San Diego Zoo
| San Diego Zoo | |
|---|---|
Entrance to the zoo with sculpture Rex's Roar, after the lion that inspired the zoo | |
| 32°44′10″N 117°09′05″W / 32.73611°N 117.15139°W | |
| Date opened | 1916 (Precursor Panama–California Exposition in previous year) |
| Location | Balboa Park, San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Land area | 99 acres (40 ha) |
| No. of animals | 3,700+ |
| No. of species | 650+ (incl. subspecies) |
| Annual visitors | 4 million (2018) |
| Memberships | AZA, AAM, WAZA |
| Major exhibits | Absolutely Apes, Wildlife Explorers Basecamp, Elephant Odyssey, Panda Ridge, Lost Forest, Monkey Trails, Polar Bear Plunge, Africa Rocks |
| Public transit access | San Diego Metropolitan Transit System Bus Route 7; Rapid Bus 215 |
| Website | zoo |
The San Diego Zoo is a zoo in San Diego, California, United States, located in Balboa Park. It began with a collection of animals left over from the 1915 Panama–California Exposition that were brought together by its founder, Dr. Harry M. Wegeforth. The zoo was a pioneer in the concept of open-air, cage-less exhibits that recreate natural animal habitats.
The zoo sits on 100 acres (40 ha) of land leased from the City of San Diego. It houses over 12,000 animals of more than 680 species and subspecies. It is the most visited zoo in the United States; travelers have cited it as one of the best zoos in the world.
Its parent organization, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, is a private nonprofit conservation organization and has one of the largest zoological membership associations in the world. The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance also operates the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.