Remembering Muriel Horacek: Long-Time L.A. Zoo Docent & Friend It is with profound sadness, yet immense gratitude for a life beautifully lived, that the Los Angeles Zoo family announces the passing of beloved Docent Emeritus Muriel Horacek. Having celebrated her remarkable 100th birthday in March 2025, Muriel was an extraordinary force of nature who dedicated herself to the Zoo and its visitors since 2010. Muriel retired from being a docent earlier this year, shortly after […]
Digging Deeper into the Oak Woodland Restoration and Career Pathways Project By: Cortney Vargas A quiet hillside on the edge of the Los Angeles Zoo is about to tell a new story: one of ecological restoration, community partnership, and a shared vision for the future. Once used for equipment storage and long overlooked, this patch of land within Zoo grounds is being transformed into a vibrant native oak woodland through the Oak Woodland Restoration and
Enriching Our Communities and Restoring Habitat Read more
We’re celebrating the extraordinary service of a special group of volunteers who’ve been with the Zoo for 50+ years! These dedicated docents have seen it all—from pith helmets to polar bears to pandas for the ‘84 Olympics—and they’re sharing the memories and moments that have made it all worthwhile to them for five decades.
Volunteer Milestone: Serving 50+ Years Read more
by Autumn Hilden In a major next step in our work to create the most comfortable and inclusive experience possible when visiting the Los Angeles Zoo, we are now proud to offer a mobile sensory support room in partnership with the Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation and the Georgina Fredrick Children’s Foundation. For many individuals—particularly those with autism, dementia, PTSD, and other similar conditions—the noise and activity of public spaces can become overwhelming.
New Sensory Support Room Read more
Zoo Director and CEO Denise M. Verret has been sworn in as the one hundredth Chair of the Board of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the accrediting body of the Los Angeles Zoo and the global standard of excellence for zoos and aquariums worldwide. “Being the 100th chair and the first black woman to serve in this role is not lost on me,” Verret says. “It’s an incredible milestone and opportunity.”
The Teen Council for Conservation serves as an equitable pathway for young Angelenos to voice their concerns and actively engage in developing meaningful solutions. It is a transformative journey, evolving each year with new cohorts working towards creating a just and sustainable world where people and wildlife thrive, together.
Raising Our Voices: Amplifying Teen Voices for a Just & Sustainable Los Angeles Read more
You’re going to want to hear what’s happened since the episode was recorded.
Animal Update: Star the Bali Myna Saved from Trafficking Read more
The Zoo has recently welcomed two new chimpanzees! Curator of Mammals Candace Sclimenti says “the intros are going great” with the rest of the troop, and in fact the duo—two males—were recently made acquainted with the current alpha male.
Super Troopers: New Chimps Arrive Read more
Egg-citing avian news, hope for extinct turtles, and providing a safe haven for rescued native frogs.
News in the Zoo, August 2021 Read more
Brumation is essentially the reptilian/amphibian version of hibernation. It is a way of conserving energy when temperatures are too low for these ectothermic animals, who depend on adequate ambient heat, to reach optimal body temperatures for them to digest food.
Springing Into Action Read more
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