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Zoo Update with Zoo CEO and Director Denise M. Verret – February 2022
When we opened our doors back to the public in 2020, I was thrilled to see how many different faces were coming through our gates – faces that represented the diverse communities of Los Angeles.
Now, this Black History Month is challenging all of us to consider and reflect on Black Health and Wellness – a theme that is so timely as the pandemic has shown me how important and integral our L.A. Zoo is to our community and how we can help safely connect Angelenos from all walks of life with wildlife and nature. Research has confirmed that exposure to nature is linked to a host of benefits, including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, and even upticks in empathy and cooperation. The Zoo is committed to equitable access to the natural world, contributing to the positive mental, emotional, and physical benefits that it brings. One of the L.A. Zoo’s community partners, Outward Bound Adventures, has been working to ensure that youth from diverse communities have access to nature, environmental education, leadership development, and preparation for careers in conservation for decades. Partnerships like this are part of our continued work to ensure that the Zoo – and all outdoor spaces – are open and accessible to Black communities and to all.
The Los Angeles Zoo will continue to work and co-create with our partners and all of you to foster a space of inclusion for everyone, not just during Black History Month but every month of the year. I look forward to stepping up to this challenge with all of you by my side and for the positive changes and opportunities that we can help create around us, together.
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Zoo Update from Director and CEO Denise M. Verret – December 2022
The holiday season is my absolute favorite time of the year. It reminds me of another year gone by and of the opportunity for reflection, as we look back at our progress and impact and renew our spirits for a brand-new year to come—a new year that will bring with it opportunities for continued growth and lasting connections.[…]

Zoo Update from CEO and Director Denise M. Verret – October 2022
It’s a great time to enjoy the outside and connect with wildlife and nature, and your Los Angeles Zoo is doing just that in a variety of ways.[…]

Zoo Update from Director and CEO Denise M. Verret – August 2022
It’s August, which means we are hosting nearly 900 Zoo Campers and are also taking our outreach programs to 36 parks throughout the City as part of the Recreation and Parks Summer Play L.A.[…]

Zoo Update from Director and CEO Denise M. Verret – June 2022
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of traveling to Africa for the very first time in my life.[…]

Zoo Update with Director and CEO Denise M. Verret – April 2022
Spring is one of my favorite seasons of the year – it’s a time of birth and renewal when the natural world around us springs back to life.[…]

Zoo Update with Zoo CEO and Director Denise M. Verret – February 2022
When we opened our doors back to the public in 2020, I was thrilled to see how many different faces were coming through our gates – faces that represented the diverse communities of Los Angeles.[…]