Unique Creatures
The San Francisco Zoo wants to connect you with wildlife at its 100-acre park on the city’s southwest side. The zoo features 197 different animal species. The latest edition to the zoo is a Sumatran tiger cub, born in February. Other species include Asian elephants, Kodiak bears, monkeys, warthogs, and more. There is also an insect zoo, as well as a children’s zoo.
Storied Past
The zoo, originally called the Fleishhacker Zoo, after its founder Herbert Fleishhacker, opened in 1929. Some of the first exhibits were the Elephant House, Lion House, and Monkey Island. These enclosures, with their large moats, were among the first open animal displays in the world. In 1964 the children’s zoo was renovated and in 1967 the African Scene was opened. The zoo hospital was added in 1975, and an aviary was introduced in 1978. Today the zoo carries on important work in the area of animal conservation as a member of the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a program developed in 1981 by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It focuses on the care and breeding of rare animals housed at zoos across the continent. The San Francisco Zoo participates in over 30 different SSP programs. For more information on zoo hours, admission, and special events, visit sfzoo.org.