| By 1956, the city of Los Angeles had outgrown the | | | | fundraiser for the Zoo, but only the visitors get to |
| small Griffith Park Zoo. The citizens passed a $6.6 | | | | eat; in the interest of health and safety, the L.A. Zoo |
| million bond measure to help build a new one and a | | | | was the 1st major zoo in the United States to |
| 113-acre site in Griffith Park was chosen as the new | | | | prohibit visitors from feeding the animals, and |
| location. In 1964 a private, nonprofit organization was | | | | maintains the policy today. |
| created to support the new facility. The zoo then | | | | The Los Angeles Zoo became an accredited member |
| began raising money and acquiring animals | | | | of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association |
| When the Los Angeles Zoo opened in 1966 it was | | | | (AZA) in 1972. Just 2 years later Dr. Warren D. |
| the 4th zoo to serve the city. The Greater Los | | | | Thomas became Zoo Director. |
| Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) had already | | | | Thomas assembled one of the world 's most |
| graduated a class of trained, volunteer docents and | | | | respecteded animal collections during his 17-year |
| had produced several issues of a quarterly magazine | | | | tenure. The zoo acquired rare and endangered |
| called Zoo View. Some 80,000 Angelenos attended | | | | species, including the Sumatran Rhino, the Jentink's |
| the November opening of the Los Angeles Zoo (also | | | | and Zebra duikers, yellow-footed rock wallabies, giant |
| in attendance was an alligator named Methuselah, | | | | elands, gerenuks, emperor tamarins, and bongos. The |
| who is still a resident of the zoo today). | | | | Andrew Norman Education Center, the ZooMobile, |
| In 1967 the zoo acquired 3 endangered Arabian Oryx | | | | Wolf Woods and Monkey Island, were all built in the |
| for $75,000. The Los Angeles Zoo cooperated with | | | | Thomas-era1970's, as were new exhibits for gorillas, |
| the only other American zoo to house Oryx, the | | | | orangutans and flamingos, |
| Phoenix Zoo, to successfully bred the gazelle-like | | | | In the 1980's the Zoo became part of the new |
| animals, which were facing extinction in the wild. | | | | California Condor Recovery Program. In 1982 the Zoo |
| Today descendants of those animals have been | | | | built the extensive "condorminiums," which are still |
| reintroduced to the wild in Israel, and other | | | | considered among the finest and largest facilities in |
| descendants of that original L.A. Zoo herd live on at | | | | the condor recovery program. In1982 the Ahmanson |
| the zoo. | | | | Koala House was opened. Currently the Los Angeles |
| The Los Angeles Zoo's 1st Beastly Ball was held in | | | | Zoo the only zoo in the world to exhibit these |
| 1970. This safari-themed dinner-dance is an important | | | | nocturnal animals in a darkened setting. |