The San Diego Zoo houses over 12,000 animals across 680-plus species.

The Claim

The San Diego Zoo houses more than 12,000 animals representing more than 680 species.

Verified by Lenz · Sep 4, 2026

The Short Version

The latest available documentation supports both stated thresholds. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s 2026 fact sheets and 2025 annual report report more than 12,000 animals representing over 680 species. Older lower estimates appear to reflect outdated information or differing institutional scopes rather than current Zoo totals.

Caveats

The latest figures primarily originate from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance publications.
Some secondary sources may repeat official figures rather than independently verify them.
Older sources report lower totals, likely because of different dates, scopes, or counting methods.

The Receipts

san diego zoo 2026 fact sheet
sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Fact Sheet
sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org
2025 ANNUAL
sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance | San Diego, CA | Cause IQ
causeiq.comAug 3, 2026
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
en.wikipedia.org
San Diego Zoo | Animal Conservation, Education & Research | Britannica
britannica.comJul 20, 1998
San Diego Zoo - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
San Diego Zoo | Social Sciences and Humanities | Research Starters
ebsco.comJan 1, 2023
15 Top Tips for Visiting the San Diego Zoo - City Experiences
cityexperiences.comJun 3, 2024

Filed Under

San Diego Zoo