Lori Patton
Well-Known Member
The zoo maintenance yard is located to the right of the main path between the Rainforest of the Americas exit (jaguar habitat) and the World of Birds Theater as you walk towards the back of the zoo. There is a brown sign from L.A. Parks and Rec that looks similar to all the other ones posted at the entrance of parks around the city that says something like "L.A. Zoo Welcomes You." Behind the chain link fence are forklifts, bulldozers, and other heavy machinery that the zoo uses for maintenance. It's kind of funny the sign is there because the whole area is off-limits to the public. Anyway, on top of the hill overlooking this yard is the condor habitat where I was able to see one perched through my binoculars.Amazing spotting on the condor, could you share more details about where in the zoo the maintenance yard is?
The cape vulture exhibit has always been there, but hard to see with the foliage + color of the birds unless they move! Gave me a good scare the first time I saw one take flight
I likely never would have seen the condor if I hadn't struck up a conversation with another zoo visitor as I was looking at the Cape vulture. We started talking about the zoo's efforts with condor conservation and he showed me a good vantage point to see the condor habitat. Apparently, the zoo sometimes does condor spotting with telescopes after the World of Birds show although I've never been there for that presentation. I really hope the zoo will have a condor exhibit someday!