San Francisco Zoo
Encyclopedia
The San Francisco Zoo, housing more than 260 animal species, is a 100 acres (40.5 ha) zoo
located in the southwestern corner of San Francisco, California
, between Lake Merced
and the Pacific Ocean
along the Great Highway
. The zoo's main entrance, once located on the north side across Sloat Boulevard and one block south of the Muni Metro
L Taraval line
, is now to the west on the ocean side of the zoo off of the Great Highway.
This zoo is the birthplace of Koko the gorilla
.
, planning for construction began in 1929 on the site adjacent to what was once the largest swimming pool
in the United States
, the Fleishhacker Pool
. The area was also already home to a children’s playground, an original Michael Dentzel carousel
, and the Mother’s Building, a haven for women and their children. Most of the exhibits were populated with animals transferred from Golden Gate Park
, including two zebra
s, a cape buffalo, five rhesus monkeys, two spider monkey
s, and three elephant
s (Virginia, Marjorie, and Babe).
Island, Lion
House, Elephant House, a small mammal
grotto, an aviary
and bear
grottos. These spacious, moat
ed enclosures were among the first bar-less exhibits in the country. In 1955, a local San Francisco newspaper purchased Pennie, a baby female Asian elephant
, and donated her to the zoo after many children donated their pennies, nickels, and dimes for her purchase.
Over the next 40 years, the Zoological Society became a powerful fundraising source for the San Francisco Zoo, just as Fleishhacker had hoped when he envisioned: "…a Zoological Society similar to those established in other large cities. The Zoological Society will aid the Parks Commission in the acquisition of rare animals and in the operation of the zoo." True to its charter, the Society immediately exerted its influence on the zoo, obtaining more than 1,300 annual memberships in its first 10 years (nearly 25,000 today). It also funded projects like the renovation of the Children’s Zoo in 1964, development of the African Scene in 1967, the purchase of medical equipment for the new zoo Hospital in 1975, and the establishment of the Avian Conservation Center in 1978.
) in the Sierra. Lulu, an African elephant, joined her there in March 2005, so no elephants are on display at the zoo. The moves followed the highly publicized deaths of 38-year-old Calle in March 2004 and 43-year-old Maybelle in April 2004.
The San Francisco Zoo is the largest and oldest zoo in northern California.
In early 2006, the SF Zoo announced its offer to name a soon-to-hatch American bald eagle
after comedian Stephen Colbert
. The publicity and goodwill garnered from coverage of the event on the Colbert Report was a windfall for the zoo and the city of San Francisco. Stephen Jr. was born on April 17, 2006.
es, tarantulas, scorpions, velvet ants, termites, walkingsticks and bees. Visitors can examine specimens under microscopes, and there are insect-themed books, videos, puppets and games.
African Savannah
African Aviary
Gorilla Reserve
Primate Discovery Forest
Lemur Forest
Cat Kingdom
Penguin Island
Lion House
South America
South American Tropical Tortoise
Pelican Beach
Bear Country
Eagle Island
On December 22, 2006, Tatiana the 242-pound Siberian tiger attacked zookeeper
Lori Komejan, causing the keeper to be hospitalized for several weeks with lacerated limbs and shock. The Lion House was closed for ten months as a result. California's Division of Occupation Safety and Health found the zoo liable for the keeper's injuries, fined the zoo, and ordered safety improvements.
On December 25, 2007, the same tiger escaped from her grotto
and attacked three zoo visitors after being taunted by the visitors. Carlos Sousa, 17, of San Jose
, California was killed at the scene. The tiger was shot and killed by police as she was attacking another victim, who survived. Three other tigers who shared Tatiana's grotto did not escape. Tatiana arrived at the San Francisco Zoo from the Denver Zoo in 2005, in hopes that she would mate. (This "Tatiana" is not the same as the one successfully breeding in the Toronto Zoo
.) The attack is the first visitor fatality due to animal escape at a member zoo in the history of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, according to the association.
s, conservation programs sponsored by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The program began in 1981 for selected species in North American zoos and aquarium where the breeding of a species done to maintain healthy, self-sustaining, genetically diverse and demographically stable populations. The zoo participates in more than 30 SSP programs, working to conserve species ranging from Madagascan radiated tortoises and reticulated giraffes to black rhinos and gorillas. Also, four members of the zoo's animal care staff serve as coordinators for national population management plans, acting as genetic advisors in the reproduction and conservation of species including marbled teal (an endangered eastern European duck), caracal
(an African wild cat), Eurasian eagle owl
(the world's largest owl species), Northern Treeshrew
, and the native San Francisco garter snake
(a critically endangered species).
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
located in the southwestern corner of San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, between Lake Merced
Lake Merced
Lake Merced is a freshwater lake in the southwest corner of San Francisco. It is surrounded by three golf courses , as well as residential areas, Lowell High School, San Francisco State University, Fort Funston and the Pacific Ocean...
and the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
along the Great Highway
Great Highway
The Great Highway is a road in San Francisco that forms the city's western edge along the Pacific coast. It runs for approximately next to Ocean Beach...
. The zoo's main entrance, once located on the north side across Sloat Boulevard and one block south of the Muni Metro
Muni Metro
Muni Metro is a light rail system serving San Francisco, California, operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway , a division of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency...
L Taraval line
L Taraval
The L Taraval is a Muni Metro line in San Francisco, California, mainly serving the Parkside District, an area which is immediately south of the Sunset District and which is regarded by some as the southern part of the Sunset District...
, is now to the west on the ocean side of the zoo off of the Great Highway.
This zoo is the birthplace of Koko the gorilla
Koko (gorilla)
Koko is a female western lowland gorilla who, according to Francine "Penny" Patterson, is able to understand more than 1,000 signs based on American Sign Language, and understand approximately 2,000 words of spoken English....
.
Beginnings
Originally named the Fleishhacker Zoo after its founder, banker and San Francisco Parks Commission president Herbert FleishhackerHerbert Fleishhacker
Herbert Fleishhacker , son of Aaron Fleishhacker and Delia Fleishhacker, was an American businessman, civic leader and philanthropist. He built Fleishhacker Pool, the world's largest swimming pool, in 1924....
, planning for construction began in 1929 on the site adjacent to what was once the largest swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Fleishhacker Pool
Fleishhacker Pool
Fleishhacker Pool was a public saltwater swimming pool located in the southwest corner of San Francisco, California next to the zoo for 47 years. It was the largest swimming pool in the United States and it was said that it could be seen from space....
. The area was also already home to a children’s playground, an original Michael Dentzel carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
, and the Mother’s Building, a haven for women and their children. Most of the exhibits were populated with animals transferred from Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park consisting of of public grounds. Configured as a rectangle, it is similar in shape but 20% larger than Central Park in New York, to which it is often compared. It is over three miles long east to west, and about half a...
, including two zebra
Zebra
Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
s, a cape buffalo, five rhesus monkeys, two spider monkey
Spider monkey
Spider monkeys of the genus Ateles are New World monkeys in the subfamily Atelinae, family Atelidae. Like other atelines, they are found in tropical forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Brazil...
s, and three elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s (Virginia, Marjorie, and Babe).
Growth
The first exhibits built in the 1930s cost US$3.5 million, which included MonkeyMonkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
Island, Lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
House, Elephant House, a small mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
grotto, an aviary
Aviary
An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...
and bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
grottos. These spacious, moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
ed enclosures were among the first bar-less exhibits in the country. In 1955, a local San Francisco newspaper purchased Pennie, a baby female Asian elephant
Asian Elephant
The Asian or Asiatic elephant is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Three subspecies are recognized — Elephas maximus maximus from Sri Lanka, the Indian elephant or E. m. indicus from mainland Asia, and E. m....
, and donated her to the zoo after many children donated their pennies, nickels, and dimes for her purchase.
Over the next 40 years, the Zoological Society became a powerful fundraising source for the San Francisco Zoo, just as Fleishhacker had hoped when he envisioned: "…a Zoological Society similar to those established in other large cities. The Zoological Society will aid the Parks Commission in the acquisition of rare animals and in the operation of the zoo." True to its charter, the Society immediately exerted its influence on the zoo, obtaining more than 1,300 annual memberships in its first 10 years (nearly 25,000 today). It also funded projects like the renovation of the Children’s Zoo in 1964, development of the African Scene in 1967, the purchase of medical equipment for the new zoo Hospital in 1975, and the establishment of the Avian Conservation Center in 1978.
Present day
In November 2004, Tinkerbelle, San Francisco Zoo's last Asian elephant, was moved to a sanctuary (PAWS-Performing Animal Welfare SocietyPerforming Animal Welfare Society
The Performing Animal Welfare Society is a U.S. based group for abandoned or abused performing animals as well victims of the exotic animal trade. They claim 30,000 members...
) in the Sierra. Lulu, an African elephant, joined her there in March 2005, so no elephants are on display at the zoo. The moves followed the highly publicized deaths of 38-year-old Calle in March 2004 and 43-year-old Maybelle in April 2004.
The San Francisco Zoo is the largest and oldest zoo in northern California.
In early 2006, the SF Zoo announced its offer to name a soon-to-hatch American bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
after comedian Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
. The publicity and goodwill garnered from coverage of the event on the Colbert Report was a windfall for the zoo and the city of San Francisco. Stephen Jr. was born on April 17, 2006.
Insect Zoo
The Insect Zoo opened in 1979 and features terrariums containing live arthropods, including millipedes, centipedes, Madagascar hissing cockroachMadagascar hissing cockroach
The Madagascar hissing Cockroach , also known as the Hissing Cockroach or simply Hisser, is one of the largest species of cockroach, reaching 2–4 inches at maturity. They are from the island of Madagascar off the African coast, where they can be found in rotting logs.Unlike most cockroaches, they...
es, tarantulas, scorpions, velvet ants, termites, walkingsticks and bees. Visitors can examine specimens under microscopes, and there are insect-themed books, videos, puppets and games.
Exhibit renovations
- Otter River (1994) featuring North American river otters
- Feline Conservation Center (1994) housing three species of small cats, including the snow leopard, ocelotOcelotThe ocelot , pronounced /ˈɒsəˌlɒt/, also known as the dwarf leopard or McKenney's wildcat is a wild cat distributed over South and Central America and Mexico, but has been reported as far north as Texas and in Trinidad, in the Caribbean...
, and Malayan fishing catFishing CatThe Fishing Cat is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia. In 2008, the IUCN classified the fishing cat as endangered since they are concentrated primarily in wetland habitats, which are increasingly being settled, degraded and converted...
s - Spectacled bearSpectacled BearThe spectacled bear , also known as the Andean bear and locally as ukuko, jukumari or ucumari, is the last remaining short-faced bear and the closest living relative to the Florida spectacled bear and short-faced bears of the Middle Pleistocene to Late Pleistocene age.The spectacled bear is a...
exhibit renovation (1994) - Lion House outdoor enclosures (1994)
- Eagle Island renovation (1995) providing a home for Sureshot, an injured (and non-releasable) bald eagleBald EagleThe Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
- Australian WalkAbout (1995) new space for red kangaroos and emus
- FlamingoFlamingoFlamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
Lake renovation (1995) - Monkey Island demolition (1995)
- HippopotamusHippopotamusThe hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
exhibit renovation (1995) - WarthogWarthogThe Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...
exhibit (1996) - BillabongBillabongBillabong is an Australian English word meaning a small lake, specifically an oxbow lake, a section of still water adjacent to a river, cut off by a change in the watercourse. Billabongs are usually formed when the path of a creek or river changes, leaving the former branch with a dead end...
(1996) - Aviary renovation (1996)
- Ring-tailed lemurRing-tailed LemurThe ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
exhibit renovation (1996) - Children’s Zoo entrance (1996)
- Kodiak bearKodiak BearThe Kodiak bear , also known as the Kodiak brown bear or the Alaskan grizzly bear or American brown bear, occupies the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago in South-Western Alaska. Its name in the Alutiiq language is Taquka-aq. It is the largest subspecies of brown bear.- Taxonomy :Taxonomist C.H...
exhibit (1996) - Avian Conservation Center (1997)
- African lion cub exhibit (1997)
- Aye-ayeAye-ayeThe aye-aye is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth and a special thin middle finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker...
Forest (1997) - Asian elephant exhibit renovations (1997 and 1999)
- Rainbow Landing (now Lorikeet Landing) (1998)
- Outdoor aviary demolition (1998)
- Restoration of Little Puffer (miniature railroad) (1998)
- Primate Discovery Center terrace exhibit renovation (1998)
- Children’s Zoo renovation (1999)
- Puente al Sur (1999) now houses giant anteaterGiant AnteaterThe Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, is the largest species of anteater. It is the only species in the genus Myrmecophaga. It is found in Central and South America from Honduras to northern Argentina...
s, mountain tapirMountain TapirThe Mountain Tapir or Woolly Tapir is the smallest of the four species of tapir and is the only one to live outside of tropical rainforests in the wild...
s, and capybaraCapybaraThe capybara , also known as capivara in Portuguese, and capibara, chigüire in Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador ronsoco in Peru, chigüiro, and carpincho in Spanish, is the largest living rodent in the world. Its closest relatives are agouti, chinchillas, coyphillas, and guinea pigs...
- Infrastructure replacement (1999)
- Aviary renovation (2000) depicts a South American tropical forest, complete with birds, caimanCaimanCaimans are alligatorid crocodylians within the subfamily Caimaninae. The group is one of two subfamilies of the family Alligatoridae, the other being alligators. Caimans inhabit Central and South America. They are relatively small crocodilians, with most species reaching lengths of only a few...
, and an anacondaAnacondaAn anaconda is a large, non-venomous snake found in tropical South America. Although the name actually applies to a group of snakes, it is often used to refer only to one species in particular, the common or green anaconda, Eunectes murinus, which is one of the largest snakes in the world.Anaconda... - Seal pool/bear exhibits (2000)
- Connie and Bob LurieBob LurieRobert Alfred Lurie is a real estate magnate, philanthropist, and former owner of the San Francisco Giants franchise of Major League Baseball from March 2, 1976 until January 12, 1993.-Giants Ownership:...
Education Center (2001) - Koret Animal Resource Center (2001)
- Expanded Children’s Zoo and Family Farm (2001)
- Wetlands habitat (2001)
- CassowaryCassowaryThe cassowaries are ratites, very large flightless birds in the genus Casuarius native to the tropical forests of New Guinea, nearby islands and northeastern Australia. There are three extant species recognized today...
Exhibit (2001) features double-wattled cassowaries, one of the world's largest bird species - Lipman Family LemurLemurLemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
Forest (2002) houses five species of MadagascanMadagascarThe Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
primates in an outdoor forest - Friend and Taube Entry Village (2002)
- Leaping Lemur Café (2002)
- Split Mound artwork by McCarren/Fine (2002)
- Bronze lion sculptures by Gwynn Murrill (2002)
- Zoo Street and parking (2002)
- Dentzel Carousel (2002)
- AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n Savanna (2004) features giraffeGiraffeThe giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
, zebra, kuduKuduThe kudus are two species of antelope of the genus Tragelaphus:*Lesser Kudu, Tragelaphus imberbis*Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros- Etymology :...
, ostrichOstrichThe Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
and other African wildlife roaming together in a lush, 3 acre (1 ha) habitat. - African Savanna Giraffe Feedings (2006)
- Black swanBlack SwanThe Black Swan is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. The species was hunted to extinction in New Zealand, but later reintroduced. Within Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic...
exhibit (2006) - Binnowee Landing and Feeding (formerly Lorikeet Landing) (2006)
- KunekuneKunekuneThe kunekune is a small breed of domestic pig from New Zealand. Kunekune are hairy, and have a dumpy build and can have wattles hanging from their lower jaw. Colour ranges include black and white, ginger, cream, gold-tip, black, brown and tri-coloured...
pig exhibit at the Family Farm (formerly the miniature pig exhibit) (2006) - Hearst Grizzly Gulch exhibit (opened June 14, 2007)
- Big Cat Exhibit Renovations (January 2008)
- Hippopotamus and RhinocerosRhinocerosRhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
exhibits (the 2 hippos, Puddles and Cuddles, died while renovation) (2007–2009) - Little Puffer restoration (2009)
- South American Tropical Rainforest Aviary asbestosAsbestosAsbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
removal (2009–2010) - Fishing cat exhibit (2010)
Animals and Exhibits
African RegionAfrican Savannah
- Grey Crowned CraneGrey Crowned CraneThe Grey Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats. This animal does not migrate....
- Grant's ZebraGrant's ZebraThe Grant's Zebra is the smallest of six subspecies of the Plains Zebra.-Distribution:The distribution of this subspecies is in Zambia west of the Luangwa river and west to Kariba, Shaba Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, north to the Kibanzao Plateau. In Tanzania north from...
- Greater KuduGreater KuduThe Greater Kudu is a woodland antelope found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas, due to a declining habitat, deforestation and hunting....
- Marabou StorkMarabou StorkThe Marabou Stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It breeds in Africa south of the Sahara, occurring in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially waste tips...
- OstrichOstrichThe Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
- Reticulated GiraffeSomali GiraffeThe Somali Giraffe, or more commonly known as Reticulated Giraffe , is a subspecies of giraffe native to Somalia, northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia...
- Scimitar OryxScimitar OryxThe Scimitar Oryx, or Scimitar-Horned Oryx, is a species of oryx which formerly inhabited the whole of North Africa. It has been classified as extinct in the wild by the IUCN.-Etymology and taxonomy:...
- Spur-winged GooseSpur-winged GooseThe Spur-winged Goose is a large bird in the family Anatidae, related to the geese and the shelducks, but distinct from both of these in a number of anatomical features, and therefore treated in its own subfamily, the Plectropterinae...
African Aviary
- Günther's Dik-dikGünther's Dik-dikGünther's Dik-dik is a small antelope found in East Africa. It weighs up to 3–5 kg when full grown. It has a yellowish gray to reddish brown coat. It has a short tail and horn ....
- Hadada IbisHadada IbisThe Hadada or Hadeda Ibis, Bostrychia hagedash, is an ibis found in Sub-Saharan Africa.-Appearance:The Hadeda is a large , dark brown ibis with a white "moustache", glossy greenish purple wings, a large black bill with a red stripe on the upper mandible, and blackish legs.-Call:It has a...
- Hamerkop
- Northern Bald IbisNorthern Bald IbisThe Northern Bald Ibis, Hermit Ibis, or Waldrapp is a migratory bird found in barren, semi-desert or rocky habitats, often close to running water. This 70–80 cm glossy black ibis, which, unlike other members of the ibis family, is non-wading, has an unfeathered red face and head, and a long,...
Gorilla Reserve
- Western lowland gorillaWestern Lowland GorillaThe western lowland gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that lives in montane, primary, and secondary forests and lowland swamps in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It is the gorilla usually found in zoos...
Primate Discovery Forest
- Black Howler MonkeyHowler monkeyHowler monkeys are among the largest of the New World monkeys. Fifteen species are currently recognised. Previously classified in the family Cebidae, they are now placed in the family Atelidae. These monkeys are native to South and Central American forests...
- ChimpanzeeChimpanzeeChimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
- Emperor tamarinEmperor TamarinThe Emperor Tamarin is a tamarin allegedly named for its resemblance to the German emperor Wilhelm II. It lives in the southwest Amazon Basin, in east Peru, north Bolivia and in the west Brazilian states of Acre and Amazonas....
- Francois' langurFrancois' LangurFrancois' langur or Francois' leaf monkey is a species of lutung and the type species of its species group. Francois' langur belongs to the Colobinae subfamily, Cercopithecidae family, in the Primates order...
- Lion-tailed macaqueLion-tailed MacaqueThe lion-tailed macaque is an Old World monkey that is endemic to the Western Ghats of South India.-Physical Characteristics:...
- MandrillMandrillThe mandrill is a primate of the Old World monkey family, closely related to the baboons and even more closely to the drill. Both the mandrill and the drill were once classified as baboons in genus Papio, but recent research has determined they should be separated into their own genus, Mandrillus...
- Patas monkeyPatas MonkeyThe patas monkey , also known as the Wadi monkey or Hussar monkey, is a ground-dwelling monkey distributed over semi-arid areas of West Africa, and into East Africa. It is the only species classified in the genus Erythrocebus...
- Pied tamarinPied TamarinThe pied tamarin is an endangered primate species found in a restricted area in the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest.- Range :...
- SiamangSiamangThe siamang is a tailless, arboreal, black-furred gibbon native to the forests of Malaysia, Thailand, and Sumatra. The largest of the lesser apes, the siamang can be twice the size of other gibbons, reaching 1 m in height, and weighing up to 14 kg...
Lemur Forest
- Black-and-white ruffed lemurBlack-and-white ruffed lemurThe black-and-white ruffed lemur is the more endangered of the two species of ruffed lemurs, both of which are endemic to the island of Madagascar. Despite having a larger range than the red ruffed lemur, it has a much smaller population that is spread out, living in lower population densities...
- Black lemurBlack LemurThe Black Lemur is a species of lemur from the family Lemuridae. Like all lemurs, it is endemic to Madagascar. Originally, the species was thought to have two subspecies, Eulemur macaco macaco and Eulemur macaco flavifrons, both of which were elevated to species status by Mittermeier et al. in...
- Red-ruffed lemur
- Ring-tailed lemurRing-tailed LemurThe ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
Cat Kingdom
- Indian rhinocerosIndian RhinocerosThe Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
- Baird's TapirBaird's TapirBaird’s Tapir is a species of tapir that is native to Central America and northern South America. It is one of three Latin American species of tapir.-Names:...
- Eastern Black RhinocerosEastern Black RhinocerosThe Eastern Black Rhinoceros is also known as the East African Black Rhinoceros. It is a subspecies of the Black Rhino...
- Giant ElandGiant ElandThe giant eland is an open forest savannah antelope. It is found in Central African Republic, South Sudan, Cameroon and Senegal. There are two subspecies: the endangered T. d. derbianus, found in Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park, and the low risk T. d...
- Grey SealGrey SealThe grey seal is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus...
- HippopotamusHippopotamusThe hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
Penguin Island
- Magellanic PenguinMagellanic PenguinThe Magellanic Penguin, Spheniscus magellanicus, is a South American penguin, breeding in coastal Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands, with some migrating to Brazil where they are occasionally seen as far north as Rio de Janeiro. It is the most numerous of the Spheniscus penguins. Its nearest...
Lion House
- African LionLionThe lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
- Fishing CatFishing CatThe Fishing Cat is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia. In 2008, the IUCN classified the fishing cat as endangered since they are concentrated primarily in wetland habitats, which are increasingly being settled, degraded and converted...
- Snow leopardSnow LeopardThe snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
- Sumatran tigerSumatran TigerThe Sumatran tiger is a tiger subspecies that inhabits the Indonesian island of Sumatra and has been classified as critically endangered by IUCN in 2008 as the population is projected at 176 to 271 mature individuals, with no subpopulation having an effective population size larger than 50...
South America
- Black-necked SwanBlack-necked SwanThe Black-necked Swan is the largest waterfowl native to South America. Males are and weigh 4.5-6.7 kg ; females are and weigh 3.5-4.4 kg . The wingspan ranges from . The body plumage is white with a black neck, head and greyish bill. It has a red knob near the base of the bill and...
- Black SwanBlack SwanThe Black Swan is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. The species was hunted to extinction in New Zealand, but later reintroduced. Within Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic...
- CapybaraCapybaraThe capybara , also known as capivara in Portuguese, and capibara, chigüire in Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador ronsoco in Peru, chigüiro, and carpincho in Spanish, is the largest living rodent in the world. Its closest relatives are agouti, chinchillas, coyphillas, and guinea pigs...
- Giant AnteaterGiant AnteaterThe Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, is the largest species of anteater. It is the only species in the genus Myrmecophaga. It is found in Central and South America from Honduras to northern Argentina...
- Maguari StorkMaguari StorkThe Maguari Stork is a species of stork in the Ciconiidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. It is a vagrant to Chile, Trinidad, the Falkland Islands and probably Peru...
- White-faced Whistling DuckWhite-faced Whistling DuckThe White-faced Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna viduata, is a whistling duck which breeds in sub-Saharan Africa and much of South America.This species is gregarious, and at favoured sites, the flocks of a thousand or more birds arriving at dawn are an impressive sight...
South American Tropical Tortoise
- Blue Poison Dart FrogDendrobates azureusDendrobates azureus is a type of poison dart frog found in the forests surrounded by the Sipaliwini savannah, which is located in southern Suriname and northern to central Brazil. Dendrobates azureus is widely known as the Blue Poison Dart Frog or by its Tirio Indian name, Okopipi...
- Golfodulcean Poison FrogGolfodulcean Poison FrogThe Golfodulcean Poison Frog is a species of frog in the Dendrobatidae family.It is endemic to Costa Rica.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers.It is threatened by habitat loss....
- Green Anaconda
- Waxy Monkey Tree FrogPhyllomedusa sauvagiiPhyllomedusa sauvagii, commonly known as the Waxy Monkey Leaf Frog, is a hylid frog belonging to the subfamily of South and Central American leaf frogs, Phyllomedusinae that inhabits the Chaco of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. The subfamily consists of around 50 species in three well...
Pelican Beach
- Great White Pelican
Bear Country
- Polar bearPolar BearThe polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
- Spectacled bearSpectacled BearThe spectacled bear , also known as the Andean bear and locally as ukuko, jukumari or ucumari, is the last remaining short-faced bear and the closest living relative to the Florida spectacled bear and short-faced bears of the Middle Pleistocene to Late Pleistocene age.The spectacled bear is a...
- WarthogWarthogThe Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...
Eagle Island
- Bald EagleBald EagleThe Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
Tiger attacks
Zookeeper
A zookeeper is a worker in a zoo, responsible for the feeding and daily care of the animals. As part of their routine, they clean the exhibits and report health problems...
Lori Komejan, causing the keeper to be hospitalized for several weeks with lacerated limbs and shock. The Lion House was closed for ten months as a result. California's Division of Occupation Safety and Health found the zoo liable for the keeper's injuries, fined the zoo, and ordered safety improvements.
On December 25, 2007, the same tiger escaped from her grotto
Grotto
A grotto is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide...
and attacked three zoo visitors after being taunted by the visitors. Carlos Sousa, 17, of San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, California was killed at the scene. The tiger was shot and killed by police as she was attacking another victim, who survived. Three other tigers who shared Tatiana's grotto did not escape. Tatiana arrived at the San Francisco Zoo from the Denver Zoo in 2005, in hopes that she would mate. (This "Tatiana" is not the same as the one successfully breeding in the Toronto Zoo
Toronto Zoo
The Toronto Zoo is a zoo located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It opened August 15, 1974 as the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo and is owned by the City of Toronto; the word "Metropolitan" was dropped from its name when the cities of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto were amalgamated to form the...
.) The attack is the first visitor fatality due to animal escape at a member zoo in the history of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, according to the association.
Species Survival Projects
The San Francisco Zoo participates in Species Survival PlanSpecies Survival Plan
The American Species Survival Plan or SSP program was developed in 1981 by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to help ensure the survival of selected species in zoos and aquariums, most of which are threatened or endangered in the wild....
s, conservation programs sponsored by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The program began in 1981 for selected species in North American zoos and aquarium where the breeding of a species done to maintain healthy, self-sustaining, genetically diverse and demographically stable populations. The zoo participates in more than 30 SSP programs, working to conserve species ranging from Madagascan radiated tortoises and reticulated giraffes to black rhinos and gorillas. Also, four members of the zoo's animal care staff serve as coordinators for national population management plans, acting as genetic advisors in the reproduction and conservation of species including marbled teal (an endangered eastern European duck), caracal
Caracal
The caracal is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat ranging over Western Asia, South Asia and Africa.The word caracal comes from the Turkish word "karakulak", meaning "black ear". In North India and Pakistan, the caracal is locally known as syahgosh or shyahgosh, which is a Persian term...
(an African wild cat), Eurasian eagle owl
Eurasian Eagle Owl
The Eurasian Eagle-Owl is a species of eagle owl resident in much of Eurasia. It is also one of the largest types of owls.-Description:The Eagle Owl is a large and powerful bird, smaller than the Golden Eagle but larger than the Snowy Owl...
(the world's largest owl species), Northern Treeshrew
Northern Treeshrew
The Northern Treeshrew is a species of treeshrew found in Southeast Asia.It was chosen as one of the 16 mammals to have their genomes sequenced by the Broad Institute, and a low coverage assembly of genome was released by the Broad Institute in June 2006. The genome will be useful in comparisons...
, and the native San Francisco garter snake
San Francisco garter snake
The San Francisco Garter Snake is a slender multi-colored colubrid snake. Designated as an endangered species since the year 1967, it is endemic to California and resides only in San Mateo County, California, and the extreme northern part of coastal Santa Cruz County, California...
(a critically endangered species).