Polar bears at the San Diego Zoo are making a vital difference for their species.

SAN DIEGO (Jan. 1, 2024) – Today San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance participated in the 135th Rose Parade^® presented by Honda with a float celebrating the San Diego Zoo’s 107-year history. The float themed “It Began With a Roar” depicted iconic wildlife from the Zoo, including Rex the lion, whose mighty roar sparked a dream more than a century ago and inspired the world-renowned San Diego Zoo. 

SAN DIEGO (Dec. 13, 2023) – San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently rescued three orphaned mountain lion cubs. The cubs—approximately 6 weeks old at the time of their rescue—were each found separately following an extensive search over the span of a week. Each cub was treated in the field for dehydration before being taken to Paul Harter Veterinary Medical Center at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Because the young lions were orphaned at an early age, they cannot be safely reintroduced into their native habitat. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife designated the San Diego Zoo Safari Park as a safe haven for the rescued cubs, offering them a second chance and lifelong care.

SAN DIEGO (Oct. 12, 2023) – Two critically endangered Sumatran tiger cubs emerged from their den today at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The cubs, born July 12, stepped out to explore their outdoor habitat, much to the delight of wildlife care staff and volunteers. 

Andean bear twins at the San Diego Zoo are a double dose of hope for this vulnerable species.

SAN DIEGO (July 27, 2023) – San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is celebrating the birth of two Sumatran tiger cubs—the first of this critically endangered species to be born at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s Tull Family Tiger Trail habitat in seven years. Their birth also comes just in time for Global Tiger Day. With only an estimated 400 to 600 Sumatran tigers remaining on Earth, the births are significant in increasing the worldwide population of this tiger species and furthering the nonprofit conservation organization’s ongoing work to conserve them.

SAN DIEGO (July 7, 2023) – In the mid-morning hours of July 6, 2023, guests to the San Diego Zoo were treated to a rare and remarkable sight. Red panda Adira entered her outdoor habitat in the Zoo’s Asian Passage with someone new: her small and curious 1-month-old cub. This milestone was immensely significant, as the new cub is the first red panda born at the Zoo since 2006, and this marked the first time staff and guests were able to get a glimpse of the youngster outside its den.

SAN DIEGO (May 11, 2023) – From Arabian oryx to Nubian ibex, to spotted turtles and Amur leopard cubs, the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park are brimming with babies!  A spring baby boom provides guests to both the Zoo and Safari with the opportunity to see and learn about amazing wildlife including an okapi calf, a Matschie’s tree kangaroo and Przewalski’s horse at the Safari Park and Andean bear cubs, Lord Howe Island stick insects and Fijian iguanas at the Zoo.

SAN DIEGO (March 28, 2023) – A birth of twins is exceptional, no matter the species. However, when those twins are Amur leopards—and fewer than 300 of those big cats are estimated to exist on Earth—the births are especially significant. This week, wildlife care staff at the San Diego Zoo announced the birth of two Amur leopard cubs, increasing this rare cat’s estimated worldwide population by two and furthering the nonprofit conservation organization’s ongoing work to save this vital Asian species.   

SAN DIEGO (March 14, 2023) – The San Diego Zoo continues to celebrate the arrival of twin Andean bear cubs—now 3 months old and venturing out of their private den into the guest-facing habitat. The cubs were born in December 2022 to second-time mother Alba, and sire Turbo. Since the twins’ birth, wildlife care specialists have been closely observing the bears via a closed-circuit video camera and an audio “baby monitor,” allowing Alba to care for her youngsters without interruption until they were ready to leave the den.