Santa Ana Zoo

Santa Ana Zoo The Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park is a 20-acre zoo focusing on the animals and plants of Central and South America.

The zoo opened in 1952 and is owned and operated by the City of Santa Ana. The Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park is one of the jewels of the city, nestled in the midst of an urban setting, it provides an oasis like no other in Orange County. This Zoo was founded in 1952 by Joseph Prentice. It has since expanded to nearly 20 acres, offering a rain forest exhibit, several rare and endangered species, a

walk-through aviary, a train ride, a Conservation Carrousel, a children’s zoo, an education amphitheater and classrooms, and much more! Roam the rainforest, trek through the aviary, relax by the butterfly garden or on the deck enjoying the waterfall at Amazon's Edge, and meet new animal friends at the Crean Family Farm. The Zoo is an exciting place for kids of all ages, and is an educational institution great for observing primate behavior. Catch an animal program on the weekend, investigate the many botanicals on exhibit, or come out for one of the Zoo's signature special events or simply pack a picnic and watch your young ones enjoy the playground. The Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park is home to a number of animals that are rescued, or could not survive in the wild including "Spirit", our beautiful bald eagle. With many successful births over the years, the Santa Ana Zoo takes great pride in helping and in a number of cases having the opportunity to re-introduce animals back into a natural habitat. The Santa Ana Zoo features picnic areas, Bean Sprouts Café, and unique gifts can be found at the Treetop Toys gift store. Rental areas are available for a birthday parties and special events. Conveniently located just 10 minutes from Disneyland off the 5 freeway, The Santa Ana Zoo is one of the coolest, most tranquil, family-friendly, wheel-chair accessible places to hang out with friends in Orange County. The Zoo mission statement:
To instill a passion for the natural world through recreation, conservation, and education. www.santaanazoo.org

The Santa Ana Zoo

This page and its contents are privately owned and managed. Follow us on Instagram for our special events and animal collection

This Week at the Santa Ana Zoo & Santiago Creek ECO Center:Sun. Aug 03 - Meet some new animal friends and learn all abou...
08/02/2025

This Week at the Santa Ana Zoo & Santiago Creek ECO Center:

Sun. Aug 03 - Meet some new animal friends and learn all about them! At the CET, 12:00pm and 2:30pm, weather permitting. Included with admission.

Sun. Aug 03 - Super Sunday Storytime takes place at the CET at 11:30am every Sunday! Start your week with a story and an animal friend. Included with admission.

Mon. Aug. 04 - Creekside Storytime at 10:30am at Santiago Creek ECO Center (600 E Memory Ln in Santa Ana). Meet at the ECO Center. Free & open to the public. Program includes a nature based story and related activity.

Mon. Aug 04 - Leer Lunes Storytime at 11:30am at the Childrens Zoo Stage. Included with Admission.

Wed. Aug 06 - Wild Wednesday Storytime at 11:30am at the Childrens Zoo Stage. Included with Admission.

Zoo Rides - Ride Hours: Thurs - Fri 11-2, Sat - Sun 11-4 Ride tickets are not included in general admission and can be purchased from the Train Depot daily.

Sat. Aug 09 - ARTimals Workshop 10:00am at the Santiago Creek ECO Center. Artists of all ages and abilities are welcome to start a new project inspired by nature.

Sat. Aug 09 - Meet some new animal friends and learn all about them! At the CET, 12:00pm and 2:30pm, weather permitting. Included with admission.

Flight! A live butterfly experience is open. Included with zoo admission, reservations required. Habitat open daily 10:30am - 4:00pm weather permitting. Enjoy a lush garden with hundreds of tropical butterflies!


Storytime, art, nature journaling, bird watching and more! Come explore nature at the Santiago Creek ECO Center!All prog...
08/01/2025

Storytime, art, nature journaling, bird watching and more! Come explore nature at the Santiago Creek ECO Center!

All programs are FREE and open to the public. Meet at the ECO Center building.

Located at 600 East Memory Land, Santa Ana, 92705.

Enter from Memory Lane at 2775-2779. Look for the small driveway just South of the Parker St. business park.

The Santiago Creek ECO Center is presented by the Santa Ana Zoo.

The 50 Monkeys Ferris Wheel is currently closed.The Zoofari Express Train ride and Conservation Carrousel will remain op...
08/01/2025

The 50 Monkeys Ferris Wheel is currently closed.

The Zoofari Express Train ride and Conservation Carrousel will remain open for regular ride hours.

Ride hours:
Thursdays and Fridays 11am - 2pm
Saturdays and Sundays 11am - 4pm

Purchase ride tickets at the Train Depot. Rides not included in general admission.

Have you spotted the gibbons in their new habitat?The White-handed gibbons are swinging and singing throughout their new...
08/01/2025

Have you spotted the gibbons in their new habitat?

The White-handed gibbons are swinging and singing throughout their newly renovated habitat. You may hear them before you see them, their vocalization can be heard up to 2 miles away! Gibbons change their songs throughout their lifetime, their first song reflecting their family unit and changing to a duet with their mate.

Visit the primate area of the zoo and follow your ears to the gibbon habitat. Be sure to look up and see these amazing apes brachiating (swinging) through the trees!

Extended hours have been extended weekends through August!
07/30/2025

Extended hours have been extended weekends through August!

Want to help the Monarch Monitoring Blitz, but not sure how to identify milkweed? Look for these clues! When you've foun...
07/29/2025

Want to help the Monarch Monitoring Blitz, but not sure how to identify milkweed? Look for these clues! When you've found a milkweed, don't forget to photograph and submit it to the Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper.

All photos published on the Creative Commons via iNaturalist by the following users: terrydad2 (slide 1), Joey Santore (slide 2), ekmes (slide 3), David Pluth (slide 4), and Ron Vanderhoff (slide 5).

Alt text: Is it milkweed? Milkweed flowers are composed of 5 hoods which store nectar, and five petals usually bent backwards. They produce pods which split open lengthwise when mature, releasing seeds attached to fluffy white hairs. Milkweed leaves leak milky white sap when torn or chewed on by caterpillars.

Love butterflies? Join the international movement to protect our monarchs! July 25th through August 3rd, take photos of ...
07/27/2025

Love butterflies? Join the international movement to protect our monarchs!

July 25th through August 3rd, take photos of monarchs (eggs, caterpillars, or butterflies) or milkweed plants and upload them to the Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper on iNaturalist. Scientists will use your photos to better understand and conserve summer breeding populations of monarchs.

Stop by the ECO Center July 27th or 28th for help getting started.

Image description: A monarch butterfly perches atop a purple flower, with a clear blue sky in the background.

This Week at the Santa Ana Zoo & Santiago Creek ECO Center:Sun. July 27 - Meet some new animal friends and learn all abo...
07/27/2025

This Week at the Santa Ana Zoo & Santiago Creek ECO Center:

Sun. July 27 - Meet some new animal friends and learn all about them! At the CET, 2:30pm, weather permitting. Included with admission.

Sun, June 27 - Nature Journaling Club at 11am at Santiago Creek ECO Center (600 E Memory Ln in Santa Ana). Meet at the ECO Center. Free & open to the the public. Start or continue your nature journal, all ages and levels welcome.

Sun. July 27 - Super Sunday Storytime takes place at the CET at 11:30am every Sunday! Start your week with a story and an animal friend. Included with admission.

Mon. July 28 - Leer Lunes Storytime at 11:30am at the Childrens' Zoo Stage. Included with Admission.

Wed. July 30 - Wild Wednesday Storytime at 11:30am at the Childrens' Zoo Stage. Included with Admission.

Zoo Rides - Ride Hours: Thurs - Fri 11-2, Sat - Sun 11-4 Ride tickets are not included in general admission and can be purchased from the Train Depot daily.

Sat. August 02 - Meet some new animal friends and learn all about them! At the CET, 12:00pm and 2:30pm, weather permitting. Included with admission.

Sat. August 02 - Bird Watching at 8:30am at Santiago Creek ECO Center (600 E Memory Ln in Santa Ana). Meet at the ECO Center. Free & open to the public. Bring or borrow binoculars and enjoy a walk through the park looking for local birds.

Flight! A live butterfly experience is open. Included with zoo admission, reservations required. Habitat open daily 10:30am - 4:00pm weather permitting. Enjoy a lush garden with hundreds of tropical butterflies!


-ups

07/26/2025

Thank you for joining us on social media this week as we’ve highlighted some of the incredible work that zoo keepers do every day at the Santa Ana Zoo.

As we said at the start of the week, being an animal care professional is more than just a job, it’s a calling! Our Animal Care Team is a group of dedicated, passionate, and caring animal conservationists that truly want to make a difference in the lives of the animals they care for at the zoo and beyond. We thank them for their commitment, skills, and enthusiasm for wildlife and wild places.



THANK YOU ZOO KEEPERS!

Giving medication or treatment to an animal can be challenging at times and zoo keepers rely on their strong keeper-anim...
07/25/2025

Giving medication or treatment to an animal can be challenging at times and zoo keepers rely on their strong keeper-animal relationships to accomplish their health care goals.

Whether it’s training a guanaco to take daily eye drops, or feeding a t**i monkey favored food items while the vet performs laser therapy, zoo keepers know how important these treatments are and will stop at nothing to make sure the animals get the care they need.

Many animals at the zoo are trained to take voluntary injections, oral medications from a syringe, receive laser therapy, or take daily eye drops. None of this routine or life-saving care would be possible in a stress-free way without zoo keepers!

Join us and City of Santa Ana Parks and Recreation for a movie at the Zoo!
07/24/2025

Join us and City of Santa Ana Parks and Recreation for a movie at the Zoo!

Providing enrichment opportunities to the animals is often mentioned as one of the best parts of a zoo keeper’s job. Ani...
07/24/2025

Providing enrichment opportunities to the animals is often mentioned as one of the best parts of a zoo keeper’s job.

Animal enrichment can be in the form of toys, activities, or environmental changes that promote natural species behaviors. It is dynamic, stimulating, and goal-oriented and helps to keep the day interesting for the animal and keeper.

Goat headbutting, for example, is a natural behavior used for many things, including play. Zoo keepers give puzzle feeders to the goats so they can use their natural headbutting behavior to push the toy around and get the food. Macaws naturally chew on things as a means to keep their beaks healthy. Providing them with chew toys promotes this species-typical behavior and helps to keep their beaks healthy and strong.

Address

Santa Ana, CA
92701

Opening Hours

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

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