oakland zoo Archives - Animal Fact Guide

Oakland Zoo Welcomes New Tiger Rescue

Posted on September 1, 2026 by admin

Oakland Zoo welcomed a new female tiger named Sitara in July! Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Oakland Zoo in California welcomed a new female tiger in July! The new addition is named Sitara, which is Hindu for “star”.

Sitara was one of five tigers rescued by the zoo. These tigers were abandoned at a private facility, and they all had physical ailments like blindness, arthritis, or spinal disease.

Sitara was one of five tigers transferred to the Oakland Zoo for treatment. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

One of the tigers, seen here, was a white tiger who suffered from blindness. She was transferred to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge as her forever home after she was treated. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Oakland Zoo vets treated the tigers, then three of the tigers were transferred to other facilities for lifelong care. One of the tigers had health issues that were too extreme and had to be euthanized.

Sitara will stay on at Oakland Zoo as her permanent home. The Animal Care staff is training her so she learns how to navigate pools, a waterfall, raised platforms, grass, and vegetation in her new habitat. These are all features she’s never experienced before!

Sitara is adjusting to her new habitat at Oakland Zoo. Animal Care staff is training her how to navigate new features like pools and waterfalls. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Photo by Oakland Zoo.

For thirty years, Oakland Zoo has rescued big cats who have been impacted by private ownership and the commercial wildlife trade. They work with government agencies and other accredited organizations to provide care and forever homes to big cats who have been mistreated.

To learn more and to support Oakland Zoo’s efforts, see their website.

For more information about tigers, see our article, Siberian Tiger.

50th Bison Calf Born at Oakland Zoo!

Posted on June 29, 2026 by admin

Oakland Zoo welcomed the fourth bison calf of the season in June! The birth also marked a major milestone: the 50th bison calf born since the start of a program in 2016 to restore bison back to the wild. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Oakland Zoo welcomed an adorable baby bison earlier this month! Affectionately called a “red dog”, the calf sports a reddish-brown coat and is very playful.

This was the zoo’s fourth bison calf birth this season and the 50th bison birth since the start of Oakland Zoo’s partnership with Blackfeet Nation and Indigenous LED in 2016. The goal of the program is to restore bison to free-ranging herds roaming Blackfeet Territory and Glacier National Park in Montana.

Affectionately called “red dogs”, bison calves sport a reddish-brown coat when they’re born, and they’re very playful. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

In May, the program transported five zoo-born bison by trailer to a free-ranging herd in Montana. The additions to the herd will promote genetic diversity and will help bolster the population of bison in the wild.

The program transported five zoo-born bison by trailer in May to their natural habitat in Montana to join a free-ranging herd. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

In the early 1900s, American bison (also known as buffalo) nearly went extinct due to the surge of settlers moving west. Currently, bison numbers are improving but the populations still lack genetic diversity. The partnership of Oakland Zoo, Blackfeet Nation, and Indigenous LED aims to address that issue with captive breeding.

“With the birth of its 50th calf, the Oakland Zoo is helping bring home far more than buffalo to the Blackfeet Nation. Together, we are restoring threads that were once severed—between people and place, culture and identity, memory and future—showing what becomes possible when restoration is rooted in relationship,” says Cristina Mormorunni, Executive Director of Indigenous LED.

Bison calf and mama. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

The bison calf will eventually join a free-ranging herd in Montana. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

To learn more about the bison restoration project, see the Oakland Zoo website and the Indigenous LED website.

For more information about bison, see our article, American Bison.

New Giraffe at Oakland Zoo

Posted on June 22, 2026 by admin

Meet Joann the giraffe, the newest member of the giraffe herd at Oakland Zoo. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Say hello to Joann the giraffe, the newest member of the giraffe herd at Oakland Zoo! Joann is two years old, and she just moved to Oakland Zoo from The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in April.

When she first arrived, she was introduced to Maggie, a 14-year-old resident giraffe to help her get acclimated to her new habitat. The two giraffes stayed behind the scenes in the giraffe barn.

Joann was welcomed into the herd at Oakland Zoo. Here she is with fellow herdmate, Nuru. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

After a few weeks, Maggie led Joann out to introduce her to the rest of the herd. After smelling one another, Joann the herd began grazing and foraging together.

Joann is very sweet, and visitors can now see her with the rest of the giraffe herd in the habitat. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

“Joann is incredibly sweet and seeks out connections with the other giraffes and her new Animal Care Keepers. She is very brave, and her curiosity grows every day,” said Jessica Parke, Oakland Zoo Animal Care Keeper.

To learn more about Joann, see the Oakland Zoo website.

For more info about giraffes, see our article, Giraffe.

Oakland Zoo Cares for Rescued Mountain Lion Kitten

Posted on May 4, 2026 by admin

Crimson, an orphaned three-week-old mountain lion kitten, is under the care of Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital. Photo credit: Oakland Zoo.

Oakland Zoo took in a three-week-old mountain lion kitten, who was orphaned in southern California.

The baby mountain lion (or cougar), is named Crimson. Oakland Zoo Hospital staff is bottle-feeding him every three hours. He came into the zoo’s care with missing toes on his foot, so the animal care team is monitoring him to make sure he’s using his leg and foot properly.

Crimson is being bottle-fed by Oakland Zoo animal care staff every three hours. Photo credit: Oakland Zoo.

In the wild, mountain lion cubs need about 12-18 months with their mother to learn essential survival skills. Because Crimson is so young, he lacks the skills necessary to survive in the wild.

After he rehabilitates at the Veterinary Hospital, the zoo hopes to introduce Crimson to Clover, the female cub rescued by Oakland Zoo earlier this year. Mountain lion kittens tend to thrive with a companion. The zoo has used this strategy successfully with other rescues.

When Crimson successfully rehabilitates, he will be introduced to Clover, another rescued mountain lion cub being cared for by Oakland Zoo. Photo credit: Oakland Zoo.

Crimson is doing well, but he is at a delicate stage, and veterinary staff will monitor him closely as he grows. Photo credit: Oakland Zoo.

If you would like to support Oakland Zoo and their mountain lion rescue efforts, you can donate at their website.

To learn more about mountain lions, see our article: Cougar.

Baby Red-tailed Monkey at Oakland Zoo

Posted on April 13, 2026 by admin

A baby red-tailed monkey was born to mother, Nonami, at the Oakland Zoo in February. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Oakland Zoo in California welcomed a baby guenon red-tailed monkey in February! Born to mother, Nonami, and father, Marley, the male baby guenon is currently thriving under his mother’s care.

His birth marked a milestone at the zoo: the very first guenon monkey birth at Oakland Zoo!

Newborn red-tailed guenon monkey at Oakland Zoo.

The newborn, a male, is currently thriving under the care of his mother, as well as his sister, Ikea. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Nonami has also successfully given birth at her previous zoo to two females who now live at Oakland Zoo: Ikea and Skittles.

Nonami and her new baby have joined the rest of the troop in their habitat, and the baby’s sister, Ikea, has shown strong interest in her brother and wants to help Mom with grooming while Nonami supervises.

Photo by Oakland Zoo.

In the wild, red-tailed monkeys live in central Africa. They are very social and live in troops of 7-30 members.

For more information, see the Oakland Zoo website.

Oakland Zoo Rescues Female Mountain Lion Cub

Posted on March 30, 2026 by admin

Clover, the female mountain lion cub rescued by Oakland Zoo

Oakland Zoo helped rescue a 3-month-old female cougar cub earlier this month. Photo credit: Oakland Zoo.

Earlier this month, Oakland Zoo in California helped rescue a female mountain lion (or cougar) cub. She was found emaciated and wandering near a road. She is about three months old, based on her coloration and tooth development.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) performed initial veterinary exams on the cub and found her to be severely underweight, weighing less than half her ideal weight, and covered in ticks. They treated her for dehydration and tick infestation.

Clover received around-the-clock care at Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital. Photo credit: Oakland Zoo.

The cub, now named Clover, was then transferred to Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital. After further evaluation, zoo vets determined that Clover was in critical condition.

She received around-the-clock intensive care in the hospital’s ICU, including a blood transfusion using blood donated from a resident cougar at the zoo named Briar.

Briar, a resident cougar at Oakland Zoo, donated blood for Clover’s blood transfusion. Photo credit: Oakland Zoo.

Clover received a life-saving blood transfusion at Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital. Photo credit: Oakland Zoo.

Clover is doing better after receiving veterinary care, but zoo vets will monitor her closely. Photo credit: Oakland Zoo.

Although Clover is doing better, she is still being closely monitored by zoo veterinarians.

If you would like to help support Oakland Zoo and its Mountain Lion Rescue and Recovery Program, you can make a donation to Oakland Zoo online at www.oaklandzoo.org/give.

To learn more about mountain lions, see our article, Cougar.

Orphaned Cougar Cubs at Oakland Zoo

Posted on February 7, 2025 by admin

Orphaned cougar cubs cared for by Oakland Zoo.

These cougar cubs were brought to Oakland Zoo for care after their mother had been struck by a car. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Oakland Zoo in California is currently caring for three orphaned cougar (or mountain lion) cubs. The cubs were rescued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) after it was determined that the cubs’ mother had been hit by a car.

Residents in Portola Valley, California spotted the cubs wandering around their neighborhood. CDFW used trail cameras and local security cameras to monitor the area and ensure that their mother was the one who had been struck by a car two weeks prior.

The cubs arrived at Oakland Zoo thin, but otherwise healthy, after living without their mother for two weeks. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

The three mountain lion cubs are now named Fern (female), Thistle (male), and Spruce (male). They are three months old, and when they arrived at the zoo, they were thin but otherwise healthy.

Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Oakland Zoo veterinary staff doing an exam on a cougar cub

Veterinary staff at Oakland Zoo conducted exams on the three cubs. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

The cubs will not be able to be released back to the wild because normally cubs spend two years with their mother learning survival and hunting skills. They will instead be placed in an appropriate institution after their rehabilitation at Oakland Zoo.

This rescue marks the 30th mountain lion rescue for Oakland Zoo.

To learn more about the rescued cubs, visit the Oakland Zoo website.

For more information about cougars, see our article, Cougar.

Rescued Baby Spider Monkey at Oakland Zoo

Posted on January 3, 2025 by admin

Rescued baby spider monkey in care of Oakland Zoo

This baby spider monkey, rescued from the illegal wildlife pet trade, is now in the care of Oakland Zoo. Photo credit: Oakland Zoo.

On New Year’s Eve, Oakland Zoo was contacted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to assist in rescue of a female baby spider monkey.

The spider monkey was a victim of the illegal wildlife pet trade. She arrived at the zoo’s veterinary hospital malnourished, with an abnormal coat and skin, and suffering from an upper respiratory infection.

The spider monkey is currently receiving veterinary care and enrichment. Photo credit: Oakland Zoo.

The zoo estimates her age to be about five to six months. She is being kept off-exhibit in a humidified room to help with her respiratory infection. Veterinary staff are giving her fluids and running tests on her bones and skin.

After the spider monkey has fully recovered, Oakland Zoo will work with CDFW and the Wildlife Confiscation Network (WCN) to find her an appropriate home in an accredited zoo or sanctuary, where she can grow up as normally as possible in a troop of other spider monkeys.

Learn more about the baby spider monkey at the Oakland Zoo website.

About Monkeys as Pets

Exotic animals, like spider monkeys, do not make good pets. Even if people have the best intentions, they simply cannot provide the care necessary for a monkey. Often, pet monkeys suffer from chronic stress, malnutrition, and other health issues.

Furthermore, baby spider monkeys are often poached from the wild and don’t make it past their first birthday.

Learn more at NotAPet.net.

PHOTOS: New Giraffe Addition to Oakland Zoo

Posted on May 13, 2024 by admin

New giraffe at Oakland Zoo. Credit: Oakland Zoo.

A new 13-month giraffe arrived at the Oakland Zoo. Photo credit: Oakland Zoo.

The Oakland Zoo welcomed a new addition to their reticulated giraffe herd. A 13-month old male giraffe, from Audobon Nature Institute in Louisiana, traveled to California in a specially-designed carrier to accommodate his 10-foot height.

Giraffe in specially-designed carrier. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

The giraffe traveled from Louisiana to California in a specially-designed carrier to accommodate his 10-foot height. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

The new giraffe is getting comfortable in his new home, and the zoo has provided different forms of enrichment, bedding, and plants to eat to see what he prefers. He is getting used to the sights, sounds, and smells of the other giraffes in the herd through a fence for now. When the animal care team thinks he’s ready, he will join his herdmates in the African Savanna giraffe habitat.

Giraffe at Oakland Zoo. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

The giraffe is getting comfortable in his new home. When the animal care team thinks he’s ready, he will join his herdmates in the African Savanna giraffe habitat. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

The Oakland Zoo supports the Reticulated Giraffe Project, which aims to learn more about and conserve reticulated giraffe populations in the wild. The reticulated giraffe population has declined by 50% in the past 35 years, and they are considered endangered by the IUCN Redlist. To learn more about Oakland Zoo’s conservation efforts, visit their website.

To learn more about giraffes, see our Giraffe page.