Recent Births and Hatchings Offer Guests Rare Opportunities to Learn About Little-known Species—and Celebrate “Mother’s Day” Every Day
SAN DIEGO (May 11, 2023) – From Arabian oryx to Nubian ibex, and spotted turtles to Amur leopard cubs, the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are brimming with babies! Every day is “Mother’s Day” and “Babies’ Day,” as a spring baby boom is now providing guests at both the Zoo and Safari Park with remarkable opportunities to see and learn about amazing young wildlife—including an okapi calf, a Matschie’s tree kangaroo joey and a Przewalski’s horse foal at the Safari Park; and Andean bear cubs, Lord Howe Island stick insects and Fijian iguanas at the Zoo.
Babies are always delightful—cute and fun to watch grow—but more importantly, these wildlife youngsters serve as ambassadors for their species. Seeing a baby animal up close provides guests a unique opportunity to connect with them, with the hope that each visitor gains a greater appreciation for the species, and the urgent need to conserve and protect wildlife and native habitats.
The San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, as members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), participate in the AZA Species Survival Plan (SSP) to maintain healthy, genetically diverse assurance populations of many threatened and endangered species.
Guests visiting the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park can see the newest generation of young wildlife and their doting mothers, while also enjoying special events and activities.
At the San Diego Zoo
Nighttime Zoo May 26-Sept. 4
The San Diego Zoo’s annual after-dark extravaganza—Nighttime Zoo—offers guests live music, entertainment, special events and more while learning more about wildlife from an unusual nighttime perspective.
This summer, two dazzling events will light up the night. “Call of the Night”—a 12-minute symphony of live music, lasers, moving lights, rhythmic acrobats, fog and bubbles—will be presented nightly at Hua Mei Plaza; and “Jambo Dunia!,” a 15 -minute spectacular celebrating Africa along Front Street, will be led by the Zoo’s musical act, Chameleons, and showcase festive pageantry with giant, handcrafted puppets.
At the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Journey into the Wild – all new!
Join the Safari Park’s wildlife care specialists at an all-new conservation presentation—making its debut this month—highlighting a variety of wildlife ambassadors! Species will vary each day and represent San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s conservation work in South America (Amazonia) and right here in our own backyard in the Southwest. Journey into the Wild takes place daily at 2 p.m., at Benbough Amphitheater.
Safari Experiences
All summer long, guests at the Safari Park can experience up-close wildlife encounters, entertainment, culinary delights and more, making memories that last a lifetime. For guests looking to upgrade their visit, the Safari Park offers memory-making Safari Experiences, including:
A Behind-the-Scenes Safari, allowing guests to venture deep into the Safari Park, get a closer look at their favorite wildlife and meet the wildlife care specialists who care for them.
A Wildlife Safari is a great way to see antelope, giraffes, rhinos and more from the comfort of a covered, open-air safari truck, and journey into our African savanna habitats with an expert guide.
The Flightline Safari is an exciting zip line adventure, allowing guests to soar like a condor over the Safari Park. Riders travel more than two-thirds of a mile over the Asian and African savanna habitats, above exotic wildlife including wildebeest and antelope.
Roar & Snore Safari is an overnight tent-camping experience in a scenic location that overlooks the East Africa savanna habitat—the Safari Park’s largest—inhabited by giraffes, rhinos, and more.
The Sun Up Cheetah Safari gives visitors a chance to witness the fastest animals on land doing what they do best, before the Safari Park opens. Safari guests take an early morning expedition with an experienced guide and enjoy the remarkable sights and sounds as a new day begins.
With every visit to the Zoo and Safari Park this summer, guests become allies for wildlife. With every admission ticket, and each time guests purchase an item or share what they have learned about wildlife and conservation, they help San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance take another step in achieving its mission of saving animals and plants worldwide, and creating a world where all life thrives.
