After a long hiatus from visiting the Zoo, our recent visit was a major disappointment Far too many exhibits are closed. It looks like a ghost town. My 7 year old was very disappointed that the exhibit with the anaconda was closed. There were no other snakes... which is his primary interest. Only two exhibits truly have merit: the grizzly exhibit and the first exhibit you see upon entry with the giraffes. The playground needs major upgrades.

This zoo like any other is horrible. No animal of any kind doesn't want to be in a cage

I first visited the zoo in 1977 - and it was disappointing then. When I re-visited it in Sept. 2008 - evern more disappointing!!! I can't belive how the animals conditions are - very sad. Why isn't something being done about it - any animal activist group - screaming for change and animal welfare???

we have been to many american and british zoos and this was the saddest experience we have had. You could have fit the animals they have in a zoo a quarter of the size! Empty enclosures everywhere and a lot of the animals where old which isnt a problem but you could tell by the rest of the zoo they wouldn't be replaced. Another sad thing was the amount of cages with one of the species, this wa perhaps the saddest thing! on the way out I flicked through a History of the zoo book and saw that 10 to 20 years ago this would have been a great zoo with many photos of animals they didn't exhibit now. So I had to speak to somebody to ask questions and was told that a lot of the zoo wasnt disabled friendly so these areas had to be shut until it was sorted. I was also told that the last of the hippos had been put to sleep due to old age.

SF Zoo has been at best a 2nd rate zoo ever since I visited there in the 1970's. It has gotten a lot WORSE. Yes there are a few new exhibits, but most of the animals live in torture cages! I have visited at least 50 different zoos worldwide, and noting is as sad as the SF Zoo. In my opinion, the antiquated cages amount to animal abuse! Now the city of SF is going to convert it into an "animal sanctuary"?? Are they going to put abused animals in these cages and thereby abuse them even more?? Go to San Diego and Escodido: those a real zoos that know what they are doing, not incompetent animal abusers!

I enjoy visiting the zoo whenever I can. Recently remodeled, there are many new exibits including a grizzy bear pair, and a new african exibit. a path takes you through and around the african pen where there are a mix of animals, including a new baby giraffe. There is also a petting zoo where you can feed barn yard animals, an insect zoo, a merkat manor exibit, as well as lions, tigers and bears, oh my. (and hippos, penguins, aligators... and the peacocks are free range!)

Many of the animals I saw looked awful, and most of their living spaces looked way to small. I was very sad having seen animals look like that.

I went to the San Francisco Zoo in August 2007 with my family. I felt it was one of the best zoos I had visited--probably top 3. And it's competing with the likes of over 15 AZA-accredited zoos, including the World Famous Sand Diego Zoo and the National Zoo. Like others said, there is a bit of construction going on and some empty exhibits. But the construction is defintely permissable if it's going to produce a wonderful exhibit like the newly-constructed African Savanna exhibit (which is beautifully designed so that you don't even notice the barriers that keep you a safe distance away from the zebras, gazelles, ostriches, and giraffes). The new grizzly bear exhibit allows you to get right up against the safety glass with the bears. I have great photos from the many modern exhibits. Also, the signs around the zoo were very clear and informative without being boring. I would not let the recent tragic attack stop me from going to this wonderful zoo. The tiger exhibit was the oldest of the park (over 65 years old), and almost all exhibits in the park are newly remodeled or under construction. That's a great sign for the future of the zoo. I can't wait to visit the zoo in 2008 when the new exhibits are finished!

I used to go there as a child and young adult . It was much better then than it is now . There are no more seals in the pool that they used to swim in and the exibits by that one are also empty . Quite a few of the cages might have a bird or two in them and they are all overgrown with folige . No elephants where Penny used to be , a lot of empty spots . There used to be a great Childrens Zoo where we could pet animals and there was a castle and fairyland place that is all gone now . There were also old round bar swings and cable cars , all are gone . It just seems as if the environmentalists got to it and ruined it . It costs a lot to get in but I do understand that they need to pay the help and the animals need to eat , so........... I guess I didn't mind too much . It isn't like I really want to go again . It is too bad that they ruined it and then all the garbage about how the loggers are responsible for ruining the land and destroying everything on the signs by the gorillas . The enviros are just brainwashing the kids and the city people . Too bad. And then they had to cover in the old pool to make a dumb parking lot . There is a lot of parking around the zoo on the streets but even that has changed . Now some of the entrances are closed that I remember going in before . It just doesn't seem as if they are as busy as they used to be .

When i was little I went and Had the Time of My life...I have pictures of me and my brother laughing and having a good time. Ten years later. We went back and it wasn't what i expected =/ when we got it was ok but after walking around for 5 minutes I knew I wasn't the fun place i had once went to. They don't maintain their exhibits every well. their were wild plants growing everywhere and you can tell they didn't belong there. They had many empty exhibits and it was sad because the exhibits looked dead. the only really appealing part was the petting zoo but like someone said you can find those anywhere. i really wish they could resort the place like it use to be.