Los Angeles Zoo facts for kids
A summer crowd at the LA Zoo
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| Date opened | 1966 |
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| Location | Los Angeles, California, |
| Land area | 113 acres (46 ha) |
| Coordinates | 34°08′53″N 118°17′02″W / 34.148146°N 118.28388°W |
| No. of animals | 1,100 |
| No. of species | 250+ |
| Memberships | AZA, WAZA |
| Major exhibits | Campo Gorilla Reserve, Chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains, Red Ape Rainforest, Sea Life Cliffs, Peninsular Pronghorns |
| Website | http://www.lazoo.org/ |
The Los Angeles Zoo is a fun place to visit in Los Angeles, California. It opened in 1966 and covers 113 acres. The zoo is home to over 1,100 animals from all over the world. It has more than 250 different kinds of animals. The City of Los Angeles owns the zoo, its land, and all the animals. City employees work there to care for the animals, maintain the grounds, and teach visitors.
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Discovering the Los Angeles Zoo
The Los Angeles Zoo is located inside Griffith Park. It's a great spot to see animals from many different habitats. The first zoo in Los Angeles opened way back in 1912. It was about two miles north of where the zoo is today. That old zoo closed around 1965.
Did you know the Los Angeles Zoo was even in a movie? In the 1971 film Escape from the Planet of the Apes, two ape characters, Zira and Cornelius, briefly stay at the zoo.
The zoo is open every day from 10 AM to 5 PM. The only day it closes is December 25th.
Exploring the Botanical Gardens
In 2002, the Los Angeles Zoo became a certified Botanical Gardens. This means it's not just about animals! Its official name changed to the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens.
The zoo has 15 different plant collections. You can see over 800 different types of plants there. In total, there are more than 7,400 individual plants. It's like walking through a giant, beautiful garden!
Caring for Animals: The Gottlieb Center
The Gottlieb Animal Health and Conservation Center is a special part of the zoo. It's where animals get the best medical care. This area is usually restricted to visitors.
The center has amazing features to help sick or injured animals. It includes:
- A modern intensive care unit for very sick animals.
- A special kitchen to prepare animal food.
- A surgery room where vets can perform operations.
- Research areas to learn more about animal health.
In 2007, the center helped 853 animals. The smallest patient was a tiny spider tortoise, weighing only 0.08 kilograms. The largest patient was a huge Asian elephant, weighing 4,826 kilograms! The center is named after Robert and Suzanne Gottlieb, who helped make it possible.
Images for kids
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One of several viewing locations within the Campo Gorilla Reserve
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Three Bornean orangutans rest amongst bamboo sway poles and a creek.
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Daphne the hedgehog, part of the Animals & You Program
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Zoo Magnet Center Campus
See also
In Spanish: Zoológico de Los Ángeles para niños
