San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo sign and logo
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Entrance to the zoo with an elephant topiary
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| Date opened | 1916, (Precursor Panama-California Exposition in previous year) |
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| Location | Balboa Park, San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 32°44′8.508″N 117°9′5.66″W / 32.73569667°N 117.1515722°W |
| Land area | 99 acres (40 ha) |
| Number of animals | 3,700+ |
| Number of species | 650+ (incl. subspecies) |
| Memberships | AZA,AAM,ZAA,WAZA |
| Major exhibits | Absolutely Apes, Children's Zoo, Elephant Odyssey, Panda Trek, Ituri Forest, Monkey Trails, Polar Bear Plunge |
| Website | www |
The San Diego Zoo is a zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, housing over 3,700 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies. Its parent organization, San Diego Zoo Global, is one of the largest zoological membership associations in the world, with more than 250,000 member households and 130,000 child memberships, representing more than a half million people. The San Diego Zoo was a pioneer in the concept of open-air, cageless exhibits that re-create natural animal habitats. It is one of the few zoos in the world that houses and successfully breeds the giant panda. In 2013, the zoo added a new Koalafornia Adventure exhibit, providing an updated Australian animal experience. 2017 will see the opening of Africa Rocks.
It is privately moderated by the nonprofit Zoological Society of San Diego on 100 acres (40 ha) of Balboa Park leased from the City of San Diego, and ownership of all animals, equipment and other assets rests with the City of San Diego. The San Diego Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), and a member of the Zoological Association of America (ZAA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). San Diego Zoo Global also operates the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research.
"Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a zoo in San Diego? I believe I'll build one."
The San Diego Zoo grew out of exotic animal exhibitions abandoned after the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. Dr. Harry M. Wegeforth founded the Zoological Society of San Diego, meeting October 2, 1916, which initially followed precedents set by the New York Zoological Society at the Bronx Zoo. He served as president of the society until 1941. A permanent tract of land in Balboa Park was set aside in August 1921; on the advice of the city attorney, it was agreed that the city would own all the animals and the zoo would manage them. The zoo began to move in the following year. In addition to the animals from the Exposition, the zoo acquired a menagerie from the defunct Wonderland Amusement Park.Ellen Browning Scripps financed a fence around the zoo so that it could begin charging an entrance fee to offset costs. The publication ZooNooz commenced in early 1925.
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Wikipedia