Zoological Society of San Diego

In 1923, just seven years after the Zoological Society of San Diego convened for the first time, the San Diego Zoo opened its doors to the public. Despite early struggles with funding and animal acquisition, the San Diego Zoo is today one of the largest and most famous zoos in the world. It sits on 100 acres of land in Balboa Park, San Diego, and is home to more than 3,700 animals. In addition to a diverse animal community comprised of more than 800 species – including unique and endangered ones – the Zoo's botanical gardens also house more than 700,000 plants from around the world. These vast collections contribute to the embodiment of San Diego Zoo's longstanding mission: to generate, share, and apply scientific knowledge vital to the conservation of animals, plants, and habitats worldwide while helping shape the vision of San Diego Zoo Global to lead the fight against extinction. In addition to its Balboa Park-based zoo, San Diego Zoo Global operates conservation projects in 45 nations across the globe and employs several hundred people for laboratory and field research. The San Diego Zoo's work is guided by a firm belief in the power of education, research, and the human-animal connection to drive conservation efforts.