SAN DIEGO (Aug. 19, 2022) – On International Orangutan Day (Aug. 19), wildlife care team members at the San Diego Zoo are celebrating two of the Zoo’s prominent primate residents: Kaja, a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan infant; and his mother, Indah. Following major health complications that left Indah hospitalized after giving birth, wildlife care specialists jumped in to care for Kaja and help nurture him during the critical early weeks of his life.  Due to quick intervention, both mother and infant are now doing well, and have since been reunited. 

SAN DIEGO (Aug. 12, 2022) – A big celebration got underway this World Elephant Day (Aug. 12) at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, as wildlife care specialists and conservation scientists raised awareness of the plight of elephants worldwide, kicked off the Safari Park’s Wild Weekend: Elephants event (Aug. 12–14) and also celebrated the fourth birthday of male elephant calf Umzula-zuli, better known as Zuli.

SAN DIEGO (July 14, 2022) — The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has welcomed three new residents: 8-year-old female African lions Malika, Zuri and Amira from the Caldwell Zoo in Texas. The three lions, who are sisters, curiously explored their new home at Lion Camp earlier today—shyly at first, but soon showing great confidence as they became comfortable with their new surroundings.

SAN DIEGO (June 9, 2022) – The largest study ever conducted on a free-ranging population of rhinoceroses reveals that about one in every seven rhinos in a key South African national park has been infected with Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), the pathogen that causes bovine tuberculosis (bTB). The finding shines new light on the potential for diseases to disrupt global conservation efforts, and potentially increase risk to human health, if left unaddressed. 

SAN DIEGO (May 12, 2022) – A 3-month-old giraffe calf at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park has received a new lease on life, thanks to swift intervention by the conservation organization’s wildlife health and wildlife care teams to correct abnormalities that threatened the calf’s survival. The female youngster—named Msituni (pronounced see tune neee), which means “in the forest” in Swahili— received a pair of specialized giraffe-patterned orthotic braces that attached to her front legs to help correct a hyperextension of the carpi, bones that are equivalent to those in the human wrist.

SAN DIEGO (Jan. 18, 2022) – A new year brings new beginnings—and that is especially true for Indah, a 35-year-old female Sumatran orangutan at the San Diego Zoo, who gave birth to her third infant earlier this month. 

SAN DIEGO (Dec. 17, 2021) – Just in time for the holidays, a newborn giraffe calf at the San Diego Zoo has received the perfect gift—a name. The 3-week-old female calf will be called Mawe (pronounced “maw way”), meaning stone in Swahili.