Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens List of Species On Exhibit 7-22-15

geomorph

geomorph

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
This is an attempt to list every species on exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo during my visit on 7-22-15. I am arranging the list by the current visitor map, although there are no longer zone designations (such as geographic areas) or numbered exhibits in which to organize the zoo; however, there are certainly smaller sections with named exhibit complexes in several areas. I am including species for which there is a sign on each exhibit; I am not including education animals that have no permanent exhibit, such as those in the show at World of Birds Theater. This is not intended to be a full account of the collection. Also, species on exhibit are sometimes moved, so some that were there one day may have disappeared from public view the next. This list may be of more interest to those already familiar with the zoo since I am not arranging the species by animal type. I will list each zone in a separate entry in the thread for clarity, but please note that the zone names are NOT on the current map and are my own descriptive names in order to organize what is a large confusing cartographic layout. This tour will generally be a counter-clockwise route.

I use the term C-House for the round exhibit shelters that are so prevalent from the original zoo's 1966 opening. Each one is a C-shape, where visitors enter the center through the opening to view the exhibits that surround them and occupy the rest of the round open-air structure, viewed through wire containment panels in most cases. The number of exhibits in each one varies from 1 to 4, and I will try to list the species in counter-clockwise direction upon entering (left to right).

ENTRY PLAZA AREA: (3 Exhibits)
This area is the zoo's only entry and has a few exhibits before the International Marketplace is reached, which contains shops and dining.

Sea Life Cliffs:
This complex has two pool yards with underwater viewing for pinnipeds; the two pools are at different levels so I assume they are two different exhibits. Both exhibits contain:
Grey Seal
Harbor Seal

Small yard dominated by pond next to International Marketplace:
American Alligator
 
CHILDRENS ZOO: (23 Exhibits)
This complex is the renamed and slightly refurnished area that opened as Adventure Island in 1990 or so. This route will roughly follow a clockwise direction from the entry arch.

Pool yard with rocky cliffs and waterfall:
Empty (drained)

Muriels Ranch:
I will count this domestics petting complex with several paddocks as 1 exhibit and I did not note the breeds; I saw goats, sheep, horse and goose although I did not enter.

Yard with pop-up viewing bubbles for visitors:
Black-tailed Prairie Dog

4 Desert Trail outdoor rocky enclosures:
Each contains 1 species:
Greater Roadrunner
Empty
Yellow-billed Magpie
Empty (This is the largest one that held Cougar in the past)

3 Desert Trail small indoor wall exhibits in cave exploring building:
It appears that about 4 former exhibits are abandoned inside, with several having educational displays about caves instead. The 3 that remain each contain 1 species:
Axolotl
Tarantula (unidentified)
Scorpion (unidentified)

3 Desert Trail medium indoor wall exhibits in the other cave building:
It appears that 5 former reptile terrarium wall exhibits have been abandoned in this room, but the three larger exhibits contain 1 species each:
African Hedgehog
Short-eared Elephant Shrew
Mexican Beaded Lizard

Animal Care Center outdoor yard:
Black Duiker
Red-flanked Duiker

9 Animal Care Center indoor rooms behind glass:
These are listed from the first exhibit at the front to the last exhibit next to the outdoor yard. A few have multiple species:
Linne's Two-toed Sloth

Harris's Antelope Ground Squirrel

Three-banded Armadillo

Larger Malayan Chevrotain
Prevost's Squirrel

Panay Cloud Rat
Red-rumped Agouti

Empty (Nursery Room that had just held Barn Owl)

Harris's Antelope Ground Squirrel

Meerkat

Panay Cloud Rat
 
ENTRY PATH AFTER CHILDRENS ZOO: (5 Exhibits)
This area includes the long path after the Children's Zoo has been passed and the adjacent hillside with the walk-through aviaries.

Small rocky yard:
Meerkat

Pond and grassy sloped yard:
Chilean Flamingo
Greater Flamingo

Waterfall pond and small island:
Empty (apparently this has contained Black-necked Swan recently)

Large Walk-through Aviary 1:
Greater Flamingo
Nicobar Pigeon
Purple Swamphen
West African Crowned Crane
White Crowned Robin Chat
White-faced Whistling Duck

Large Walk-through Aviary 2:
Closed (introducing new species)
 
RAINFOREST OF THE AMERICAS: (13 Exhibits)
This is the zoo's newest exhibit complex, opened in 2014 (except the Jaguar exhibit opened this year). This route will follow the sole designated exhibit path.

Large netted flight enclosure:
Harpy Eagle

Medium terrarium/aquarium room:
Emerald Tree Boa
Peacock Bass

Larger terrarium/aquarium room:
Armored Catfish
Bucktooth Tetra
Cardinal Tetra
Dwarf Cichlid
Peacock Bass
Piraya Piranha
Red-bellied Piranha

Rocky stream and pond yard:
Empty (normally holds Giant Otter, but closed and drained for maintenance)

Rocky yard with raised island in center:
Central American Tapir
Cotton-top Tamarin? (I did not see a sign for them but found out later they should be there)

Medium netted enclosure:
Black Howler Monkey
Lowland Paca

Medium netted enclosure located behind fence and far from walkway:
Red Uakari

Medium netted enclosure:
Crested Oropendola

Medium room pond exhibit behind glass:
Dwarf Caiman
Mud Turtle
South American Slider

2 small wall terrariums:
Each contains 1 species:
Marine Toad
Goliath Bird-eating Spider

Medium netted enclosure:
Keel-billed Toucan

Large netted enclosure:
Jaguar
 
FORMER SOUTH AMERICA AREA: (19 Exhibits)
This area is vintage LA Zoo, and still retains the geographic theme of South America even though it is no longer designated as such on the visitor map. This route will begin at the C-House entrance closest to Rainforest of the Americas, proceed left to the C-House on the dead-end path, then begin again at the first C-House and proceed right in counter-clockwise direction to the former Eurasia area.

C-House with 3 exhibits and visitor entry on each side, near Rainforest of the Americas:
This is the only C-House with a visitor walkway entirely through the middle. It has 3 exhibits, each contains 1 species:
Great Curassow
Andean Condor
Red-and-Green Macaw

Large walled yard:
Giant Otter

Walled yard:
Maned Wolf

C-House with 2 exhibits on dead-end path:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
King Vulture
Crested Screamer

Rocky yard:
Aldabra Tortoise

C-House with 3 exhibits:
The first two exhibits contain 1 species, the third contains 2 species:
Crested Capuchin

Geoffroy's Spider Monkey

Black Howler Monkey
Spotted Paca

Medium netted enclosure:
Squirrel Monkey

C-House with 3 exhibits:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
Red-legged Sereima

Giant Anteater

King Vulture

Walled yard:
Mountain Tapir

C-House with 3 exhibits:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
Empty

Blue-billed Curassow

Blue-billed Curassow
 
FORMER EURASIA AREA: (24 Exhibits)
Some African animals and a North American one have intruded in the geographic theme of this area. The route will begin adjacent to the former South America area and run roughly counter-clockwise to include animals in the former Hillside area exhibits along the back road, then return to end at the only newer-era exhibit in this area (for Francois's Langur) and adjacent to Elephants of Asia (a separate thread entry).

C-House with 1 exhibit:
Snow Leopard

Large moated yard:
Sumatran Tiger

Bowl-shaped grotto:
American Black Bear

Walled yard:
Indian Rhinoceros (animal can travel behind Hippopotamus exhibit to the other exhibit for its species)

Walled yard with large pond:
Hippopotamus

Walled yard:
Indian Rhinoceros (animal can travel behind Hippopotamus exhibit to the other exhibit for its species)

C-House with 4 exhibits:
African Crowned Eagle
Empty
Empty
Empty

6 hillside yards:
These large chainlink-fenced steep enclosures run along the back road of the zoo; several of them have gaps in between which once featured even more similar exhibits. The ones nearest to the former Eurasia area each contain 1 species:
Calamian Deer
Visayan Warty Pig
Japanese Serow
Tufted Deer
Central Chinese Goral
Central Chinese Goral

C-House with 2 exhibits:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
Stellar's Sea Eagle
African Fish Eagle

C-House with 2 exhibits:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
Siamang
Mustached Guenon

C-House:
Access to this one was closed off so I am not sure how many exhibits are within, I will count it as 1.

Large walled yard:
Takin (unspecified, but website says Sichuan Takin)

Bowl-shaped rocky yard near pedestrian bridge:
Tadjik Markhor

Large netted enclosure viewed from boardwalk and temple room:
This is the only new exhibit in the former Eurasia area, and I am not sure whether to include it in Elephants of Asia since it has more in common with that complex than its neighbors. It contains:
Francois's Langur
 
ELEPHANTS OF ASIA: (3 Exhibits)
This newer large complex replaced some of the older Africa area/pachyderm yards and the Reptile House, as well as a few exhibits in the former Eurasia area.

2 medium netted yards:
Each yard contains:
Sarus Crane

Large connected yards:
Since the various gates were open between these several yards and there is only 1 inhabitant, I will consider this 1 exhibit. There are 3 main viewing areas around the perimeter of this large exhibit that occupies the center of the zoo, adjacent to the former Africa, Eurasia, and South America areas. It contains:
Asian Elephant
 
FORMER AFRICA AREA: (29 Exhibits)
This area retains its geographic theme with one exception. The route will begin at that exceptional complex (Red Ape Rainforest) and proceed in a counter-clockwise direction up to the former hillside exhibits area and then meander along the South edge of the zoo to Campo Gorilla Reserve.

Red Ape Rainforest:
This newer complex is near one of the large viewing areas for Elephants of Asia and continues the Asian theme. The exhibit has 3 sections, 2 of which were closed for renovation. It contains:
Bornean Orangutan

Chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains:
This newer exhibit complex is composed of two exhibits; one is a large rocky-walled yard including several viewing shelters for visitors, while the other is a large and highly unnatural house-shaped cage. Both contain:
Chimpanzee

5 hillside yards:
These adjacent medium-to-large chainlink-fenced yards are located on the back road of the zoo in the former hillside exhibit area nearest to the former Africa area. Each contains 1 species:
Red River Hog
Ostrich
Lesser Kudu
Lesser Kudu
Black Duiker

C-House with 2 exhibits:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
Madagascar Radiated Tortoise
Ring-tailed Lemur

C-House with 2 exhibits:
Each exhibit contains the same species:
Serval

C-House with 2 exhibits:
Each exhibit contains the same mix of 2 species:
Mandrill
Red-crowned Mangabey

C-House with 2 exhibits:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
Coquerel's Sifaka
Empty

C-House with 2 exhibits:
Each exhibit contains the same species:
Kikuyu Colobus Monkey

C-House:
Looking at the map after my visit, I think I missed this one, so I will count it as 1 exhibit. It is the one closest to the intersection of the Maasai Giraffe exhibit and Chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains.

Walled yard:
Okapi

Large walled yard:
Maasai Giraffe

Large walled yard:
African Lion

C-House with 2 exhibits:
Each exhibit has 2 species, with the duiker in both:
Black Duiker
White-crested Turaco

Black Duiker
Ross's Turaco

Walled yard:
Gerenuk

Bowl-shaped grotto:
Nubian Ibex

Walled yard near pedestrian bridge:
Mountain Bongo
Yellow-backed Duiker

Campo Gorilla Reserve:
This newer complex has 2 rocky yards that contain:
Western Lowland Gorilla
 
FORMER NORTH AMERICA AREA: (21 Exhibits)
This is another vintage LA Zoo area, although its geographic focus has been mostly obliterated! The route will be a counter-clockwise direction around this simple loop path, starting at the Gorilla Grill.

Walled yard:
Grevy's Zebra

C-House with 3 exhibits:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
Cape Rock Hyrax
Fossa
Bat-eared Fox

Walled yard with tall rocky buttes:
Desert Bighorn Sheep

C-House with 2 exhibits:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
North American River Otter
Empty

7 medium-to-large fenced yards:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
Peninsular Pronghorn
Peninsular Pronghorn
Lowland Anoa
Babirusa
Speke's Gazelle
Chacoan Peccary
Empty

Medium fenced yard viewed from rocky path alcove:
African Wild Dog

C-House with 3 exhibits:
The first two contain 1 species while the third contains 3 species:
Red-tailed Hawk

East African Crowned Crane

Roseate Spoonbill
Scarlet Ibis
White Ibis

Curved small aviary structure with 3 exhibits:
Two of the exhibits contain 2 species while the middle one contains 1 species:
Congo Peafowl
White-cheeked Turaco

Violaceous Turaco

Black-headed Weaver
Spotted Thick Knee
 
FORMER AUSTRALIA AREA: (12 Exhibits)
This area remains (mostly) true to its geographic roots. The route will run counter-clockwise from the single entrance to the loop path.

Tall netted enclosure in center of loop path:
Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby

Walled yard that has been divided into 2 yards:
I believe these are the exhibits that will contain Tasmanian Devil. Currently they are:
Empty
Empty

Fenced yard:
Double-wattled Cassowary

Walled yard:
Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby

C-House with 3 exhibits:
Each exhibit contains the same species:
Komodo Dragon

Australia House:
This recently re-opened nocturnal house has 2 large interior yards separated by a low wall. The first contains 1 species while the second contains 4 species:
Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat

Brush-tailed Bettong
Short-nosed Echidna
Sugar Glider
Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby (unsigned)

Walled yard:
Koala
Tammar Wallaby
Western Gray Kangaroo

Walled yard:
Koala
Short-nosed Echidna
Tammar Wallaby
 
LAIR: (51 Exhibits)
This area was once called Aquatics, but most of it was demolished; however, two of its old exhibits remain and are currently empty. Replacing most of the area is The LAIR (Living Amphibians, Invertebrates, and Reptiles), a two-building complex and this route follows the path through its main building, then outside, then through the Desert LAIR building, then back outside.

2 former aquatics area yards with large deep pools:
Empty (drained)
Empty (drained)

LAIR Main Building:
Damp Forest :
The first room of the building is a narrow passage with simulated exposed riverbank walls with 14 exhibits.
Detailed tall terrarium on left side:
Boelen's Python

7 small wall terrariums on left side:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
Magnificent Tree Frog
Giant Day Gecko
Poison Dart Frogs (unspecified)
Empty
Temple Viper
Green Tree Python
Iranian Harlequin Newt

2 medium tall terrariums on right side, dominated by pools:
Each exhibit contains the same species:
Chinese Giant Salamander

4 small wall terrariums on right side:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
Mossy-tailed Leaf Gecko
Black-tailed Horned Viper
Rowley's Palm Viper
Armenian Viper


Betty's Bite and Squeeze:
This round room features 12 floor-to-ceiling medium terrarium exhibits, with a few dominated by ponds with underwater viewing.
8 terrariums on right side:
Each exhibit contains 1 species except the third one contains 2 species:
Bushmaster

Mangshan Pitviper

Rough-scaled Python
Shingle-back Skink

Cantil

West African Green Mamba

Fiji Island Banded Iguana

Gaboon Viper

Mata Mata

4 terrariums on left side:
Each exhibit contains 1 species except the first one contains 5 species:
Archerfish
Australian Lungfish
Australian Rainbowfish
Fly River Turtle
Roti Island Snake-necked Turtle

Mexican West Coast Rattlesnake

Mexican Beaded Lizard

Lance-headed Rattlesnake


Behind the Glass:
I will count this lab room as 1 exhibit since the average small terrariums inside on the shelves presumably change and move over time. The small terrariums were mostly simply labeled with scientific name, so the common names below may be questionable. On view near the window when I visited were:
Arizona Mountain Kingsnake
Armenian Viper (2)
Banded Rock Rattlesnake (2)
Mexican Palm Pitviper
Sand Viper (2)
Texas Rock Rattlesnake (3)


Care and Conservation Room:
This is the final room in the main LAIR building, with 3 exhibits:
Wall shelf exhibit:
Mexican Giant Horned Lizard

Small room exhibit in corner:
Gray's Monitor

Small room exhibit with door to outdoor cage:
Giant One-horned Chameleon
Madagascar Radiated Tortoise
Madagascar Spider Tortoise

Outdoor path between LAIR and Desert LAIR:
Exterior cage near exit to main LAIR building and previous exhibit:
Burmese Star Tortoise

Arroyo Lagarto:
This outdoor rocky yard is surrounded by the path and contains:
California Desert Tortoise
Cape Rock Lizard
Desert Iguana
San Esteban Island Chuckwalla
Santa Catalina Side-blotched Lizard
Spiny Lizard


Desert LAIR:
The smaller building is a basic square shape with a skylit interior.
7 adjacent tall detailed terrariums on left side:
Each exhibit contains 1 species except the second one which contains 2 species:
California Kingsnake

San Diego Gopher Snake
Southern Pacific Rattlesnake

Southwest Speckled Rattlesnake

Baja California Ratsnake

Sidewinder

Mexican West Coast Rattlesnake

Santa Catalina Island Rattlesnake

6 small wall terrariums on left side:
Each contains 1 species:
Desert Hairy Scorpion
Sonoran Tarantula
Rock Rattlesnake
Tiger Salamander
Sonoran Giant Centipede
Sunburst Diving Beetle

Medium tall detailed terrarium on left side:
Gila Monster
Sonoran Toad

2 adjacent tall detailed terrariums on right side:
Each exhibit contains 1 species:
Desert Rosy Boa
Red Diamond Rattlesnake

Medium tall detailed terrarium on right side:
Cape Rock Lizard
Spotted Chuckwalla


Crocodile Swamp:
The final exhibit along the LAIR path is an outdoor yard dominated by a shallow pond that contains:
False Gharial
 
SUMMARY:

By my count, the total number of exhibits currently at Los Angeles Zoo is: 203

By my count, the total number of species in permanent exhibits is: 199
The number of species I counted can be broken down into the following categories:
Mammals: 83
Birds: 35
Reptiles: 56
Amphibians: 8
Fish: 10
Insects and Arachnids: 7
 
You are correct that the empty exhibits in the Australia area are soon to be Tasmanian devil exhibits. The word on the street is that the empty pools in the LAIR area will soon be gharial exhibits.

The empty exhibit next to the sifakas is the blue-eyed lemur exhibit - apparently new individuals are arriving soon (or are already behind the scenes?).

Nice recap of the LA Zoo collection. Did you enjoy your visit?
 
geomorph said:
SUMMARY:

By my count, the total number of exhibits currently at Los Angeles Zoo is: 203

By my count, the total number of species in permanent exhibits is: 199
The number of species I counted can be broken down into the following categories:
Mammals: 83
Birds: 35
Reptiles: 56
Amphibians: 8
Fish: 10
Insects and Arachnids: 7
Click to expand...

Another great list geomorph!
To compare, here is my species summary from my visit last June, which is very similar (although I only listed species I saw, not those signed but unseen):

zooboy28 said:
Total Species:
Amphibians: 7
Reptiles: 51
Birds: 33
Mammals: 77
Total: 168
Click to expand...

A species I missed last year was the Paca. You have them listed as Lowland Paca and Spotted Paca, but I think they are the same species. The roundhouse with them was under renovation on my visit, and they had not eyt added them to the Howler Monkey exhibit (which is a very good idea).

I think the oddest thing about LA is its minimal bird collection, it must be one of the few major general-collection zoos with such a relatively poor bird collection in comparison to mammals and reptiles.
 
Great list!

Last time I was there, there were at least three different species of poison dart frogs:
Phyllobates terriblis
Dendrobates leucomelas
and multiple morphs of Dendrobates Tinctorius
 
Very nice job! I went to the zoo last week and wrote down a list of my own and noticed some differences. I will post it as soon as I can.
 
Also, I hope you don't mind if I use your term for the round house exhibits. C shaped enclosure.
 
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