations left in Southern California.

Last summer, in partnership with Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks SEKI Helitack, Sequoia Parks Conservancy Yosemite National Park California Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 239 adult frogs were emergency salvaged from the park by volunteer biologists, amphibian experts, and SEKI Helitack staff (trained in the search and rescue of humans in Sequoia-Kings Canyon), who helped with treating and packing frogs at the SEKI Helibase.

The rehabilitation of the frogs started immediately and consisted of an 11-day antifungal treatment process to clear the chytrid infection, day one of which took place at the SEKI Helibase as soon as the frogs arrived via helicopter from high-elevation lakes. The frogs were then brought to SF Zoo by conservation and veterinary staff. After the antifungal treatment, the team force fed each by hand due to their inability to eat due to the nature of the disease, as the frogs were emaciated. Chytrid fungus prevents water and nutrients from being absorbed through the skin, which dehydrates and weakens frogs, so they struggle to catch prey. Finally, antibiotics were given to a third of the frogs that were the most sick. After the frogs fully recovered, the conservation team microchipped, weighed, measured and identified each as male or female, and cared for the frogs in the Zoo’s Amphibian Quarantine Facility for a year.

As part of this program, scientists from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Recovery Ecology team spermiated 45 of the males for cryopreservation. The samples can potentially be used in the future to fertilize eggs and for genetic analysis without needing to collect tissue or adult frogs from the wild, an incredible opportunity for this endangered species.

Of the 239 frogs that arrived, 219 (92%) are now healthy and are ready to return to the wild. Their survival was successful due to the Zoo’s expertise and protocols developed over the past decade to respond to this kind of crisis on a moment’s notice and is one of the first-of-its-kind rescue/rehab operations in captivity for endangered frogs dying from chytrid fungus in the wild.

Good luck frogs!

06/19/2025

Look! It’s me!

This mirror box serves as enrichment for our Magellanic penguins, who are naturally curious, especially with shiny or reflective objects, which can sometimes mimic the scales of fish. A good reminder for guests to refrain from throwing coins into their pool, as they can be toxic if ingested.

No matter the size of their animal patients, from the smallest frog to mammals, like Valdez, our male black bear recentl...
06/18/2025

No matter the size of their animal patients, from the smallest frog to mammals, like Valdez, our male black bear recently, our team of veterinarians and veterinary technicians know the task at hand! This past week, the team worked alongside carnivore staff to perform a general examination on 8-year-old black bear Valdez. Like most examinations, there are many things going on while the animal is under anesthesia, from blood draws, to checking their hearts, teeth, eyes, examining each limb, and weighing them. The goal is to ensure each animal resident receives a comprehensive check-up on a regular basis, so that we can keep track of their overall health as they age and mature.

On this Veterinary Appreciation Day, we want to give a big shout-out to our amazing veterinary and wellness teams for their hard work and dedication!

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06/17/2025

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It’s Pollinator Week! We often talk about the bees, butterflies, moths and birds as pollinators, but did you know that b...
06/16/2025

It’s Pollinator Week! We often talk about the bees, butterflies, moths and birds as pollinators, but did you know that black-and-white ruffed lemurs are also pollinators? In fact, they are the largest pollinator in terms of size! As pollinators in their native Madagascar, they are vital to the survival the traveler’s palm, drinking nectar from flowers and transferring pollen from the plant that sticks to their fur as they move from tree to tree. They also help disperse seeds along the way, contributing greatly to the health of Madagascar’s forests.

On Saturday & Sunday, June 21 & 22, stop by our conservation pop-up table at Greenie’s Garden to learn about the importance of pollinators to the health of our planet and their relationship with native plants.

06/13/2025

When every day is a pool day.

Address

Sloat Boulevard And The Great Highway
San Francisco, CA
94132

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

4157537080

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Our Mission

The mission of San Francisco Zoo & Gardens is to Connect people with wildlife, inspire Caring for nature and advance Conservation action.

Open 365 days a year, San Francisco Zoo is home to more than 2,000 exotic, endangered and rescued animals in 100 acres of majestic and peaceful gardens located directly on the Pacific Coast.