San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park

The Wild Animal Park is an accredited botanical garden. Its world-renowned collection represents 3,500 species and 1.5 million specimens. Garden areas include Baja, Old World Succulent, Chandler Herb, Nativescapes, Protea, Compost, and Water Wise gardens; Bonsai Pavilion, Conifer Forest, and Epiphyllum House. Park at Dark June 21  Sept. 1, 2008 The Wild Animal Parks extended summer hours program gives guests an opportunity to remain on grounds until 9 p.m. As daylight dwindles, the Park is transformed into a nocturnal experience. Features include sunset and nighttime Journey into Africa tours, unique summer entertainment, up-close animal encounters, outdoor dining and shopping. Festival of Lights Dec. 7-23 & 26-30, 2008 More than 100,000 multi-colored lights, up-close animal encounters, and glimmering animal light sculptures delight visitors each year. Holiday-themed entertainment, including Santa, as well as holiday crafts, shopping and a snow hill for children are also offered. Originally developed for the purpose of creating sustainable populations of endangered species, the Wild Animal Park is recognized around the world for its successes in breeding rare species. Part of its ongoing work with endangered species includes the efforts of scientists based at the Beckman Center for Conservation Research, located on grounds at the Park, as well as field programs around the world. More than half of the park has been set aside as protected native species habitat.

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The San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park released its newest Indian rhinoceros onto its Asian Plains Exhibit on Monday. The calf, Kaya, kept close to her mother, Goalpara, while exploring sections the 35-acre habitat.

The calf trotted and ran along side her mother as she walked up and down hills, sought out water and food supplies in the area, and was given a brief introduction to several other Indian rhinos. The mother also showed Kaya into one of the water holes where the 300-pound calf had her first swimming experience.

"I haven’t seen a calf as young as Kaya get that deep into a watering hole," said Andy Blue, Animal Care Manager for the Wild Animal Park.

"She took right to it and swam around her mother and back to the shallow end where she could stand."

Kaya, whose name means "immense joy" in the Pali dialect of Asia, is the 10th calf for Goalpara and is the 56th Indian rhino born at the Wild Animal Park. The Park leads the world in captive reproduction of rhinos. Three of Kaya's siblings also live with her in the Asian Plains exhibit at the Park.

Indian rhinos have one horn, a prehensile lip and are often described as armor-plated because of the extra layers and folds of skin that surround their body. This species is also known as the greater one-horned rhino and are native to swampy areas of Northeast India and Nepal. This rhino species is endangered due to poaching.

Visitors to the Park can see Kaya, Goalpara and the 10 other Indian rhinos in the Asian Plains exhibit by taking a Photo Caravan tour, a Savanna Safari, or the Rolling Safari Tour.

The 1,800-acre San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park (more than half of which has been set aside as protected native species habitat) is operated by the not-for-profit Zoological Society of San Diego. The Zoological Society, dedicated to the conservation of endangered species and their habitats, engages in conservation and research work around the globe and is responsible for maintaining accredited horticultural, animal, library, and photo collections. The Zoological Society also manages the 100-acre San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo's Beckman Center for Conservation Research. The important conservation and science work of these entities is supported in part by the Foundation for the Zoological Society of San Diego.

San Diego Zoo guests got an extra thrill Tuesday, August 19, as a female Masai giraffe gave birth to a baby girl while on exhibit. The baby, as yet unnamed, weighed in at 145 pounds, and stood at 62 inches tall by Wednesday morning when veterinary staff did an exam.

Both baby and mom are doing well after a two-hour labor. One hour after her birth at 2:45 p.m., the baby was nursing and drawing oooohs and aaahs from guests.

"Abby, the mom, is very experienced," said Ann Alfama, lead keeper at the San Diego Zoo. "She and the baby are in the nursery area and they are slowly being introduced to the rest of the giraffe herd."

The nursery area is a side yard to the exhibit that allows the mom and her baby to bond without concerns. The area is still visible to the public, so guests get a chance to see the days-old calf.

Masai giraffes are one of several of giraffe subspecies, and are native to the savannas of East Africa. Giraffes are the tallest land mammal and males can reach up to 18 feet tall. Females generally reach 14 feet.

The 100-acre San Diego Zoo is operated by the not-for-profit Zoological Society of San Diego. The Zoological Society, dedicated to the conservation of endangered species and their habitats, engages in conservation and research work around the globe and is responsible for maintaining accredited horticultural, animal, library, and photo collections. The Zoological Society also manages the 1,800-acre San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park (more than half of which has been set aside as protected native species habitat) and the San Diego Zoo's Beckman Center for Conservation Research. The important conservation and science work of these entities is supported in part by the Foundation for the Zoological Society of San Diego.

Three Przewalski's (PREZ-val-skee) horse foals kicked up their hooves making a grand entrance at the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park on Friday. 

The Wild Animal Park currently houses 17 of these critically endangered horses, including the new additions, born Aug. 3, July 22 and July 19. Two more babies are expected soon. Foals are born after an 11-month pregnancy. Approximately 30 minutes after birth the babies must be on their legs and able to move with the herd.

Since 1974, 138 Przewalski's horses have been born at the Park. The first pair arrived in 1970, leading the way to a successful breeding program that has allowed the Park to participate in a reintroduction program in Kazakstan. The Przewalski's horse is an endangered species that at one time became extinct in the wild, but with reproduction and reintroduction programs, zoos and other conservation organizations have maintained this species. 

The Przewalski's horse, originally found in Asia, was once considered to be the only true wild horse in existence. A research project being conducted by San Diego Zoo Conservation Research scientists may shed light on the genetic background of this species and its true origins.

The 1,800-acre San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park (more than half of which has been set aside as protected native species habitat) is operated by the not-for-profit Zoological Society of San Diego.  The Zoological Society, dedicated to the conservation of endangered species and their habitats, engages in conservation and research work around the globe and is responsible for maintaining accredited horticultural, animal, library, and photo collections.  The Zoological Society also manages the 100-acre San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo’s Beckman Center for Conservation Research.  The important conservation and science work of these entities is supported in part by the Foundation for the Zoological Society of San Diego.
 

Photo taken Aug. 8, 2008, by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park.