Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens Los Angeles Zoo News 2024

[DavidBrown]

the

The master plan one

No master plan projects have been announced. There has been no fund raising done for them publicly. If there are any exhibits that are going to be built from the master plan, they are years away.

GLAZA, the zoo's partner organization that handles membership, education, and many other functions of the zoo, just announced that they are dissolving essentially after 60 years, so that is a major crisis that the zoo needs to absorb, which probably puts any new master plan projects even further away.

It is an open question if we will see any major new projects done at the zoo in the 2020s.

So to answer your question, yes any renovations will start after January 2025...possibly a very long time after then...

 

[Gretchen L]

No master plan projects have been announced. There has been no fund raising done for them publicly. If there are any exhibits that are going to be built from the master plan, they are years away.

GLAZA, the zoo's partner organization that handles membership, education, and many other functions of the zoo, just announced that they are dissolving essentially after 60 years, so that is a major crisis that the zoo needs to absorb, which probably puts any new master plan projects even further away.

It is an open question if we will see any major new projects done at the zoo in the 2020s.

So to answer your question, yes any renovations will start after January 2025...possibly a very long time after then...

Ugh. It hurts my heart just to think about the GLAZA situation.

 

[MidwestFan]

GLAZA, the zoo's partner organization that handles membership, education, and many other functions of the zoo, just announced that they are dissolving essentially after 60 years, so that is a major crisis that the zoo needs to absorb, which probably puts any new master plan projects even further away.

This indeed will be a blow to the LA Zoo. I looked for more information on GLAZA dissolving, but did not find anything. Do you have a source to share?

 

[Lori Patton]

This indeed will be a blow to the LA Zoo. I looked for more information on GLAZA dissolving, but did not find anything. Do you have a source to share?

GLAZA recently sent an email to donors (which includes current and past zoo members) that it is terminating its partnership with the City of Los Angeles effective at the end of June 2025. The reason cited for this is that the City has sent out Requests for Proposals to outsource the functions that GLAZA has been performing for 61 years, including membership management, publications, and special events. According to GLAZA's interim president, the City's proposed new terms are not financially feasible for the organization.

This has certainly come as a surprise to many people. However, it was reported within the past week in the local news that the City of Los Angeles is under dire financial straits and may have to borrow money to pay legal settlements. Therefore, it may follow that the City is looking at its various departments (including the zoo) and trying to see where it may operate more economically. Unfortunately, this will undoubtedly cause difficulties for the people most impacted by the GLAZA/Zoo partnership.

 

[DavidBrown]

This indeed will be a blow to the LA Zoo. I looked for more information on GLAZA dissolving, but did not find anything. Do you have a source to share?

This is the text of the email that was sent to LA Zoo members by GLAZA last week:

October 18, 2024


Dear GLAZA Donor,

I am writing with some important news about GLAZA and our 61-year relationship with the Los Angeles Zoo (Zoo), and as a valued and loyal donor we wanted you to be among the first to be informed. As you likely know, the City of Los Angeles owns and operates the Zoo facilities and cares for the animals and GLAZA is the 501(c)(3) partner who has raised support for the Zoo’s operating, capital, and endowed funds for more than 60 years, as well as managed membership, special events, site rentals, publications, sponsorship, and volunteers.

The City of Los Angeles recently issued six separate Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to do the work that GLAZA has done for more than 60 years. These RFPs are structured as vendor relationships, rather than the partnership GLAZA has successfully maintained for more than six decades. Additionally, the financial terms of these RFPs are not fiscally sustainable for GLAZA in the long term.

For these reasons, the GLAZA Board of Trustees voted yesterday to end our partnership with the City on June 30, 2025, when our current Interim Agreement ends.

The future under these RFPs is not in the best interest of the Zoo, the City, or GLAZA. As a result, while GLAZA is extremely proud of the rewarding and gratifying work we have done on behalf of all Angelenos for these many decades, we are disappointed that we have no choice but to move forward separately from the Zoo to continue our conservation mission.

GLAZA intends to fulfill the terms of its Interim Agreement through its end date of June 30, 2025. Once the City has chosen vendors through its RFP process and negotiated the applicable agreements, GLAZA will work to transition our responsibilities to the new entities.

As an instrumental donor and one who cares deeply about animals, conservation, and GLAZA, we wanted you to be among the first to be informed about this upcoming change in relationship. Please know how deeply grateful we are for your support of GLAZA and the Zoo.

We will continue to communicate any new developments with you.

Thank you, again, for all you do for GLAZA and the Los Angeles Zoo.

With gratitude,

Dawn Petersen-Amend
Interim President

 

[Samueltiger]

ohh

 

[splendens]

Earlier on August 28 a yellow-headed caracara Milvago chimachima was given to the zoo, presumably after it was captured by the Department of Agriculture safeguarding planes at LAX. Another reason given for capture was the large amounts of fried chicken it was baited with potentially being a health concern. The bird is in quarantine as of September, not sure if it will be released or kept. I got this information from a birding discord group.

This bird is the second yellow-headed caracara to appear in California ever, it was first identified on May 13 by people on reddit. It was believed to be wild and used to be resident in Lomita where it stayed near a parking lot feeding off scraps from a Popeyes and a halal meat store, where many birders staked it out (sadly I missed it)

 

[Elena]

The new male green aracari has been introduced to the resident female and they're now on exhibit together in the Rainforest of the Americas.

I also have some very sad bird news to share. While speaking with a bird keeper today, I inquired about Jolie the Indochinese green magpie who had been on exhibit in the upper aviary which has been closed for ages and who was photographed by Joel Sartore for his Photo Ark. I was told that she passed away sometime last year. Below is a link to a press release about her inclusion in the Photo Ark for those who were unfamiliar with her:

The Indochinese Green Magpie is the 14,000th Species to Join the National Geographic Photo Ark

 

[Coelacanth18]

I also have some very sad bird news to share. While speaking with a bird keeper today, I inquired about Jolie the Indochinese green magpie who had been on exhibit in the upper aviary which has been closed for ages and who was photographed by Joel Sartore for his Photo Ark. I was told that she passed away sometime last year.

I've figured this was the case for a while now, but it's good to finally have official confirmation - thanks for getting everyone that closure @Elena. I'm glad I took the time to sit and wait in the aviary for the chance to see this elusive bird at least once.

 

[Samueltiger]

any news on when the cape vulture exhibit will open. and why the children's zoo is closed?

 

[DavidBrown]

any news on when the cape vulture exhibit will open. and why the children's zoo is closed?

Hopefully the children's zoo is closed because they have some plan to bulldoze it in the next few years and start building a new native California animal exhibit that is proposed for the area.

I was told recently that the Cape vulture exhibit is functionally finished, but they need to wade through a lot of city permitting bureaucracy before it can be opened. At this point, sometime in 2025 is hopefully a safe bet...hopefully...?

 

[Samueltiger]

when will they start the master plan?

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

when will they start the master plan?

@DavidBrown already answered this pretty well.

No master plan projects have been announced. There has been no fund raising done for them publicly. If there are any exhibits that are going to be built from the master plan, they are years away.

GLAZA, the zoo's partner organization that handles membership, education, and many other functions of the zoo, just announced that they are dissolving essentially after 60 years, so that is a major crisis that the zoo needs to absorb, which probably puts any new master plan projects even further away.

It is an open question if we will see any major new projects done at the zoo in the 2020s.

So to answer your question, yes any renovations will start after January 2025...possibly a very long time after then...

 

[Samueltiger]

any news on when the cape vulture exhibit is going to open. I hope it opens in late november

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

any news on when the cape vulture exhibit is going to open. I hope it opens in late november

Can everyone please, please, please stop asking this exact same question over and over again, it is getting really annoying. As far as I know, the zoo's cape vultures aren't world-class celebrities, so please stop asking this. The zoo will probably announce it on socials when it does open.

Any news of when the Cape Vulture exhibit Opening?

Any news on when the Cape Vulture exhibit is going to open?

I hope the Elephants stay at the zoo,. Also when is the cape vulture exhibit is going to be open

What about the Vulture Habitat any news of nearing completion?

Note: I’ll be at the Giraffe Habitat for Volunteer work this Saturday.

Any news on the cape vulture habitat

Is the Cape vulture habitat open yet?

Has the cape vulture habitat opened yet?

any news on when the cape vulture exhibit will open. and why the children's zoo is closed?

 

[Samueltiger]

Can everyone please, please, please stop asking this exact same question over and over again, it is getting really annoying. As far as I know, the zoo's cape vultures aren't world-class celebrities, so please stop asking this. The zoo will probably announce it on socials when it does open.

I'm deeply sorry

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

1.0 Masai Giraffe Shaq has left the zoo and arrived at his new home, the Racine Zoo in Wisconsin on Wednesday, November 6th.
Racine Zoo giraffe euthanized; animal suffered age-related health issues

 

[Thomas]

Progress on Swan Habitat Yesterday: Landscape is done and back fence been added.

The Pool’s been drained due to filtration issue, but will be fixed and be done around near the end of this year.

 

[Gretchen L]

1.0 Masai Giraffe Shaq has left the zoo and arrived at his new home, the Racine Zoo in Wisconsin on Wednesday, November 6th.
Racine Zoo giraffe euthanized; animal suffered age-related health issues

We will definitely miss that adorable boy. But we know he'll be a fabulous ambassador in Racine. It is so strange to just see Phillip, Sophie, Zainabou in the giraffe yard.

 

[African Grey]

November animal transactions: https://lazoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/3-Animal-Transaction-Commission-Report-November.pdf