Animals in Captivity

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San Francisco Zoo, San Francisco, CA (2026)

Our team visited San Francisco Zoo in the fall of 2025. Below are our key findings:

• San Francisco Zoo has come under significant scrutiny in recent years, with the San Francisco Animal Control and Welfare Commission stating that “the establishment fails in animal enrichment due to outdated enclosures,” further describing the zoo as “dilapidated,” and saying that it was “unsafe for the animals and visitors.”
• A 2026 poll found that 76% of San Franciscans say that they wanted to see the zoo “reimagined.”
• In 2012, a child was killed by a tiger who escaped her enclosure. The same tiger had attacked a zookeeper the year before during a public feeding display.
• Average viewing time at animal exhibits was just 2 minutes 17 seconds, demonstrating a markedly lack of interest in zoo visitors.
• Animals were seen performing stereotypies, which are stress related behaviors such as obsessive pacing.
• Animal living spaces were many magnitudes smaller than the animals’ natural ranges.
• Evidence gathered at the San Francisco Zoo adds significant weight to the argument that the zoo industry cannot justify holding thousands of animals captive for their lifetimes under the guise of education and conservation.