The Sacramento Zoo was born in 1927 when the City of Sacramento brought together 40 animals from the city's parks in the William Land Park Zoo. The original inhabitants of the Sacramento Zoo included monkeys, raccoons, birds and deer. Over the years, the City of Sacramento expanded the original 4.2 acres into the current 14.3 acres, and added new habitats for hundreds of animals. A major turning point for the zoo was the formation of the Sacramento Zoological Society in 1956. Originally formed to raise money for the zoo's upkeep and acquisitions, the Sacramento Zoological Society took over day to day management of the zoo in 1997.
Starting in the 1980s, the Sacramento Zoo began a program of expansion and updates that did away with iron bars in favor of moats and protective enclosures, providing the animals with natural habitats and the visitors with a more immersive experience in visiting the zoo inhabitants. Through the 1980s and 1990s, the zoo renovated and built new habitats for lions and tigers, including a new Rare Feline Center for their golden headed lion tamarin and snow leopard exhibits, as well as new homes for orangutans, monkeys, flamingos and elephants. The Sacramento Zoo is rightly proud of its efforts to provide naturalistic habitats for its animals, which was recognized when the zoo was chosen to house a breeding pair of red panda cubs in its Claire Mower Red Panda Forest Habitat.
The Sacramento Zoo works with other national and international zoos in a captive breeding program to restore the thick-billed parrot to its natural home in the United States. It is the only parrot native to the U.S., but has taken a place on the endangerd species list thanks to widespread deforestation.
Among the newer additions to the Sacramento Zoo is the Lemurs of the Lost World exhibit, which opened in 2004 and features black and white ruffled lemurs, Coquerel's sifakras and Giant Anteaters. The stars of the Lemur exhibit are the sifakras, found only on two reserves in Madagascar. Adorable small animals with quizzical black and white faces, the sifakras are part of the zoo's efforts to preserve the species through captive breeding.
The sifkaras are not alone in their endangered species status. The Sacramento Zoo is home to over 30 endangered species among its 600 animals. The zoo participates in international, national and local conservation efforts to protect a wide variety of animal species, including the Grevy Zebra, snow leopards and a variety of amphibians including the blue dart frog and the California tiger salamander.
Special and scheduled events at the Sacramento Zoo include the Zoo P.I. Critter Caper, which runs daily at the amphitheater and Family Overnight Safaris during the summer months. The zoo also offers educational outreach programs to schools and other groups of all ages.
The Sacramento Zoo is open year round except Christmas and Thanksgiving. Hours are seasonal with many special admission days scattered throughout the year. For more information about hours, admission prices and special events, contact the Sacramento Zoo at 916-808-5888.
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