We are not letting up on the San Francisco Zoo. This facility remains under intense scrutiny after a series of troubling events that continue to raise serious concerns about animal care and safety. 

With our partners at SF Zoo Watch and Panda Voices, we are calling for immediate reforms to defend all animals imprisoned there.

We have attended Joint Zoo Committee meetings and spoken out in public comments. We also delivered your letters and a powerful report to San Francisco’s Mayor and Board of Supervisors calling to cancel the panda plans and calling for a new vision at the zoo.

Dangerous Plans Emerge for Panda Housing in Lion's Den

In a stunning display of disregard for animal safety, the San Francisco Zoo is forging ahead with a shocking plan to house giant pandas in a repurposed lion's den. While touted as a cost-saving alternative to a $20 million new facility, this reckless $8 million plan disregards the unique needs of pandas.

Pandas are highly sensitive. Forcing them to live near lions — natural predators — causes extreme stress and puts their well-being at risk.

This isn’t just reckless — it’s cruel.

On top of this, the zoo plans to pay $1 million per panda per year to the Chinese government. That money is known to pay for infrastructure like roads and apartments, not panda conservation. Millions more will be spent on bamboo, care, and upkeep.

A recent New York Times investigation revealed the truth about panda diplomacy. These are not simple conservation agreements. They’re costly, complex deals that often come with political strings and hidden expenses — and frequently hurt animals in the process.

To make matters worse, the zoo plans to help fund this panda project by using $15 million meant for low-income San Francisco communities through the San Francisco Community Investment Fund. This is a serious misuse of public money and shows exactly where the zoo’s priorities lie.

New Primate Deaths 

In February, 43-year-old silverback gorilla Oscar Jonesy died during recovery from anesthesia. His death was preventable. 

Veterinary experts have long warned against using risky anesthesia on aging apes. Many modern zoos now train great apes for awake medical assessments to avoid this exact outcome.

Oscar’s death must be fully investigated. We are demanding an immediate review of the zoo’s veterinary practices and leadership decisions.

Sadly, Oscar Jonesy’s death follows a long and troubling pattern. Other incidents include:

• Oscar’s daughter Kabibe was crushed by a hydraulic door in 2014.
• Zura, another gorilla, died in 2020.
• A grizzly bear escaped in 2023.
• A penguin named Handy Harry was killed by a door.
• Indian rhinoceros Ghauhati remains stuck in a century-old enclosure, suffering in isolation.

Serious unresolved safety concerns about management and safety practices abound that affect both animals and staff. 

Shortly after Oscar’s death, Maggie the chimpanzee passed away from cancer. She spent more than 50 years at the zoo — most of it on a 10x10 concrete island. Despite a recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to move her to a better habitat, the zoo refused. Her old enclosure now confines two orangutans.

Leadership Crisis

In 2024, 97% of zoo staff voted no confidence in the zoo’s leadership. We have joined the widespread calls for the resignation of Director Tanya Peterson. 

In January, insiders shared that Deputy Director Vitus Leung had resigned. Zoo administration has since denied it.

Leung also holds a job as Commissioner on San Francisco’s Civil Service Commission — a conflict of interest made worse by his unprofessional conduct, menacing and verbally attacking animal advocates at City Hall.

The leadership crisis highlights the lack of effective leadership and how the zoo has handled its obligations to animals, staff, and visitors. 

Audit Approved

Thanks to public pressure and our campaign, an audit of the zoo is now underway. We’re pressing auditors to examine the zoo’s outdated infrastructure, unsafe conditions for animals, and misuse of funds. 

While this audit is a step in the right direction, it is just the beginning of much-needed reforms. 

The zoo must shift its focus to improving the conditions of its current residents, rather than pursuing expensive, high-risk spectacles like the panda acquisition plans that it has proven to be underskilled, under-prepared, and unequipped to deal with.

Financial Fallout – Major Donor Pulls Support

As the zoo’s mismanagement continues to make headlines, financial support is collapsing. 

One major donor has publicly pulled their funding, citing the zoo's reckless leadership and focus on costly new projects rather than improving the living conditions of current animals. 

These financial losses aren’t just a budget issue — they show a public credibility crisis. Immediate change is needed. 

San Francisco Zoo’s problems cannot be solved by money alone — they require leadership change and a clear, transparent vision rooted in animal wellbeing and accountability.

A Damning Report & Our Growing Advocacy

In a previous update, we shared a damning report highlighting serious concerns over the zoo’s treatment of animals. This report, combined with mounting animal deaths and donor withdrawals paints a clear picture: this zoo is in crisis.

The San Francisco Zoological Society is also failing in its legal obligations. In 2021, the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force found the zoo violated both city and state laws by refusing to provide public records — including those about animal welfare. Zoo leaders have openly refused to comply.

Most recently, the zoo issued a cease-and-desist letter to SF Zoo Watch — a disturbing attempt to silence truth-telling and transparency.

We will not be silenced. We will continue exposing the truth and fighting for the animals trapped in this broken system.

We are working to ensure that reforms prioritize animal welfare over costly projects.

Act Now to Reform San Francisco Zoo

As San Francisco Zoo grapples with public scrutiny, leadership changes, and financial setbacks, the need for reform has never been more urgent. 

The approval of an audit and the withdrawal of financial support signal potential for change and we will continue to raise awareness, mobilize support, and hold the zoo accountable for its actions. With public pressure mounting, we are hopeful that these events will lead to meaningful changes at the zoo. 

If you have not already done so, please sign our alert urging decisionmakers to cancel the San Francisco Zoo panda plans. If you have already signed, then please make a few calls, reach out on social media, and share this alert with friends and family.

Support our work to expose zoo negligence by making a donation today.