Public Relations
The Sacramento Zoo’s Public Relations (PR) Department is available to assist with story development and logistics for news media and travel journalists, and coordinate on-site photography and video requests. We also can provide digital images for story use.
News Coverage
All media requests are handled through our PR Department. We require that you give us as much notice as possible before coming to the zoo so that we can make your time here as efficient as possible. The Sacramento Zoo can come out to your site for a media interview. The only animals that can be brought off-grounds are our education animal ambassadors.
Videography and Photography Requests
All zoo visitors can take photos and video for their private, personal use only. Video and photos must be taken from public viewing areas and must be a minimum distraction to our guests, staff and animals.
The PR Department handles requests to come to the zoo for photography and videography shoots; whether it is commercial, private, or media-related. Unless the work is directly promoting the Sacramento Zoo, the zoo does ask for a donation to support the nonprofit Sacramento Zoological Society.
The zoo reserves the right to deny usage and materials requests for any reason.
Mailing List
To be added to the mailing list for press releases or calendar of events releases, please email your request. Send your email address, name, organization’s name, department name, mailing address, phone number.
Red, White & Zoo $10 Zoo Admission July 3 and 4 Only!
Thanks to a generous sponsorship from First 5 California, the nonprofit Sacramento Zoo is reducing admission to just $10 for two days only this July!
African Lion, Kamau Passes Away at Sacramento Zoo
The Sacramento Zoo is mourning the loss of one of our most charismatic and iconic animals, an African lion named Kamau. At nearly 17-years-old, Kamau was considered elderly. His longevity here at the Zoo is a testament to the care he received from his dedicated animal care professionals and veterinary team including specialists from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
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Back and BIGGER Than Ever! Dozens of Dinos Descend on Sac Zoo
More than 20 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs have migrated from the Mesozoic Era to the Sacramento Zoo from April 1, 2023 to March 2024.
Bid to Name a Giraffe Calf or Donate to Support the Sacramento Zoo
Naming a giraffe calf is a TALL order! The Sacramento Zoo is holding an online auction for the opportunity to select a name for the calf recently born at the zoo.
Sacramento Zoo Celebrates the Birth of Masai Giraffe Calf
Shani the giraffe gave birth to a female calf on Sunday, January 22, at 12:28pm. We are thrilled to announce that Shani’s calf is healthy and nursing well from mom.
Dragon Discovery at the Sacramento Zoo
From the fire-breathing dragons of Europe to the silent killers of Africa and the ocean’s serpent kings, 14 animatronic dragons have converged on the Sacramento Zoo.
Sacramento Zoo and City of Elk Grove Unveil Conceptual Plans and Drawings of Proposed New Zoo
The Sacramento Zoological Society and the City of Elk Grove released a series of drawings today illustrating the vision for a state-of-the-art zoological park to serve the greater Sacramento region and attract visitors.
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Dragons Invade the Sacramento Zoo
From October 28 through February 26, steel your courage and venture into the mystical world of Dragon Discovery at the Sac Zoo! Experience fourteen towering animatronic dragons from all corners of the globe.
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Sacramento Zoo Armadillo Found Safe
On the morning of October 7 Josephine, a six-banded armadillo was found safe. The armadillo had escaped from the Sacramento Zoo’s Interpretive Center the morning of October 6. She was found in the zoo only 192 feet away from where she had gone missing.
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Sacramento Zoo Armadillo Missing
On the morning of October 6 Josephine, a six-banded armadillo, escaped from the Sacramento Zoo’s Interpretive Center. Zoo staff immediately began searching the zoo, its perimeter, and the adjacent park. Despite this extensive search, the animal remains missing.
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The Sac Zoo’s Virtual Auction 2022 is Open!
Check out the more than 40 unique items available for bidding. From original art (created by both humans and animals!), to one-of-a-kind up-close animal experiences, to the chance to name a baby mongoose lemur or a capybara… Auction 2022 has something for everyone!
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Sac Zoo Protecting Birds from Avian Influenza
On July 13th, the USDA confirmed the first cases of a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza from wild birds in several Northern California counties. Due to the potential risk to birds at the zoo, we are taking a variety of precautionary measures and have activated a comprehensive disease prevention plan.READ THE RELEASE
$10 Zoo Admission on July 4!
In honor of Independence Day, the Sacramento Zoo is reducing admission to just $10 for everyone for one day only! Gather the family, reserve your tickets, and plan to spend the day at the zoo on the Fourth of July.
Latest Agreement Advances Elk Grove Zoo Project
With a continued focus on building a larger, more modern zoological park in the Sacramento region, the City of Elk Grove and the Sacramento Zoological Society (SZS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to define roles and responsibilities for the development of a new zoo in Elk Grove.
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Sacramento Zoo Relocation Update
At their meeting on March 23, the Elk Grove City Council received the feasibility study for a new, regional zoo. They also extended the term of the Exclusive Negotiation Agreement for 60 days and directed their staff to work with the Zoo on a Memorandum of Understanding that would guide the next level of work – development of a master design plan and comprehensive feasibility study.
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They’re Here! Dozens of Dinos Descend on Sac Zoo!
Dinosaur Safari at the Sac Zoo will officially open this Thursday, October 21 and run through April 17, 2022. Gather the family, take a journey back through time and experience awe and wonder as more than 20 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs migrate from the Mesozoic Era to the Sacramento Zoo beginning this week.
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Sacramento Zoo Relocation Update
September 23, 2021: With an eye toward building a larger, more modern zoological park, as well as improving animal care and habitat, the visitor experience, and amenities, the Sacramento Zoological Society and the City of Elk Grove entered into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement today to evaluate relocating the Sacramento Zoo to Elk Grove.
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Sac Zoo Auction 2021 is FULL of Amazing Animal Opportunities, Art and SO Much More!
The Sacramento Zoo’s online Auction 2021 will run through September 19 at 9 p.m. The auction is a fundraiser for the nonprofit zoo and is chock full of more than 40 one-of-a-kind items up for bid.
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21+ Happy Hour Coming up at the Zoo
Let’s get HAPPY at the Sac Zoo! Join the Sacramento Zoo for a 21+ Happy Hour event on Thursday, July 29 from 5-8pm. Dance and groove to a fun mix of covers from Sacramento favorite, Cover Me Badd. Take a free ride or two on the Conservation Carousel and enjoy the sights and sounds of the zoo at night.
Locked Zoo Number TWO at the Sac Zoo!
If you love puzzles and enjoy solving a mystery, then you won’t want to miss out on this ALL NEW adult only (age 18 and over) edition of “Locked Zoo Rare Breeds” being hosted by the Sac Zoo on May 20.
Cheetah Brothers, Rowdy & Zig Zag, Arrive at Sacramento Zoo
April 21, 2021: The Sacramento Zoo is thrilled to welcome almost four-year-old cheetah brothers, Rowdy and Zig Zag, who will be on exhibit at the zoo beginning on Friday, April 23.
Sac Zoo to Hold “Locked Zoo” Finders Keepers Mystery Event April 22
March 24, 2021: If you love puzzles and enjoy solving a mystery, then you won’t want to miss out on this adult only (age 21+) edition of “Locked Zoo Finders Keepers” being hosted by the Sac Zoo on April 22.
“All Together For Animals” Virtual Benefit Concert
March 18, 2021: The Sacramento Zoo is inviting you to participate in a uniquely amazing night of music while supporting animals – all from the comfort of your living room.
Free Conservation Education Programming for Title 1 Schools
Thanks to T-Mobile
March 11, 2021: Thanks to a generous donation from T-Mobile, the Sacramento Zoo is proud to offer free virtual content for Title 1 schools in the greater Sacramento region.
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Sacramento Zoo to Reopen Friday, January 15
January 13, 2021: Now that the stay-at-home order has been lifted for the Greater Sacramento Region, the Sacramento Zoo is pleased to announce that it will reopen to the public with regular hours on Friday, January 15, just in time for the weekend and some beautiful weather.
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Click on the links below to view a PDF of the media release. For the latest news and stories, visit our Zoo News page for current and past posts.
Glory, the Masai Giraffe Calf, Now on Exhibit
October 15, 2020: Glory, the Sac Zoo’s three-week-old Masai giraffe calf and mom, Shani, will be given access to the zoo’s giraffe yard dailybetween approximately 9am and 1pm.
Sac Zoo Celebrates the Birth of a Baby Giraffe
September 22, 2020: The Sac Zoo is thrilled to announce
that Shani, a 10-year-old Masai giraffe, gave birth to a female calf during the evening on September 20.
New Squirrel Monkeys and a New Baby – It’s Monkeys Galore!
September 11, 2020: In addition to a new group of squirrel
monkeys, the Sac Zoo also welcomed a baby Wolf’s guenon during the early morning hours on September 8.
Tickets on Sale Now for Evenings at the Zoo
August 11, 2020: The Sacramento Zoo is hosting special Evenings at the Zoo on August 20, 21, 27 and 28 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm.
Sac Zoo Remains Open and Offers New Virtual Programming
July 15, 2020: Sacramento Zoo continues to welcome guests
to our campus within Land Park launched a new online experience called Zoo to You!
The Sacramento Zoo is Still Open
July 1, 2020: The Sacramento Zoo wants to make sure our community is aware that the zoo remains open to the public with reserved tickets.
Sa
cramento Zoo Set to Reopen to the Public on June 15
June 8, 2020: The Sacramento Zoo has been given the approval to open and will be open to the public beginning June 15 following a carefully phased approach that strictly limits attendance.
Sacramento Zoo Set to Reopen to the Public on June 1
May 18, 2020: Sacramento County recently approved the Sacramento Zoo’s reopening plan which follows a carefully phased approach that strictly limits attendance. The zoo will reopen on Jun 1 with enhanced protocols and procedures in place.
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The World’s Largest Living Bird Returns to the Sac Zoo Collection
March 12, 2020: The Sacramento Zoo is thrilled to announce that the world’s largest – and heaviest – bird species has returned to Sacramento as a part of the zoo’s collection for the first time since 2015.
Discover a Special New Way to Get Up Close and Personal with Some of Sac Zoo’s Most Iconic Animals
February 26, 2020: Watch animal keepers at the Sacramento Zoo perform daily training sessions with the African lions right at their exhibit.
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Swimming Into 2020
January 10, 2020: We’ve been hard at work renovating a portion of our former waterfowl exhibit to
ensure the best possible home for these gators. Plus, Discover the Dinosaurs is extended through President’s Day.
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Catch a Dino-mite Exhibit and Discover the Dinosaurs at the Sac Zoo this Weekend Before They Go Extinct!
February 13, 2020: The zoo’s Discover the Dinosaurs exhibit, included with zoo admission, will go extinct after Monday, February 17!
Read the release
Click on the links below to view a PDF of the media release. For the latest news and stories, visit our Zoo News page for current and past posts.
Discover the Dinosaurs!
September 9, 2019: Take a prehistoric trip to the zoo between September 21st and January 5th and visit some of the most ancient animals ever to walk the earth. These realistic, museum-quality dinosaurs will make you feel like you’ve traveled back in time while you learn about their many connections to modern animals.
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Animals on Tap Release Party – Hylobates lar
August 28, 2019: Track 7 Brewing and the Sacramento Zoo are excited to present Hylobates lar Northeast IPA: a collaboration beer brewed in honor of gibbon conservation. The name Hylobates lar comes from the scientific name for white-handed gibbon.
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August Half-Price Day
August 22, 2019: As part of our ongoing effort to be accessible to our entire community the Sacramento Zoo is introducing several half-priced admission days throughout the year. This means, all the fun at half the price! All visitors to the Sacramento Zoo will pay half regular admission price on August 22.
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Sacramento Zoo is Certified Sensory Inclusive
August 14, 2019: KultureCity has partnered with the Sacramento Zoo to make the zoo and all of the programs and events that the zoo hosts to be sensory inclusive. This new initiative will promote an accommodating and positive experience for all guests living with special sensory needs.
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Mourning the Death of a Beloved Member of the Herd, Val
August 10, 2019: The Sacramento Zoo is heartbroken to report that one of our geriatric female giraffe, Valentine, was found deceased in her sleeping quarters early this morning.
July Half-Price Days
June 28, 2019: As part of our ongoing effort to be accessible to our entire community the Sacramento Zoo is introducing several half-priced admission days throughout the year. This means, all the fun at half the price! All visitors to the Sacramento Zoo will pay half regular admission price on July 4th and 5th.
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Saying Goodbye to Beloved Giraffe, Goody
May 8, 2019: Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when it’s family. Gudrun – affectionately known as “Goody” to her friends and caretakers – came to Sacramento in June of 1999. Today, her entire Sacramento Zoo family mourns the loss of one of its most vibrant and charismatic members..
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Star Wars Day 2019
April 22, 2019: Meet your favorite costumed characters without making a trip to a galaxy far, far away. The Sacramento Zoo will bring the big screen to life with a visit from characters including Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, Boba Fett, R2-D2, Stormtroopers and other fan favorites.
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ZooZoom 2019
April 9, 2019: Lace up your athletic shoes and hop, skip, or jump to the finish line Sunday, April 14 at the 39th Annual ZooZoom. It’s a 5K walk/run, 10K run, and Kids’ Fun Run fundraiser for the Sacramento Zoo, hosted by Fleet Feet Sports Sacramento. All speeds and ages are welcome.
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Introducing Half-Price Days at the Sacramento Zoo
February 19, 2019: As part of our ongoing effort to be accessible to our entire community the Sacramento Zoo is introducing several half-priced admission days throughout the year
Click on the links below to view a PDF of the media release. For the latest news and stories, visit our Zoo News page for current and past posts.
Brand New on Exhibit: Meerkats!
November 12, 2018: For the first time in the Sacramento Zoo’s history, we welcome a vivacious clan of meerkats! Brand new to the zoo, this all-female clan originated from the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida is now on exhibit in Small Wonders next to Padme the aardvark.
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Snow Leopard Cub to Receive Rare Eyelid Surgery
October 23, 2018: On Wednesday, October 24th Coconut, the snow leopard cub born at the Sacramento Zoo earlier this year, will be the recipient of a rare eyelid surgery performed by Sacramento Zoo veterinarians as well as veterinary specialists from UC Davis.
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Eastern Bongo Calf Safe After Briefly Getting Loose from Enclosure
October 14, 2018: Sunday afternoon at approximately 3:30 p.m. the Sacramento Zoo’s one-year-old female Eastern bongo, Taylor Swift, breached her exhibit space that she was sharing with her mom, Penny. Staff responded rapidly enacting the zoo’s emergency response protocol.
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The Zoo’s Exciting Future: Plans Are Being Explored for Relocating and Expanding
October 4, 2018: After nearly a century spent welcoming millions of visitors and caring for thousands of animals, the zoo urgently requires significant capital improvements — and increased space—to meet the evolving standards of animal care, conservation and education required to be a viable and accredited zoological facility.
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Snow Leopard Cub Gets a Big Name Just in Time for his Exhibit Debut
August 22, 2018: The Sacramento Zoo’s snow leopard cub made his first (brief) exhibit debut late last week, after much anticipation from staff and visitors alike. Accompanied by his keepers, the 15-week-old cub named “Coconut” eventually warmed up to the space enough to stop and smell the shrubs and explore the rocks above his den.
The Sacramento Zoo Welcomes the Birth of an Endangered Red Panda Cub
June 28, 2018: On Monday, June 25 one of the Sacramento Zoo’s red pandas gave birth to a female cub. The cub was born to seven-year-old mother, Pili, and nine-year-old father, Takeo.
First Snow Leopard Birth At Sacramento Zoo Since 2006
May 14, 2018: The Sacramento Zoo has a new resident – a male snow leopard cub. This was the first pregnancy for the cub’s five-year-old mother, Misha, and six-year-old father, Blizzard, and the first snow leopard birth at the Sacramento Zoo since 2006.
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Snow Leopard Pregnancy Announced
April 19, 2018: The Sacramento Zoo is excited to announce that Misha, the Sacramento Zoo’s resident four-year-old
female snow leopard, is pregnant. This is Misha’s first pregnancy, and the first snow leopard pregnancy at the Sacramento Zoo since 2006.
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Sumatran Tiger to Move Back to San Francisco Zoo
February 20, 2018: Jillian the Sumatran tiger has moved back to the San Francisco Zoo. The Sacramento Zoo and the San Francisco Zoo worked together to move her back to familiar territory in San Francisco where she was born.
Zoo Mourns the Death of Wolf’s Guenon
February 18, 2018: The Sacramento Zoo is mourning the loss of Kaci, a vivacious and playful two-year-old
Wolf’s guenon after a short battle with a respiratory infection.
Click on the links below to view a PDF of the media release. For the latest news and stories, visit our Zoo News page for current and past posts.
March 2017
3/01/2017 – ZooZoom
April 2017
4/4/2017 – Earth Fest
4/14/2017 – Mongoose Lemur Birth
4/24/2017 – Star Wars Day
4/27/2017 – Wells Fargo Wednesdays
May 2017
5/2/2017 – Wine & Brew
June 2017
6/20/2017 – SacZoo Primate Expert Invited to China
July 2017
7/17/2017 – Celebrating Zookeeper Appreciation Week with Zookeeper Olympics
August 2017
8/2/2017 – Ice Cream Safari
8/10/2017 – Death of Coquerel’s Sifaka
September 2017
9/3/2017 – Death of Black and White Ruffed Lemur
9/5/2017 – Dual Birth Announcement
9/27/2017 – Boo at the Zoo
November 2017
11/13/2017 – Holiday Magic at the Sacramento Zoo
11/20/2017 – Death of Red-tailed Boa
11/28/2017 – Sacramento Zoo Announces New Director
Click on the links below to view the PDF of the media release. For more news and stories, visit our Zoo News page for current and past posts.
January 2016
1/4/16 – Sacramento Zoo Breaks Records in 2015
February 2016
2/10/16 – Sacramento Zoo Announces Death of Sumatran Tiger
March 2016
3/14/16 – It’s a Party for the Planet
3/31/16 – 36th Annual ZooZoom
April 2016
4/5/16 – Birth of Red River Hogs
4/11/16 – Birth of Masai Giraffe Calf
4/20/16 – Star Wars Day
May 2016
5/2/16 – Wine & Brew at the Zoo
5/17/16 – 22q at the Zoo
5/20/16 – Death of Red Panda Beckie
5/23/16 – Death of Grevy’s Zebra
June 2016
6/2/16 – Twilight Thursdays
July 2016
7/25/16 – Family Deal Nights
August 2016
8/11/16 – U.S. Bank
September 2016
9/1/16 – Death of Red Panda Jane
October 2016
10/6/16 – All New Daytime Boo at the Zoo
November 2016
11/2/16 – Become a Zoo Docent
11/17/16 – Holiday Magic
11/21/16 – Winter Camp
December 2016
12/20/16 – Death of Jasper, Plain-colored Amazon Parrot
12/22/16 – Death of Percy, North American River Otter
12/29/16 – Zoo Board of Trustees Approves Price Increase
12/30/16 – Sacramento ZooDeath of Geriatric Grevy’s Zebra, Akina
Media Contact
Lesley Kirrene, Director of Institutional Advancement & Marketing
Phone: 916-808-5150
Email a media request