San Francisco Zoo San Francisco Zoo Full Species List (As of 08/24/2022)

Zoo Birding

Zoo Birding

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
Hello ZooChat!

While some of you know that I generally do a "birds only" list, a handful of you have requested I do more zoo-wide species lists. Well, I went to the San Francisco Zoo recently and here are the zoo's species list based on my observations but also from prior knowledge from previous visits. Although they didn't post it on either their Facebook or Instagram accounts, they closed off their African Aviary but their South American Rainforest Aviary was still opened but they changed their hours to close two hours earlier. All large waterbirds that were in open air exhibits were moved off-site due to the HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza). I was, however, able to still look inside the African Aviary from the outside. The birds appeared more relaxed and I was able to capture some pretty good pictures of them. Interestingly, some of their free-roaming peafowls were in a couple of aviaries but there were a few stragglers still roaming the grounds.


Lemur Forest

"Lemur Island" (My Unofficial Nickname for this Area)
  • Black and white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata variegata)
  • Blue-eyed black lemur (Eulemur flavifrons)
  • Crowned lemur (Eulemur coronatus)
  • Red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer)
  • Red-fronted lemur (Eulemur rufifrons)
  • Red ruffed lemur (Varecia rubra)
  • Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta)
Great Ape Passage:
  • Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)
  • Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ssp.)

All Other Stand Alone Exhibits in this Sector
  • Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx)
  • Coquerel's sifaka (Propithecus coquereli)
  • François langur (Trachypithecus francoisi francoisi)


Africa Region

African Savanna
  • Common ostrich (Struthio camelus ssp.)
  • East African grey-crowned crane (Balearica regulorum gibbericeps)
  • Reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata)
  • Greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros ssp.)
  • Grant's zebra (Equus quagga boehmi) ***
*** Based on the signage, they say their zebras are the Burcell's subspecies (Equus [quagga] burchellii) but based on their appearance, they lack the thin stripes between the thicker stripes; given how thick the stripes are, especially towards the flank and rear, I've deduced they are the more common Grant's subspecies.

African Aviary
  • Marbled teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris)
  • Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus)
  • West African black crowned-crane (Balearica pavonina pavonina)
  • African openbill (Anastomus lamelligerus lamelligerus)
  • Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta ssp.)
  • African sacred ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
  • Northern bald {Waldrapp} ibis (Geronticus eremita)
  • Northern hadada ibis (Bostrychia hagedash brevirostris)
  • Long-tailed glossy starling (Lamprotornis caudatus)
Gorilla Preserve
  • Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)


Cat Kingdom

Penguin Island
  • Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus)
Lion House ***
  • Red-sided Eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus polychloros)
*** While the main doors facing Penguin Island were closed off, the doors next to the newly renovated snow leopard habitat was open. You can only go into one section of it inside but passed the restrooms to the right, there is an exhibit.

All Other Stand Alone Exhibits in this Sector
  • North American river otter (Lontra canadensis)
  • Indian (Greater one-horn) rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)
  • Lion (Panthera leo ssp.)
  • Eastern bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci)
  • Eastern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli)
  • Snow leopard (Panthera uncia)
  • Bobcat (Lynx rufus)
  • Giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)

South America

Puente al Sur (Aviary)
  • White-faced whistling-duck (Dendrocygna viduata)
  • Fulvous whistling-duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)
  • Bernier's (Madagascar) teal (Anas bernieri)
  • Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus)
  • Scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber)
  • African sacred ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
  • Green-winged (Red and green) macaw (Ara chloropterus)
  • Calico macaw (Ara militaris x chloropterus)
  • Red-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta leporina)
Puente al Sur (Exhibit)
  • Giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)
  • Guanaco (Lama guanicoe)
South American Tropical Rainforest & Aviary (Stand Alone Flight)
  • Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
  • Temminck's tragopan (Tragopan temminckii)
  • Panama yellow-crowned Amazon parrot (Amazona ochrocephala panamensis)
  • Linnaeus's two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus)

South American Tropical Rainforest & Aviary (Terrariums)
  • Dyeing poison dart frog (Dendrobates tinctorius ssp.)
  • Golfodulcean poison dart frog (Phyllobates vittatus)
  • Green and black poison dart frog (Dendrobates auratus)
  • Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki)
  • Red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas)
  • Smoky jungle frog (Leptodactylus pentadactylus)
  • Northern caiman lizard (Dracaena guianensis)
  • Guatemalan (Motagua) spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura palearis)
  • Red-tailed boa (Boa constrictor constrictor)
  • Emerald tree boa (Corallus caninus)
  • Amazon tree boa (Corallus hortulana)
  • Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus)

South American Tropical Rainforest & Aviary (Free-Flight)
  • Blue-winged teal (Spatula discors)
  • Ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
  • Northern white ibis (Eudocimus albus albus)
  • Roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)
  • Curl-crested araçari (Pteroglossus beauharnaisii)
  • Blue-headed macaw (Primolius couloni)
  • Blue-throated macaw (Ara glaucogularis)
  • Red-fronted macaw (Ara rubrogenys)
  • Inca jay (Cyanocorax yncas yncas ?)
  • Crested oropendola (Psarocolius decumanus decumanus)
 
Outback Trail

Australian Walkabout
  • Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)
  • Common wallaroo (Osphranter robustus ssp.)
Koala Crossing
  • Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus ssp.)

All Other Stand Alone Exhibits in this Sector
  • Southern (Double-wattled) cassowary (Casuarius casuarius)

Bear Country
  • American black bear (Ursus americanus)
  • Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis)
  • Mexican grey wolf (Canis lupus baileyi)
  • Chacoan peccary (Catagonus wagneri)

Exploration Zone
  • Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus canorus)
  • Western pond turtle (?) (Actinemys marmorata)
  • Guira cuckoo (Guira guira)
  • Black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)
  • Meerkat (Suricata suricatta)
  • Red panda (Ailurus fulgens ssp.)
Animal Resource Center
  • Common chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater)
  • Moroccan uromastyx (Uromastyx acanthinura)
  • Florida red-bellied turtle {cooter} (Pseudemys nelsoni)
  • Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)
  • Western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata)
  • Leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis)
  • Radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)
  • Guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)
  • Domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus)
Insect Zoo
  • American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)
  • Asian forest scorpion (Heterometrus longimanus)
  • Australian walking-stick (Extatosoma tiaratum)
  • {Blue} death feigner beetle (Asbolus verrucosus)
  • {Caribbean} hermit crab (Coenobita clypeatus)
  • Chaco golden-knee tarantula (Grammostola pulchripes)
  • Caucasus [rhino] beetle (Chalcosoma chiron)
  • Dairy cow isopod (Porcellio laevis)
  • False black widow (Steatoda grossa)
  • Ghost mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa)
  • Giant African millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas)
  • Golden {silk} orb weaver (Trichonephila clavipes)
  • Jungle nymph {Malayasian stick insect} (Heteropteryx dilatata)
  • Litter beetle (Alphitobius diaperinus)
  • Madagascar hissing cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa)
  • North American giant water bug (Abedus indentatus)
  • Pipevine swallowtail caterpillar (Battus philenor)
  • Red harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus)
  • Sun beetle (Pachnoda marginata peregrina)
  • Thinstripe hermit crab (Clibanarius vittatus)
  • Trinidad olive tarantula (Neoholothele incei)
  • Togo starburst tarantula (Heteroscodra maculata)
  • Venezuelan sun tiger (Psalmopoeus irminia)
  • Vietnamese centipede (Scolopendra subspinipes)
  • White-eyed assassin bug (Platymeris biguttatus)
  • Unspecified darkling beetle (Family Tenebrionidae)
  • Unspecified tropical wood cockroach (Genus Blaberus ssp.)
  • Unspecified water strider (Family Gerridae)
  • Unspecified wolf spider (Family Lycosidae)

Fisher Family Children's Zoo (!)
DID NOT venture through this exhibit but from what I saw, they had your typical chickens, domestic goats, pigs, and ponies.

California Conservation Center
  • California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii)
  • Western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata)

ALL OTHER UNNAMED EXHIBITS
  • Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis)
  • Therapy horses

Stand Alone Flight
  • White-cheeked turaco (Tauraco leucotis)
  • Blue-headed macaw (Primolius couloni)
  • Green-winged (Red and green) macaw (Ara chloropterus)
 
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Bird Species Moved Off Exhibit Due to HPAI:
  • Black-necked swan (Cygnus melancoryphus) [Resident of Puente al Sur]
  • American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) [Resident of Pelican Beach]
  • Pink-backed pelican (Pelecanus rufescens) [Resident of Pelican Beach]

BIRDS THAT ARE OFF EXHIBIT SINCE LAST VISIT
  • Western turkey vulture (Cathartes aura aura)
  • American barn owl (Tyto alba pratincola)
  • Spectacled owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata ssp.)
  • Great hornbill ["Hercules"] (Buceros bicornis)
  • Blue-bellied roller (Coracias cyanogaster)

BIRDS THAT WERE NOT SEEN THIS VISIT (MOST LIKELY OFF EXHIBIT)
  • Blue-throated piping-guan (Pipile cumanensis cumanensis) [Last seen at Puente al Sur]
  • Great curassow (Crax rubra rubra) [Last seen at the South American Tropical Rainforest & Aviary]
  • Salvin's {red-lored} Amazon parrot (Amazona autumnalis salvini ) [Last seen at the South American Tropical Rainforest & Aviary]
 
SwampDonkey said:
Any idea when they stopped holding aye aye?
Click to expand...

I wasn't even aware they had aye-ayes. Shouldn't surprise me given the zoo really wants to put the spotlight on Madagascar wildlife. Unfortunately, I would not know. I'll ask around.

They may bring them back whenever they finish the Madagascar exhibit.
 
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macaw-maniac-91 said:
I wasn't even aware they had aye-ayes. Shouldn't surprise me given the zoo really wants to put the spotlight on Madagascar wildlife. Unfortunately, I would not know. I'll ask around.

They may bring them back whenever they finish the Madagascar exhibit (Which seems to be taking forever. It's almost becoming a running joke about whether they'll complete it or just leave it unfinished).
Click to expand...
Yeah, it was sometime in the mid-late 90's when I was there. They kept them in a nocturnal house, IIRC.
 
Great Argus said:
Wow this is much emptier than it used to be. Used to be rhea and capybara, besides the waterfowl pulled temporarily.
Click to expand...

Back in May, I spoke to a keeper about the rheas. They told me the rhea pair were a brother and sister. I never saw their capybaras but my boyfriend remembered falling in love with them when they were there. I remember when they had a pair of black swans but they were transferred out years ago.
 
macaw-maniac-91 said:
  • Grant's zebra (Equus quagga boehmi) ***
*** Based on the signage, they say their zebras are the Burcell's subspecies (Equus [quagga] burchellii) but based on their appearance, they lack the thin stripes between the thicker stripes; given how thick the stripes are, especially towards the flank and rear, I've deduced they are the more common Grant's subspecies.
Click to expand...
The zoo's website clearly identifies them as boehmi - Grant’s Zebra | San Francisco Zoo & Gardens

I think there might be some confusion over their signage. Without having seen it (I couldn't find any photos of it), I suspect that it isn't stating a subspecies at all - i.e. it is just saying Equus burchelli because it hasn't been updated any time recently.
 
Chlidonias said:
I think there might be some confusion over their signage. Without having seen it (I couldn't find any photos of it), I suspect that it isn't stating a subspecies at all - i.e. it is just saying Equus burchelli because it hasn't been updated any time recently.
Click to expand...

You are right; the signage said Equus burchelli.

I generally look at the zoo's website to see if it checks out but most zoos don't keep their collection updated on their websites. A famous example of this is Oakland and San Francisco Zoo isn't any better. Hopefully that'll change in the future.
 
Looks like we can update a few things to this list including, the additions of Przewalski’s Horse, Jaguar, Ocelot, and Pygmy Hippopotamus.
 
I'll do an updated species list when I visit the next time because even some of the bird species from this list have either been transferred out or have passed away.
 
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