San Francisco Zoo

Call Directions Website Contact the establishment

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.

10/16/2026

Can we just take a moment and appreciate 46-year-old Bawang, the oldest Western lowland gorilla in our troop?

Keeper Jessy helped quench Bawang’s thirst on another hot day, and when she had enough, she was done!

10/15/2026

How are you bearing the heat? Ostrich Bernadette loves being sprayed with the hose, and according to her caretaker Julianna, she loves it so much that would sit there all day if we let her!

10/14/2026

Our herd of Nigerian Dwarf goats recently got to try something new: rose petals! For our two older goats, this was a familiar treat, but the younger goats took a little time to warm up to their first taste. Before long, they were loving it! Even our donkeys joined in on the fun!

Novelty items like these provide mental stimulation, encourage natural exploration, and add variety to our animals’ daily routines.

Come visit the Family Farm and say hi to our four-legged friends on your next trip to the Zoo!

We couldn’t resist sharing how our young capybaras are faring since their arrival last week! Today was also the official...
10/13/2026

We couldn’t resist sharing how our young capybaras are faring since their arrival last week! Today was also the official public opening to see them in person (members were able to see them yesterday).

As it was a pool cleaning day, the siblings were at first unsure why the water was gone. However, once the female dipped her toes in the water, she was all about the “spa” experience as the water filled the pool and created massive bubbles and tides – quite a sight to see! The male, on the other hand, decided to take a pass…

Thanks to everyone who came out just to see them!

10/12/2026

Halloween can’t come soon enough! 👻

Male Bornean orangutan Berani seen giving off ghost vibes! His caretaker, Selena, was at the right place at the right time to capture this little moment.

You’ll often see our orangutans hiding under blankets or sheets, or draping them over their heads, as a way of mimicking natural forest behaviors. They use large leaves or other plant material to use as umbrellas, sunshades or for play, and for building nests. The coverings also serve as enrichment and even used for warmth on cooler days.

10/11/2026

The timing to shadow our bird department - who oversees South American species - couldn’t have been more perfect for our CEO, Cassandra Costello, as she was on hand for the arrival of our two new capybaras, who arrived that morning from the Sacramento Zoo!

In addition to being with the whole team as they made last minute preparations for the capys’ arrival and went over protocols, she learned about the soap opera-worthy dynamics of our colony of Magellanic penguins from their primary caretaker, Megan, how the team addresses every Individual penguin’s needs, and even got to prepare and place our Giant anteater’s morning enrichment!

The best part of the day? Seeing the new capybaras for the first time, and sharing the excitement with staff.

Here’s Cassandra and curator Quinn Brown.

10/10/2026

Having a ball! Once Gauhati gets goin’ with his giant boomer ball, it’s all about focused play time! According to keeper Katie, when he pushes the ball out of reach or the ball gets stuck in a corner, he’ll start making sounds, a sort of communication.

These rhinos have quite a repertoire of vocalizations and sounds, from snorts and grunts to bleats and squeaks, to what you hear here - whistles! Though whistles are often used as mating signals, that was probably not the case here. Maybe it was, “hey - where’s my ball, lady?” 🦏

🎥: Katie T.

10/09/2026

Hey Members & Guardians! The new capybaras are busily adjusting to their new home at Puente al sur, which is currently closed during their acclimation period. But, we’re offering an exclusive sneak peek just for you on Monday, October 12 (Columbus Day) from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.!

Be sure to bring your member or Guardian I.D. to show at the exhibit for this special opportunity!

Not a member? You can become one by visiting sfzoo.org!

Exciting news! This morning, we welcomed our newest Zoo residents – a male and female sibling pair of capybaras, born 6 ...
10/09/2026

Exciting news!

This morning, we welcomed our newest Zoo residents – a male and female sibling pair of capybaras, born 6 months ago at the Sacramento Zoo. In a departure from other quarantine situations, we are able to quarantine them at their new home in Puente al Sur, as they were separated for the impending move. In their first foray into the larger Puente yard, the male quickly beelined to the large pond, taking a dip into the pool, before moving off to explore the outer regions of the yard. The female was released into the yard and also made her way around the habitat, where animal care staff spread a variety of tasty treats.

As part of the introduction period, staff were positioned around the habitat, and were able to observe how easily they acclimated to both the pool and the yard. To allow them some privacy for a few days, Puente al Sur will be closed to the public until next week, so they can better navigate and learn their new surroundings, and eventually be introduced to Baird’s tapir, Pacha.

We invite you to see them for the first time next week, and thank you for understanding!

We are excited to welcome back the world’s largest rodent to the Zoo!

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

+14157537080

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when San Francisco Zoo posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Establishment

Send a message to San Francisco Zoo:

Shortcuts

Share

Category