Ready, set, experience!
Today At the Zoo
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Conservation in Action: Big Conservation for a Little Shrew
Friday, February 22, 2019
Conservation in Action: Hopping to It to Save Frogs
Experience the zoo like never before!
Behind-the-Scenes Tours
Hooves and Horns
The animals roaming the savanna and forests of Africa are beautiful and fascinating creatures. This tour will take you behind the scenes of our hoofstock area to talk about the care and keeping of giraffes, zebras and bongos here at the zoo.
Register for the Hooves and Horns TourChoose-Your-Own-Adventure
Get up close to the animals, visit behind-the-scenes areas not accessible to the general public, receive a guided walking tour from one of our educators and see what goes into the incredible care the animals receive every day.
Read moreReptile House
Calling all lovers of lizards, snakes and frogs! This tour will take you behind the scenes of our reptile house! You will learn about everything it takes to care for reptiles, amphibians and more!
Register for the Reptile House TourKeep up with the Zoo
Upcoming Events
Your Help.
Our Impact
As the only aquatic turtle native to California, we feel strongly about our direct involvement in their future – in the zoo community and in the wild.
Making a difference in Western Pond Turtle Populations
Eleven western pond turtles hatched at the Sacramento Zoo in 2016. Weighing only five to six grams at hatching, these tiny turtles have big shells to fill as they grow to their adult weight of between 6000 and 1200 grams (1.3 to 2.6 lbs.). All the western pond turtles at the Sacramento Zoo play important roles as animal ambassadors at the zoo, aiding in our commitment to the species.
Western pond turtles are found in the most western of the United States. In Washington and Oregon it is designated as “Endangered”. In California (and Baja California) it is a “Species of Special Concern” and listed as “Threatened”. Their population is drastically declining primarily due to habitat loss from urbanization and conversion to agricultural needs.
The Sacramento Zoo is home to one of the largest populations of western pond turtles housed within an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) facility and the Zoo is an active participant in the AZA Species Survival Plan® (SSP) for them.
The Sacramento Zoo is helping this species in a number of ways. Read More