Celebrate EarthFest this Weekend! 🌎

Thu Apr 24 09:03:18 PDT 2025

Become a Member (https://www.sfzoo.org/membership/)   |   Donate (https://www.sfzoo.org/donate-today/)    |   Get Tickets (https://www.sfzoo.org/?keyword=General%20Admission)
UPCOMING EVENTS
EarthFest is this Weekend!
https://www.sfzoo.org/calendar-of-events/

In honor of the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, we are celebrating our amazing planet with a weekend of activities as part of EarthFest on Saturday and Sunday, April 26 & 27. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., we'll be hosting a special "pop-up village" at the Sculpture Learning Plaza and Elinor Friend Playground featuring conservation partners and engaging activities, including learning about the importance of living sustainably, craft-making and more!

Among the info booths you can visit are those manned by the Zoo's horticulture and conservation teams to learn about native plants and endangered animals, purchase items to support the American Association of Zookeepers (AAZK), learn about the docent program, and visit our partner booths including Association pour le Développement de l'Energie Solaire Suisse (ADES), Recology, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. You can also sign up to take an informative bird walk with our friends from Golden Gate Bird Alliance, who will have sign-ups starting at 11 a.m.!

As part of our Earth Day initiatives, bring your used cell phones, tablets, mp3 players, phone chargers or other small electronic devices and we will send them to Eco-Cell, an electronics recycling company as part of the Gorillas on the Line (https://www.sfzoo.org/gorillas-on-the-line/) (GotL) campaign that we support. A portion of funds generated through the recycling of these devices benefits AZA's Gorilla SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program. Recycling old cell phones helps reduce the demand for the mineral used in electronics, mined in the gorilla habitat. Your donation will help protect gorillas and humans alike.

We join our fellow accredited zoos and aquariums from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums in this "Party for the Planet" to support healthy habitats, work to save animals from extinction, and encourage clean environments through Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle initiatives. Happy Earth Day!
Find Your Balance
https://www.sfzoo.org/zen-at-the-zoo/

Connect your mind, body and spirit during our popular yoga workout, Zen at the Zoo! (https://www.sfzoo.org/special-programs/) The most unique yoga experience is back for its 2025 series which takes place right in the middle of the Leanne B. Roberts African Savanna. Practice Vinyasa Flow, which unites breath to movement while offering a variety of poses, as giraffe and zebra graze nearby in this intimate, private setting.

Zen at the Zoo is suitable for all skill levels, and each one-hour session takes place once a month starting on Saturday, May 17. Expect a well-rounded practice involving sun salutations, standing and seated postures and a strong focus on the power of breath.

Sessions are $25 for Members and $50 for non-members/general public and includes Zoo admission for the full day. Learn more (https://www.sfzoo.org/zen-at-the-zoo/) .
Bike with Mom on Mother's Day
https://www.sfzoo.org/tours-2/

Join us for our annual Mother's Day BikeAbout (https://www.sfzoo.org/calendar/mothers-day-bikeabout-guided-tour/) where the whole family can ride their bicycle through the Zoo before we open to the general public!  This 60-minute riding tour will focus on what maternal care looks like throughout the animal kingdom. As part of this Mother's Day experience, you will get to meet our reticulated giraffes and get an opportunity to feed them!

The Mother's Day BikeAbout will take place on Mother's Day - Sunday, May 11 at 8:30 a.m. Pre-registration is required and participants must provide their own bikes and bike locks. Strollers and scooters are not permitted.

This special BikeAbout is $45 per peddler for Members and $55 per peddler for non-members. Children are free if piggy-backing on an adult peddler's bike. If you plan on staying at the Zoo after the BikeAbout, discounted admission tickets are available with proof of BikeAbout participation. Parking is included. Learn more. (https://www.sfzoo.org/tours-2/)
Member Exclusive: Drinks, Bites & Zoo Insights

You're in for a treat with our next Member exclusive "Drinks, Bites and Zoo Insights" as we welcome renowned orangutan conservationist, Dr. Marc Ancrenaz, DVM, PhD and Scientific and Co-Director of Hutan - Kinabatagan Orangutan Conservation Programme. At this insightful presentation, Dr. Ancrenaz will share the important conservation work to protect wild Bornean orangutans that has transpired over the past 30 years.

This presentation will be a weekday lecture, taking place on Wednesday, May 14 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Bernard Osher Great Hall. Light refreshments and adult and non-alcoholic beverages will be available to attendees. The event is open to all ages and we request that you RSVP in advance to membership at sfzoo.org (mailto:membership at sfzoo.org) .
CONSERVATION
Spotlight on Mountain Bongo
https://www.sfzoo.org/eastern-mountain-bongo/
Two young female Eastern mountain bongos (https://www.sfzoo.org/eastern-mountain-bongo/) (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci) joined our male bongo just last year, and you can see the interesting dynamics of this critically endangered antelope species, one that we hope to breed in the future as part of the AZA's Bongo Species Survival Plan. According to the IUCN Red List, mountain bongos number fewer than 100 in the wild, primarily due to loss of their forested habitat in the highlands of Kenya to agriculture and logging, and hunting and poaching for their meat and horns. Their population has also been affected by disease and predation.

Bongos are the only species of spiral-horned antelope in which both sexes have horns, which can grow up to three feet long, and are the largest forest-dwelling antelope, weighing between 530-650 lbs. They're recognized by their vertical white stripes and chestnut coloring, and have large ears that attribute to their strong sense of hearing. They also have a prehensile tongue to grasp the vegetation they feed on.

Come see our bongo herd across from Cat Kingdom, and learn more (https://www.internationalbongofoundation.com/) about what is being done to save bongos in the wild.
NEWS TO KNOW
It's National Volunteer Week
https://www.sfzoo.org/nature-trail-program/

It's National Volunteer Week and we wanted to take a moment to give a shout out to all of our amazing volunteers who work tirelessly to help support our mission! For decades, our volunteers have served as Zoo ambassadors, teaching our guests about wildlife, and inspiring young and old to protect our planet. And as part of their volunteer effort, so many have gained invaluable experience engaging with the public, learning animal husbandry and building lifelong friendships in the process!

We are currently recruiting several volunteer levels, including youths ages 12-14 to volunteer for our popular summer Nature Trail program through the Koret Animal Rescue and Conservation Center (ARC). Visit the teen volunteer page (https://www.sfzoo.org/nature-trail-program/) to learn more and apply for one of these coveted spots. For teens ages 15-17, you may want to consider becoming a Junior Zoologist (https://www.sfzoo.org/junior-zoologist-program/) at the ARC, where you will assist staff with a variety of animal husbandry tasks, such as preparing diets and feeding animals, cleaning and facilitating guest interactions.

And coming up on Saturday, May 17th, is our next Docent Information Session, where you can learn how you can become a Zoo Docent. Docents connect guests with our animal ambassadors through storytelling and education to inspire conservation action. The session includes a presentation, a behind-the-scenes Zoo tour, refreshments and free parking. Learn more on the Docent Program (https://www.sfzoo.org/volunteer-programs-draft/docents/) page or RSVP to join at sfzoodocents.org (mailto:join at sfzoodocents.org) .
Native African Garden
Included in the original planning of the Leanne B. Roberts African Savanna was a detailed landscape plan that incorporated beautiful and rare African plant species. In the 21 years since this trailblazing, three-acre mixed-species habitat opened, the unique plant life has thrived in the coastal climate of the Zoo, lending an authenticity to the area through the story of native plants and a blending of existing cypress trees into the topography.

Most of the perennial African plants are found on the perimeter of the habitat, so that the animals that reside in the savanna are not inclined to eat them. The reticulated giraffe, Grant's zebra and ostriches instead feed on acacia branches, coprosma and hay, which are collected and fed daily, rather than planted.

Among the various plant species are a variety of protea, a genus of South African flowering plants (pictured), and come in a variety of colors. These include the narrow leaf sugarbush (Protea neriifolia or "pink mint"), pincushion (Leucospermum cordifolium or "veldt fire"), conebush (Leucadendron x "safari sunset"), the broad leaf sugarbush (Protea eximia), and the silver tree (Leucadendron argenteum), an endangered protea species. Additional native plant species include the red-hot poker (Kniphofia x "Christmas cheer") featuring vibrant, torch-like flowers, soap aloe (Aloe saponaria), and tree aloe (Aloe arborescens). All of these unusual varieties together adds greatly to the African scenery.
Become a Zoo Insider – New Blogs!
https://www.sfzoo.org/blog/

In addition to general visitor information, you can use our website as a resource for animal information, find upcoming programs and events, or take a look at the Zoo's fascinating history! And for those of you seeking more in-depth stories about animals, habitats, or gardens, or even find out more about the benefits of becoming a Zoo member, we invite you to check out the series of new blogs that can be found on the SF Blog (https://www.sfzoo.org/blog/) page.

The blogs are intended to provide users with easily accessible information, if you are wondering when the best time of day to visit (hint: mornings!) or perhaps some insider tips for a memorable Zoo experience. We welcome your feedback and please let us know if there is something you'd like to learn more about!
San Francisco Zoo & Gardens connects all people with wildlife, inspires caring for nature and advances conservation action.

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