Safari West

09/06/2026

Identity crisis? Maybe.

Kemiri, our aoudad, was raised alongside our female kudu, who have earned a reputation for being incredible surrogate moms to babies of all kinds. Even when she's not with the kudu herd, she's usually on her way to find them. She may think she's a kudu, but old aoudad habits die hard. 😂

🎥: Lori

09/05/2026

🖤Happy International Vulture Awareness Day!

Often misunderstood and seriously underappreciated, vultures play an incredibly important role in healthy ecosystems. As nature’s clean-up crew, they help remove animal remains from the environment and keep nutrients moving through the ecosystem.

Today, we’re shining the spotlight on one of the most fascinating vultures around: our Hooded Vultures! 🖤

Get to know these remarkable birds and learn more about what makes them so special in this YouTube video!

🎥 Video courtesy of Jungle Jordan

For the first time ever, I got to meet a Hooded Vulture! In this ...

09/04/2026

And that’s a wrap on the Zookeeper Tattoos series!

For Part 3, we’re finishing out the series with even more tattoos, stories, and animals that have left a lasting mark on the keepers who care for them.

One thing I loved about this series is seeing how many of these tattoos represent real relationships and unforgettable experiences with animals. Being a zookeeper is so much more than a job. These animals become a part of your life.

Huge thank you to the Safari West keepers for letting me hear your stories and share a little piece of your world!

Which tattoo was your favorite from all 3 parts?

09/03/2026

✨ Celebrate Our Stars ✨

An evening of remarkable animals and unforgettable stories, including stories like today's successful follow-up procedure for Zeyna's shoes!

Adventure awaits at Safari West as you explore the preserve, enjoy wine and refreshments, experience special animal encounters and small-group adventures, then gather for a chef-prepared dinner and an evening of stories, auctions, and celebration.

VIP guests can take the experience even further with an intimate afternoon gathering in the founders’ original home, featuring food, wine, and a special animal encounter.

🎟️ Tickets are on sale now.

https://zs.safariwest.org/celebrate-our-stars/

Come celebrate the stars of Safari West. 🦒✨

Video of Zeyna (left) and Safiri (right), taken by Tammy.

09/03/2026

Here’s a sneak peek of our episode with Co-Founder, Nancy Lang! Subscribe now so you don’t miss out on the behind-the-scene stories from Safari West Zoological Society!

You can find us on:
YouTube: youTube.com/
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-hill-and-beyond-safari-west/id6803697823
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NdsCBZ7eASeTcPlltA4cz
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d982f762-4aff-4c12-8895-f8a08269f587
iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1333-the-hill-and-beyond-safar-341272376

09/02/2026

The tattoos keep getting better. 🐾🖤

For Part 2 of my Best Zookeeper Tattoos series, we’re getting into the stories behind some of these tattoos and the animals that inspired them.

Some keepers even got tattooed together as a way to celebrate the animals they worked with and the connections they built along the way. Because when you spend so much of your life caring for an animal, that bond can stay with you long after the shift is over. ❤️

Part 2 of 3. Which tattoo is your favorite so far?

09/02/2026

“A little update on Zeyna, our little giraffe heifer who had shoes put on two months ago.

We are going to be taking her shoes off on Thursday under general anesthesia. The plan is to see how she does without them. We’d like her to be able to go a period of time without needing them. However, we do suspect she may need them put on again and may need them long term.

Putting a giraffe under general anesthesia is a complex procedure and it does not come without risk. Luckily we have a great team assembled including our vet team, veterinarians from San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and exotic hoofcare specialists from ZHTP. We are hoping her procedure goes smoothly, and we will provide updates once her shoes are off.”

— Dr. Emily

09/01/2026

🐒💚 A little more room to monkey around!

In celebration of International Primate Day, we’re sharing a recent milestone for our De Brazza’s monkeys, Meeka and Mojo — their introduction to their beautiful, newly expanded habitat!

Their new space doubles the size of their existing habitat and was designed to be more dynamic and customized to their needs, giving them even more room to explore, climb, and enjoy.

Meeka and Mojo have been keeping a very close eye on the whole process. 👀 They’ve had a front-row seat as our Maintenance and Landscaping teams brought this vision to life, serving as the ultimate supervisors and inspectors along the way.

When it was finally time to enter their expanded space, they were understandably a little hesitant… but it didn’t take them long to get comfortable!

And the work isn’t over yet! Once Meeka and Mojo are fully settled into their new space, our team will be renovating and redecorating their original habitat as well.

We’re so excited to watch Meeka and Mojo enjoy their new surroundings and make this space their own!

📸 Veronica, Margo & Kat

08/31/2026

Zookeepers have tattoos too! 🐘🦁🦒

I asked some of the Safari West keepers to show me their favorite tattoos and share the stories behind them. From animals to personal memories, every tattoo has a story.

This is Part 1 of 3, so there are plenty more keeper tattoos to see!

Which one is your favorite?

08/30/2026

🦒 Ever wondered why giraffes have such long tongues... or what those fuzzy ossicones are for?

Lead Giraffe Keeper Ellie is answering a couple of your giraffe questions and sharing some fascinating facts about these incredible animals.