The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is a 133-acre zoo founded in 1966 and located in Los Angeles, California. The city of Los Angeles owns the entire zoo, its land and facilities, and the animals. Through the passion of our team, the los angeles zoo is leading the way in saving wildlife and connecting angelenos to the natural world by providing exemplary animal care, delivering distinctive and diverse learning opportunities, and creating unforgettable experiences. Saving wildlife. Enriching our communities. Creating connections to nature.
Our vision
Creating a just and sustainable world where people and wildlife thrive, together.
Overview
The city of los angeles owns the zoo, its land and facilities, and the animals. Animal care, grounds maintenance, construction, learning and engagement, public information, and administrative staff are city employees. The mayor of the city of los angeles is eric garcetti, who began his first term in 2013. Located within the 4th city council district, the zoo is represented by councilmember nithya raman. Denise m. Verret was appointed by mayor eric garcetti as ceo and zoo director july 2019.
The greater los angeles zoo association (glaza) was created in 1963 as a private, nonprofit fundraising organization to support the zoo. Today, glaza provides support through fundraising, membership, marketing and public relations, organizing special events and travel programs, producing award-winning publications, coordinating one of the largest zoo volunteer programs in the country, administering the contract for visitor services concessions within the zoo, and supporting community relations. Glaza president tom jacobson was appointed by its board of trustees in july 2019.
Fact sheet
The los angeles zoo and botanical gardens opened on november 28, 1966. The zoo is home to more than 2,100 mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles representing more than 270 different species, of which more than 58 are endangered. In addition, the zoo’s botanical collection comprises several planted gardens and over 800 different plant species with approximately 7,000 individual plants. The zoo receives nearly 1.8 million visitors per year and is owned and operated by the city of los angeles. The daily management of the zoo is overseen by chief executive officer & zoo director denise m. Verret. The zoo is accredited by the association of zoos and aquariums (aza).
Size
133 acres
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