We genuinely welcome feedback and ideas about the future of the Zoo, and we're always open to thoughtful public input. That said, the first time we saw this proposal was this week in a newspaper opinion piece, and we do not consider this idea realistic. Anyone can come up with a fanciful plan and pretty pictures, but these images do not reflect the complexity or responsibility involved in caring for animals, conservation of species, and operating a major public institution.
An excellent free activity to take the kids to this month (once the rain dies down), as the San Francisco Zoo will offer free admission to kids 11 and under for the entire month of January. The pesky rainstorms that have characterized every single day of 2026 so far are expected to finally clear up and end sometime around midnight tonight. And then we are likely looking at dry weather for the rest of the week, and likely the weekend too.
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The newest member of San Francisco's Zoo gorilla troop made his official public debut on Wednesday. Cecil, a 26-year-old silverback western lowland gorilla, comes to San Francisco from the Louisville Zoo in Kentucky. Zoo keepers describe Cecil as even-tempered, sweet and laid back. This is the first time he will be leading a family troop and he is getting use to being around females.
Peterson even revealed the timeline, saying the pandas should arrive by the end of the year and if everything goes according to plan, the public could see them starting in April of 2026.
