Creature Features

Saturday, May 9

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is a proud participant in AZA's North American Songbird SAFE (Saving Species From Extinction) program! Please join us for World Migratory Bird Day, which aims to bring awareness to migratory birds and the threats they face while journeying across borders. From collisions with glass to being hunted by cats, find out what you can do to support native bird species with informational bird chats featuring our birds of prey and songbirds. 

May 10-16

Come learn about the Heritage Breeds of livestock we have in the Domestic Animal Barn! Many of these traditional livestock breeds have been replaced with “improved” ones for modern animal agriculture. This means there has been a massive loss of genetic livestock diversity. As a result, the genes of Heritage Breeds are valuable for agricultural heritage and future sustainability.

Join us at noon from Sunday, May 10 to Saturday, May 16, for a daily Creature Chat featuring our Heritage Breeds at the Domestic Animal barn.

Sunday, May 24

Learn about the native reptiles, amphibians, insects and fish that call your yard home, and how lawn care impacts our native wildlife. We will have talks throughout the day about non-native plants and invasive plants, pesticides/herbicides, excess water usage and drainage, biodiversity vs monoculture, and so much more to help inspire guests to turn their yard space into thriving ecosystems!

Monday, June 22

While domestic Bactrian camels are fairly common throughout
North American zoos, they are actually remnants of a critically
endangered species, as domestic Bactrian camels and wild Bactrian camels are a genetically separate species! Visit the zoo on Monday, June 22, to meet our domestic Bactrian camels Patrick and George, and learn about our partnership with the Wild Camel Protection Foundation and what YOU can do help support their wild counterparts. 

Sunday, July 12

Yoga: Weekends in July

Party with our colony of Humboldt penguins during Penguin Palooza! This kid-friendly ice cream party features an incredible array of fun activities, entertainment, free ice cream, kid-friendly foods, music, face painting, and of course, demonstrations with our colony of Humboldt penguins. During the weekends, we will be hosting Yoga with the Penguins to benefit The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental nonprofit working to help preserve and protect the vulnerable Humboldt penguin population and their native habitat. 

Tuesday, July 21

The only bear species native to South America, Andean bears, also called spectacled bear, are an umbrella species for tropical Andes ecosystems! Umbrella species are species that are selected as representatives of their ecosystem when conservation plans are being made. By protecting these organisms, other species that are a part of their ecosystem will also benefit under the same conservation "umbrella." Join us on Tuesday, July 21, to learn about our resident Andean bear Bjorn, and the conservation behind protecting his vulnerable species and native habitat!

Wednesday August 12

As an AZA-accredited facility, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo is an active participant in the conservation of Asian elephants and their habitat. Learn about the work we do with our partner organizations, such as the Elephant Managers Association, and Asian Elephant Support, to see how we leverage our collective experiences and research to support the conservation of this endangered species. We will have an educational and interactive table with informational materials and elephant biofacts to inspire guests to help us protect these magnificent animals. This elephant celebration continues with a party of pachyderm proportions on Saturday, August 15, during Asian Elephant Extravaganza, which will celebrate our Asian elephant herd and the cultural traditions of their native countries.