Santa Barbara Zoo

Opened in 1963 on 30 acres in Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Zoo is dedicated to the preservation, conservation, and enhancement of the natural world and its living treasures through education, research, and recreation. The zoo's most popular residents include penguins, elephants, anteaters, gorillas, a pair of rare snow leopards, and a flock of native California condors. The Santa Barbara Zoo participates in the Species Survival Plan, which is a cooperative conservation program that aims to maintain genetic diversity and helps to guard endangered species against extinction.