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.

04/23/2025

Wednesday motivation.

04/22/2025

Happy Earth Day! 🌎 We join our fellow accredited zoos and aquariums on this "Party for the Planet" to highlight our support of healthy habitats, the vital work to save animals from extinction, and to encourage clean environments through Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle initiatives. Here’s Leticia to share some things we do every day at the Zoo!

04/21/2025

Among our greatest assets are our volunteers! This week marks National Volunteer Week and we wanted to give a big shout out and thanks to the many volunteers that give their time, knowledge, and enthusiasm to help support SF Zoo’s conservation mission. Over the years, we have hosted thousands of volunteers, from youths and teens, to adults and seniors, who have shared camaraderie, friendship and love of nature and animals. In turn, they have served as our own ambassadors, educating visitors, assisting our staff and being our true “boots on the ground”! Visit sfzoo.org to learn how you can become a volunteer working with animals, a youth volunteer on our summer Nature Trail program or as one of our amazing docents!

04/20/2025

Our pair of Coquerel’s sifaka received a gigantic Easter basket as enrichment which they foraged about to find hidden treats! Happy Easter to those who celebrate!

And yet another reason why your visit to the Zoo is different each time! Lucky guests got to watch grizzly bear Kachina ...
04/19/2025

And yet another reason why your visit to the Zoo is different each time! Lucky guests got to watch grizzly bear Kachina gnaw on her bone in the water before deciding to balance it on her head!

04/18/2025

A delicious snack to kick off the weekend! Red-footed tortoises are called that because of the unique coloring of red, orange or yellow scales on their legs, head and tail. Our two tortoises, Henry and Reebok, reside in our South American Tropical Rainforest and Aviary.

Flowers everywhere! Here’s our six-year-old male Komodo dragon, Rinca Damai, outside in his habitat, surrounded by signs...
04/17/2025

Flowers everywhere! Here’s our six-year-old male Komodo dragon, Rinca Damai, outside in his habitat, surrounded by signs of Spring!

The name “Rinca” refers to one of the three largest islands in the Komodo region native to the dragons, and also symbolizes Indonesia’s diversity, harmony and cultural wealth. His second name, “Damai” means peace.

04/15/2025

The ambient sounds of our guests watching our wolverines!

On this Mandrill Monday, here’s our male adult, Big Joe, who at 14 years of age clearly shows his vibrant, colorful face...
04/14/2025

On this Mandrill Monday, here’s our male adult, Big Joe, who at 14 years of age clearly shows his vibrant, colorful face. Dominant male mandrills have the most vibrant colors, matched by their colorful rumps. Bright facial coloration and a penetrating stare are used to intimidate male rivals and establish dominance.

📷: Steve Franks

04/13/2025

Bornean orangutan Berani demonstrating “easy like Sunday morning.”

Our four male Harlequin Babydoll sheep recently experienced their inaugural shearing! This event coincided with the annu...
04/12/2025

Our four male Harlequin Babydoll sheep recently experienced their inaugural shearing! This event coincided with the annual shearing of our two male alpacas, Osbourne and Hufflepuff. Shearing is done every 12 months to prevent heat stress, reduce disease risk, and improve wool quality. The young sheep handled the process admirably, patiently awaiting their turn. Following their shearing, the alpacas decided to enjoy some sunbathing while the sheep engaged in playful headbutting.

Animal care staff collected the dense fiber clipped by professional shearers to demonstrate how much weight was taken off, stepping on a scale hoisting each bag of wool fiber. The alpaca fiber alone weighed 13.8 lbs. while the sheep – Oliver, Napoleon, Guffman, and Maxwell – were relieved of 24.9 lbs.!

The wool will be allocated to various animal departments for enrichment purposes, as animals like our cats are particularly fond of its scents and texture.

04/11/2025

Summer is almost here and registration is now open for our popular Summer Conservation Zoo Camp! Learn how kids ages pre-K to 6th grade can participate in this rewarding week-long camp program where kids can connect with animals and nature!

https://www.sfzoo.org/conservation-camp/

04/10/2025

Just this week, access to Grizzly Gulch was given to grizzly bear sisters, Kachina and Kiona, for the first time since completing their winter torpor period, with big surprises in store! During their torpor, Zoo staff constructed a large climbing structure in the gulch for their use, and every day this week, the girls could be observed busily exploring all the new things in their habitat!

Today is also National Siblings Day - come celebrate our rescued grizzly sisters by stopping by to see them on your next visit!

For many of you who are long-time visitors and Zoo friends, you no doubt know our 25-year-old female Gotland pony, Siest...
04/09/2025

For many of you who are long-time visitors and Zoo friends, you no doubt know our 25-year-old female Gotland pony, Siesta, who resides in the Family Farm! Siesta has been a resident here since 2000, and has touched the lives of millions of guests over the years, as an exemplary ambassador of her rare breed.

The Gotland pony is the only pony breed that is native to Sweden, from Gotland Island, and is one of the oldest horse breeds in Europe. Gotland ponies are endangered due to a historical decline in numbers, use of these ponies in farming, and loss of natural pastures and habitats. Preservation efforts continue in Sweden and with breeders in the U.S.

Say hello to Siesta on your next visit!

Today is National Zoo Lovers’ Day, a day set aside to recognize your passion for wildlife and support of the important c...
04/08/2025

Today is National Zoo Lovers’ Day, a day set aside to recognize your passion for wildlife and support of the important conservation and education work of zoos near and far. On this day, we hope you’ll visit SF Zoo, or other accredited zoo or aquarium - you never know what you’ll see or discover, because every visit is different! Thank you for your support!

This week is a big week at the Family Farm! Our alpacas and Harlequin Babydoll sheep will be undergoing their annual she...
04/07/2025

This week is a big week at the Family Farm! Our alpacas and Harlequin Babydoll sheep will be undergoing their annual shearing, and as you can see, our 4 one-year-old males are in need of a trim! Their short, dense wool can hold up to 30% of its own weight in water without feeling wet, and they come in colors of black, off-white and gray.

They are still growing, and currently weigh about 88 lbs. before shearing. You’re seeing their “before” photos here, and be sure to check out the “after” photos that we’ll post after their shearing! And of course, take a look at their fuzzy, grinning faces – they’re known as the “smiling sheep!”

Crow vs. Wolverine. Doesn’t that sound like a Marvel movie?!Instead, it’s female wolverine, Molly, chasing after a visit...
04/06/2025

Crow vs. Wolverine. Doesn’t that sound like a Marvel movie?!

Instead, it’s female wolverine, Molly, chasing after a visiting crow 🐦‍⬛ and not getting up high enough to say hello!

A jaguar !
04/06/2025

A jaguar !

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.