Santa Ana Zoo

History

Joseph Edward Prentice bought the 19.23 acre site. He donated 16 acre to the city of Santa Ana in 1949 and stipulated that the zoo have at least fifty monkeys at all times. Construction of the zoo began that year, It regained accreditation in 2025.

Exhibits

Tierra De Las Pampas

In April 2010, Santa Ana Zoo opened Tierra de las Pampas or "Land of the Grasses." It was the first in a series of new exhibits that covers 2 acre. Tierra de las Pampas houses giant anteaters in one exhibit, and greater rheas and guanacos in another, with a visitor footpath located in between them.

River's Edge

On December 20, 2025, the exhibit opened to the public as an expansion and reimagining of the former "Amazon's Edge" exhibit (1993-2022). At the time of its opening, River's Edge features habitats for howler monkeys, spider monkeys, tamarins, and (temporarily) Asian small-clawed otters.https://www.ocregister.com/2025/12/20/santa-ana-zoo-unveils-rivers-edge-a-new-immersive-multi-species-exhibit/

Rainforest Exhibit

The Rainforest Exhibit is a small exhibit that represents the Amazon, such as white-faced saki monkeys and green iguanas.

Colors of the Amazon Aviary

The 9,000 sqft Colors of the Amazon Aviary opened on August 1, 1996. This walk-through aviary displays a variety of South American birds in a lushly planted habitat with meandering streams.

Crean Family Farm

Crean Family Farm opened to the public in July 2004 and focuses on rare breeds of domesticated animals. The centerpiece of the complex is a two-story red barn which houses animals like pigs and an education space.

Ocelot Habitat and Education Center

The zoo's ocelot complex is home to a breeding pair of Brazilian ocelots located in two linked habitats. Interactive picnic tables let guests discover the special adaptations unique to ocelots.

List of animals

Mammals (including Primates)

• Black-and-white ruffed lemur
• Pygmy marmoset
• Silver langur
• White-handed gibbon
• Ring-tailed lemur
• Golden lion tamarin
• Black-and-white colobus
• Cotton-top tamarin
• Emperor tamarin
• Golden-headed lion tamarin
• Red-handed tamarin
• Dusky titi monkey
• White-faced saki
• Black howler monkey
• Black-handed spider monkey
• Crested capuchin
• Brown capuchin
• Owl monkey
• Giant anteater
• Cape porcupine
• Asian small-clawed otter
• Binturong
• Ocelot
• Guanaco

Birds

• Black-necked swan
• Grey-cowled wood rail
• Great horned owl
• Trumpeter hornbill
• Crested screamer
• Sunbittern
• Barn owl
• Blue-and-yellow macaw
• Scarlet ibis
• Swainson's hawk
• Double yellow-headed amazon
• Striated heron
• Bald eagle
• Greater rhea
• Troupial
• Blue-crowned motmot
• White-bellied caique
• White-faced whistling duck

Reptiles

• Boa constrictor
• Green iguana
• Slider turtle

Amphibians

• Golden poison dart frog

Invertebrates

• Goliath birdeater tarantula
• Tropical centipede
• Giant cave cockroach

Other attractions

One of the most popular attractions at the Santa Ana Zoo is the Zoofari Express children's train. There are two engines: 1030 and 1036. Both are 14 gauge, 4-4-4 configuration locomotives.

The original 1030 engine was constructed in 1954 by the Hurlbut Amusement Company of Buena Park. Engine 1030 was originally installed at Santa's Village in Sky Forest, California. It operated there continuously for 44 years. When Santa's Village closed in 1998, the Friends of Santa Ana Zoo purchased the entire train and 660 ft of original track. The train was then restored by volunteers from Mater Dei High School with the help of Bud Hurlbut. The restored train opened at the Santa Ana Zoo in the spring of 1999. The track length was expanded to 1850 ft. Engine 1030 was gas-powered, but in 2006 it was converted to electric power.

Engine 1036 is a new electric-powered locomotive that was installed in 2005, along with new passenger cars.

The zoo also features a Conservation Carousel with a 33 animal line-up including the giraffe, giant panda, African elephant, cheetah, hummingbird, gorilla, bald eagle, jaguar, zebra, Bengal tiger, otter, panther, seal, sea dragon and a custom-made anteater. The carousel also features a wheelchair-accessible Studded Leather Swan Chariot.

Incidents

In July 2018, Aquinas Kasbar broke into the enclosure for lemurs and capuchin monkeys and stole Isaac, the oldest living ring-tailed lemur in captivity at the time, to keep as a pet. He left the animal, unharmed, outside a Newport Beach hotel the next day with notes identifying him & instructing he be returned to the zoo. In July 2019 Kasbar pleaded guilty in federal court to unlawfully taking an endangered species and U.S. District Judge Andrew Guilford sentenced him to three months in prison, run concurrently with a state sentence for a series of residential burglaries.

Visitor information

The Santa Ana Zoo is located at 1801 East Chestnut Avenue in Santa Ana, California.

The zoo is open daily, except for Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Thanksgiving Day . The hours of operation are 10:00 am to 4:00 pm daily but guests may remain in the zoo until 5:00 pm year round.

References

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References

1. San Román, Gabriel. (2022-12-15). "The Santa Ana Zoo has a monkey problem: Not enough of them".
2. San Román, Gabriel. (2025-09-27). "Santa Ana Zoo regains accreditation as new monkey habitats near completion".
3. "Zoofari Express Engine #1036," Flickr Web site (https://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineeringmyway/5382073623/), Retrieved 8-13-2011.