Children's Discovery Center - California Condor Rescue Zone

Taken 07-24-15. This education complex can be entered from outside or inside the zoo and includes an auditorium and the Children\'s Discovery Room which is home to the California Condor Rescue Zone, an interpretive play area (there is no live animal exhibit here or actual vet facility inside).

Hopefully someday there will be a live condor exhibit at the LA Zoo. With California condor exhibits at San Diego Zoo, the Safari Park, and Santa Barbara, their absence at LA is especially felt. This zoo plays a key role in the conservation program for California condors both as a breeding facility and a hospital for condors injured in the wild.

I completely agree in that actual California condors should go on display at L.A. zoo. One of their biggest rises to fame is that along with the San Diego Zoo Safari Park they saved the critically endangered species. I know that models and statues and fakes can set the impression, but nothing beats the actual animal to get people to join the fight to conserve it.

Does the LA Zoo have any condors they keep on a permanent basis? I believe they rehabilitate injured condors and release back into the wild? If they did go on display it would have to be ones that couldn't be released I would think?

The LA Zoo has a permanent condor breeding complex as well as a rehabilitation facility for condors that get lead poisoning or get injured in the wild.

It's funny to me that the zoo doesn't have an animal clearly displayed on their entrance on exhibit. If a North American section was created with renovations,condors would surely be a welcome addition.

Shellheart said:

It's funny to me that the zoo doesn't have an animal clearly displayed on their entrance on exhibit. If a North American section was created with renovations,condors would surely be a welcome addition.

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There were plans shown in a member's magazine several years ago of a possible grizzly bear and condor complex that never happened.

The zoo is known to be working on a new master plan from public statements. I would be very surprised if a California condor exhibit was not part of that plan. As you very rightly point out, it is their signature animal.

DavidBrown said:

There were plans shown in a member's magazine several years ago of a possible grizzly bear and condor complex that never happened.

The zoo is known to be working on a new master plan from public statements. I would be very surprised if a California condor exhibit was not part of that plan. As you very rightly point out, it is their signature animal.

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What is on that master plan? A renovation of other exhibits for popular species and the destruction of the roundhouses?

Please kill the roundhouses. I understand that it's an older zoos and am usually ok with older exhibits, but they were just too much.

jayjds2 said:

Please kill the roundhouses. I understand that it's an older zoos and am usually ok with older exhibits, but they were just too much.

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The L.A. Zoo has,from what I can remember, been plagued with budget issues,and their last two or three projects have taken much longer than expected. You can bet it'll be a long time before we completely see the removal of the roundhouses,most of which are adequate for their inhabitants for the time being. I think the worst roundhouse is the one with the Andean Condor. You'd expect such a large bird to have an exhibit on-par with that nice new harpy eagle exhibit.