Santa Barbara Zoo

Santa Barbara Zoo Come see the amazing animals and learn about conservation at the Santa Barbara Zoo! Santa Barbara Zoo welcomes dialogue with the public.
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Experts say regular meditation can reduce anxiety and promote a general sense of calm. Just look at how at peace Xiao th...
08/30/2026

Experts say regular meditation can reduce anxiety and promote a general sense of calm. Just look at how at peace Xiao the Chinese alligator looks while sunbathing! 😌🐊

1st 📸: Zoological Manager Liz
2nd 📸: Animal Care Supervisor Ariel

Alt-text: First, we see a high-angle video clip of Xiao the Chinese alligator taking in the Santa Barbara sunshine peacefully as water flows into her pool. Next, we get a close-up portrait of Xiao sporting an open-mouthed alligator smile.

Light as a feather! 🪶🐦📸: Senior Keeper, Animal Experiences EllieAlt-text: Photos of a Luzon bleeding heart dove perched ...
08/29/2026

Light as a feather! 🪶🐦

📸: Senior Keeper, Animal Experiences Ellie

Alt-text: Photos of a Luzon bleeding heart dove perched incredibly on a single horizontal feather in the Wings of Asia aviary.

08/28/2026

The members of the California Tales Crew can't wait to see you this fall! 🍂🐢

🎭 Catch the California Tales Crew on the Rolling Hills Stage every weekend, holiday, and school break at 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM, and 2:00 PM.

🥾 The Conservation Hub and Ranger Station are open for exploring every day from 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM.

All Theater Gone Wild shows, the Conservation Hub, and the Ranger Station are included in your Zoo admission!

Alt-text: Santino the desert tortoise puppet, sporting an orange bandana, rests on a wooden bench and Rikki the raven puppet, fashionably wearing a purple bandana, perches above him on a tree stump as they introduce the new fall show schedule!

Please take a moment to compliment Lacey's hat. She's worked so hard on it! 👒Sonoran gopher snakes like Lacey use their ...
08/28/2026

Please take a moment to compliment Lacey's hat. She's worked so hard on it! 👒

Sonoran gopher snakes like Lacey use their noses to burrow into holes made by other creatures, such as gophers, in search of their next meal. This can end up with them sporting a great new accessory. It's not just fashion, it's function too!

📸: Animal Care Supervisor Cassie

Alt-text: Lacey the Sonoran gopher snake glances with one eye towards the lens as she shows off the substrate on top of her head which is formed into a hat-like structure.

08/27/2026

Nature’s cleanup crew is on the job! 🫡🎣🗑️

Celebrate International Vulture Awareness Day at the Zoo on Saturday, September 5 from 10 AM to 2 PM!

We’re hosting fun and interactive games while teaching you all about “nature's cleanup crew!” Learn fun facts about local vulture species, including the Zoo's California condor and turkey vulture (who'll receive special enrichment), as well as several species of African vultures that are a part of the AZA’s African Vulture SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) conservation program.

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘡𝘰𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱.

Alt-text: In this video clip, Veronica the turkey vulture drags away a fresh catch: A large salmon enrichment dinner!

08/26/2026

Did you know that our resident male Masai giraffe Theo is a magician?! 🎩🪄🦒

Watch him make this browse ✨𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳!✨

📸: Animal Care Supervisor Ariel

Alt-text: Theo the Masai giraffe inhales a whole branch full of green leaves, leaving nothing but thin air as evidence of his meal in this short reel.

We're not sure who enjoyed PRIDE Family Day at the Zoo more: Us or the animals! 🎉Animals across the Zoo joined in on the...
08/24/2026

We're not sure who enjoyed PRIDE Family Day at the Zoo more: Us or the animals! 🎉

Animals across the Zoo joined in on the festivities with ribbons, window decor, and handmade treats from keepers. Enrichment helps keep our animals' minds curious and active, and it looks a little different for everyone!

For our highly visual penguins like Pepper, that means colorful designs on their window to check out and interact with. Other animals dug into colorful ice cakes, perfect for a hot day and just tricky enough for them to think about how to get to the treat inside. Even Eugene the woma python got in on the action by experiencing a brand new combination of textures to slither across outside Tropical Wonders.

Our keepers had lots of fun dreaming up new ways to make the day extra special for the animals in their care!

1st 📸: Keeper Addy
2nd 📸: Zoological Manager Amy
3rd 📸: Keeper Kelli

Alt-text: A carousel of 3 photos from PRIDE Family Day at the Zoo! In the first, Pepper the Humboldt penguin dives underneath a rainbow painted on the outside of the pool window. The second photo shows an ice cake with purple, pink, and orange layers adorned with edible flowers. Finally, Eugene the woma python rests on a rainbow colored ribbon wrapped around a roped perch.

08/22/2026

Hanging out at the Zoo today? You’re not the only one! 😸💤🐆

The Zoo closes early today, Saturday, August 22 at 3:30 PM as we prepare for our annual Zoofari Ball. Last entry will be at 2:30 PM, so be sure to visit early to make the most of your Zoo day!

Alt-text: Tamur the Amur leopard gently rocks in a hammock in his habitat at the Zoo as he takes a blissful catnap.

08/22/2026

An update from Vice President of Animal Care & Health Dr. Julie Barnes on Antonio the capybara: Antonio is undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma, a rare type of blood cancer that originates in the plasma cells of the bone marrow.

Antonio’s current condition is stable, and while his prognosis is guarded, the Zoo’s dedicated animal care and veterinary teams are working tirelessly to provide the 4-year-old capybara with the excellent care he needs to have the best chance for achieving remission.

Alt-text: A video featuring Vice President of Animal Care & Health Dr. Julie Barnes as she sits in front of a CT scanner in the Zoo’s veterinary hospital as she discusses Antonio the capybara’s condition.

08/20/2026

Squeaky clean! 😊🧼

Western grey kangaroos groom themselves and one another regularly. Not only is this behavior a good hygiene practice, but it also helps kangaroos reinforce their social bonds.

📸: Keeper Brooke

Alt-text: While one western grey kangaroo lies on its side, another stand behind it and grooms the back of its ear with its tongue like a house cat.

Address

500 Ninos Drive
Santa Barbara, CA
93103

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 7pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 7pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 7pm
Thursday 9:30am - 7pm
Friday 9:30am - 7pm
Saturday 9:30am - 7pm
Sunday 9:30am - 7pm

Telephone

+18059625339

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