The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens The Living Desert News

Arrival of 2 Bobcat siblings, that were found and rescued as kittens last year in Oregon.
The Living Desert on Instagram: "Paws what you’re doing! There’s an adorable new duo at The Living Desert. Two months ago, these bobcat siblings were found abandoned in a cardboard box on a driveway in Oregon. At only 4 weeks old and with no mother in sight, they had no chance of survival on their own, and their future looked uncertain — but their story was just beginning. A new path forward was made possible thanks to the quick action of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and The Living Desert. On May 1, two of our dedicated Animal Care Curators traveled to Oregon and safely drove them back to their new home. Since retrieving the siblings, our expert team has bottle-fed, monitored, and nurtured every step of the way to ensure their health and wellbeing. Because of the circumstances in which they were found, these bobcats can’t return to the wild. Instead, they’ll spend their lives here under our care — growing, playing, and serving as ambassadors for their species. Now at 10 weeks of age, the kittens are officially in Eagle Canyon, and you won’t want to miss them! They’ve started exploring their permanent habitat, showing off their best climbing moves, pouncing skills, and non-stop kitten zoomies. Thanks to a heartfelt gesture from longtime Zoo supporters, these kittens were given names that honor the memory of two cherished parents whose legacy of love lives on here at the Zoo. Welcome home, JoAnn and David. #TheLivingDesert"
 
Other 2025 News Not Mentioned:
GoldenTakin said:
The zoo has postponed the Lion Ridge exhibit opening to 2026 (staff words) and they have not started construction as of yet.
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On February 27th, it was reported that the Lion Ridge area will have 3 interconnected exhibits, and will open sometime between 2025-2028.

https://www.nbcpalmsprings.com/2025...w-lion-habitat-for-the-future-of-conservation

On April 11th, the zoo opened a new eatery, called the Bighorn Cafe, and a new splash pad, called Oasis Splash Pad, to the public.

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On April 16th, the zoo announced their male (1.0) bobcat named Crawler passed away at age 22 due to a rapid decline in health.

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On May 4th, the zoo announced they acquired a male (1.0) San Joaquin kit fox named Jedi, which is on exhibit.

2.6K views · 112 reactions | As you may have seen on @ktla5news, The Living Desert just welcomed a very special new resident named Jedi! As an ambassador for his species, Jedi is here to remind us that even the tiniest heroes can make a galactic impact, inspiring action to protect native wildlife and the desert ecosystems they call home. Stay tuned for the prequel to this Jedi’s origin story! May the fox be with you. ✨ #Maythe4th #StarWarsDay #TheLivingDesert | The Living Desert

On May 9th, the zoo announced that (2.0) peninsular pronghorns were born on April 28th, the first since 2017, which are on exhibit.

368 reactions · 16 shares | It’s a boy... and another boy! We’re kicking off Mother’s Day weekend in the cutest way possible — twin pronghorn fawns! First-time mom, Chia, welcomed two healthy male peninsular pronghorns on April 28. The twins made their debut in their habitat on May 7, trotting around with mom Chia and grandma Sybil. This is a big moment! The last peninsular pronghorn birth at The Living Desert was back in March 2017, and fun fact — Chia was one of those newborns. As an endangered subspecies, every peninsular pronghorn birth is a major milestone for awareness and conservation. Our animal and veterinary care teams are keeping a close eye on the little ones, monitoring their nursing, energy, and mobility to support their healthy development. Towards the end of the video, you may notice orange ribbon X’s around the perimeter habitat fencing — this is a simple but important tool to help the fawns learn where their boundaries are as they adjust to their new surroundings. The Living Desert is proud to be part of the ongoing efforts to protect and reintroduce both peninsular and Sonoran pronghorns to their native range. Catch a glimpse of the twins in the pronghorn habitat during your next visit! #DoubleTrouble #PeninsularPronghorn #TheLivingDesert | The Living Desert

On May 26th, it was mentioned that the zoo would transfer (2+?.0) African wild dogs to Wildlife World Zoo Aquarium & Safari Park in Arizona in the future*.

Milwaukee Man said:
A female bat-eared fox escaped her holding area. She has yet to be captured, but has been sighted often.

Zoo escape: Bat-eared fox missing from enclosure at Living Desert
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On June 3rd, it was announced that the USDA gave the zoo a critical violation after (0.2) bat-eared foxes escaped from their exhibit on February 10th, though only 1 was recaptured. Upon review, it was determined that new fencing was not properly installed, leading to the foxes escaping through a 3.5-inch opening.

On July 5th, it was mentioned that the zoo acquired a female (0.1) sand cat named Layla from Greensboro Science Center in North Carolina**.

On August 26th, the zoo announced they acquired a male (1.0) American badger named Spock from Dakota Zoo in North Dakota, which is now on display in Eagle Canyon.

1.4K views · 104 reactions | Live long, dig deep. Spock the badger has landed in Eagle Canyon! This 3-year-old North American badger recently arrived from the Dakota Zoo and is already settling into his new home, digging, burrowing, and putting his natural instincts to work! Spock is curious, confident, and making good progress in his training with the Animal Care team. Be sure to swing by Eagle Canyon to spot him in action! #NorthAmericanBadger #StarTrekVibes #TheLivingDesert | The Living Desert

* Information provided by @SwampDonkey in the Wildlife World News thread (Page 15 Post #300).
** Information provided by @OkapiFan in the Greensboro Science Center: News & Expansion Updates thread (Page 16 Post #310).
 
Piece of June/July 2025 News Not Mentioned:

On June 18th, it was announced that the zoo acquired a male (1.0) Arabian sand cat named Bomani from Boonshoft Museum of Discovery in Ohio. On July 27th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a male (1.0) Arabian sand cat to Boonshoft Museum of Discovery.

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery
Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

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On September 21st, the zoo announced that a female (0.1) generic giraffe was born on September 7th.

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The zoo has been running posts on their Meta social media platforms for the past several days to have people guess the new species that is coming to the zoo this fall. Five out of the seven clues have been posted, and we now know it is a species that has never been at the zoo before, is a fast and furry animal from the African savanna, and that it appears to have a mustache. Close up pictures of fur and some blurry pictures have also been posted. After initial clues seemed to point most people towards lions or a new species of hyena, it now appears to be pointing towards patas monkeys.

If so it would be a somewhat surprising change for the zoo, which to the best of my knowledge is one of the few zoos that has never held a primate species before. It is also unclear where in the zoo they would be going, beside of course the African Safari half of the zoo. Both of the former striped hyena and amur leopard exhibits are empty (or have a temporary resident) which can be modified, but one of the items the winner of the contest will get is "early access to our newest habitat", which seems to suggest a new habitat entirely.

Has anyone visited the zoo recently and seen any construction?

By the way, the winner of the contest also receives "4 tickets for you and your troop" (interesting word choice there) and will be among the first to meet the new species. Guesses can be submitted here: LivingDesert.org/GuessWho
 
1.0 generic giraffe Daniel has moved to the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park which will open in 2027.
Saint Louis Zoo on Instagram: "Things are looking up at WildCare Park! Meet Mo and Daniel, the first-ever giraffes to make a home at Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park — our new safari park and conservation center opening in 2027! These young, reticulated giraffes made the trip this month from Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona and The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in California and are settling in well to WildCare Park's new giraffe barn. In the months ahead, they’ll be joined by more giraffe friends and will start to explore the park's 101-acre Savanna Safari pasture. Guests will be able to see many as 10 to15 giraffes roaming alongside zebra, antelope and other species on guided safari tours when the park opens in 2027. We can't wait for you to see it!"
 
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