Sacramento Zoo

06/23/2026

It may be Pink Flamingo Day, but did you know that they're born completely white?

It's true! That iconic pink color comes from the food that flamingos eat, including algae and brine shrimp. It takes months for chicks to gain that color, and it can take up to three years for them to be completely pink!

06/22/2026

We've got good Guinness news!

Last week we shared that Guinness, our resident American alligator, swallowed a plush toy that had fallen into his habitat. Our veterinary team tried using an endoscopic procedure to remove the plush but were unsuccessful.

Last night, Guinness threw up the plush. After the plush was spotted by our morning security guard, our animal care and horticulture team carefully removed the toy from the habitat.

Guinness is under observation following this event but is back on habitat.

We would like to reiterate the risk involved when foreign objects end up in our animal's habitats. Animals swallowing objects or food outside of their diet can have serious consequences. If an object or food falls into a habitat, or you see it enter a habitat, please let a nearby staff member know immediately.

06/21/2026

Happy World Giraffe Day! 🎉🦒🎉

Our summer camp kids helped us ring in this tall celebration by making some enrichment for our herd!

Did you know that giraffes are the tallest land animal in the world? When fully grown, they can reach towering heights of up to 19 feet!

That impressive height allows them to graze treetop foliage and vines, untouched by other browsers on the savanna. This height advantage also helps giraffes watch for predators on the horizon, such as lions.

There are multiple species and subspecies of giraffe, at varying levels of endangerment. Our herd consists of only Masai giraffes! While originally considered one of the nine subspecies of giraffe, Masai giraffes are now considered a distinct species of giraffe.

Giraffes as a whole are considered Vulnerable to Endangerment by the IUCN. There are currently only an estimated 97,000 giraffes left in the wild.

The biggest threat to giraffes is poaching and habitat loss. The Sacramento Zoo is proud to work with the Wild Nature Institute (WNI), a group dedicated to understanding where Masai giraffes flourish, where they don’t, and why. Learn more about the critical conservation work done by WNI at Wild Nature Institute.

06/21/2026

Happy Father’s Day from the Sacramento Zoo!

Today is the day to celebrate the dad or father figure in your life, and thank them for all that they do!

And today isn’t just for the human dads, feathered ones get a shout out too!

Did you know that flamingos are devoted dads? Fathers also help raise chicks, and even help feed the baby by producing a red liquid called crop milk. This protein rich liquid is produced by both parents, and is given to the chicks before they know how to filter feed!

In the process of rearing, parents may actually begin to lose their feather color, while their chick starts to gain that iconic pink look!

Happy Father’s Day!

06/20/2026

Be here tomorrow to celebrate World Giraffe Day!

It's another Species in the Spotlight!

From 9 am to noon, we're celebrating everything giraffe with interactive activities, crafts, keeper chats, and an exclusive Glory the giraffe trading card!

We're also shining a spotlight on Wild Nature Institute, our conservation partner for giraffes!

All of these festivities are included with admission. You won't want to miss the fun!

06/18/2026

Today our veterinary and animal care teams worked together to perform an endoscopic procedure on our American alligator, Guinness.

Last Friday, a plush toy ended up in Guinness’ habitat. Guinness, exhibiting normal behaviors for an alligator, then ate the toy. Despite immediate efforts from our animal care team, Guinness did swallow the toy.

The plush is too large to pass naturally, and our veterinary team decided to use an endoscope to attempt to remove the plush. This procedure was done on habitat to reduce stress for Guinness during sedation.

Despite our veterinary team’s best efforts, the plush could not be removed today. Guinness will recover in a holding area near his habitat for a few days to prepare for another procedure to remove the plush. During this time, he will not be on habitat.


On this Veterinary Appreciation Day, we want to thank our veterinary staff for their diligent efforts today, and every day, to give our animals the best care possible.

We also want to note the danger of foreign items inside of our animals’ habitats. Please do not throw any objects or food into the habitats of our animals. If something does end up in one of our animals’ habitats, please notify the nearest staff member immediately. Please help us keep all of our animals safe and out of harm by preventing foreign objects or food from ending up in our animals’ habitats.

06/17/2026

Pollinators make the world go round! 🐝🦋

This Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm, stop by the zoo to learn all about the pollinators all around us at Pollinator Palooza! Learn about native pollinators, see live bees and bats, sample local honey, and learn from gardening experts!

Plus, try an exclusive pollinator menu at our Kampala Cafe, including hot honey flatbread pizza!

Kids ages 2-11 dressed as a pollinator save $2 off admission at the gate. This event is included with admission.

Come see what the BUZZ is about!

06/16/2026

Celebrate Father's Day at the zoo!

This Sunday, June 21, we're going all out for dad!

Enjoy a beer garden from 11 am to 2 pm, delicious root beer floats at our Savannah Snacks, and the first 100 guests get a #1 Dad sticker featuring resident father Elmo the mongoose lemur!

Access to our beer garden is included with standard admission. See you there!

Celebrate Father's Day at the zoo!

This Sunday, June 21, we're going all out for dad!

Enjoy a beer garden from 11 am to 2 pm, delicious root beer floats at our Savannah Snacks, and the first 500 guests get a #1 Dad sticker featuring resident father Elmo the mongoose lemur!

Access to our beer garden is included with standard admission. See you there!

06/16/2026

Are they hawks? Are they parrots? They're hawk-headed parrots!

Despite their hawkish head, these beautiful birds eat fruit, nuts, blossoms, and seeds like other parrots!

Another fun fact, these parrots mate for life! If you've ever heard whistling by our saki monkeys, you've likely met our two resident hawk-headed parrots, Bert and Dera!

06/15/2026

This past Friday the zoo hosted DreamNight, a free, exclusive night for chronically ill and disabled children and their families to enjoy the zoo!

Children got to enjoy the zoo, live musical performances, dinosaur puppets with movie-inspired vehicles, face painting, and a free plushies.

This annual event is a collaboration between the zoo and several other non-profits in the area.

We want to thank our sponsors CAPTRUST, Save Mart Cares Foundation, and the Sierra Health Foundation for making this event possible!