Oakland Zoo
Museums, Historical Sites, and ZoosCalifornia, United States201-500 Employees
Oakland Zoo is a conservation-focused zoological and educational institution founded in 1922 and based in Oakland, California. It operates under the Conservation Society of California, a nonprofit dedicated to wildlife conservation locally and globally. The facility houses more than 700 animals from native and exotic species and is recognized for high standards of animal care, including its elephant program, plus a LEED-certified 17,000-square-foot wild animal veterinary hospital—the largest of its kind in Northern California. In 2018, the zoo opened California Trail, a major expansion that highlights native wildlife and reinforces its emphasis on care, education, and conservation. The organization has long engaged with the community and schools, notably through Zoo to Community, which serves Title 1 schools in Alameda County since 2006. In March 2025, Oakland Zoo launched its Conservation Strategic Plan, marking the first formal plan of this kind for the organization; the institution employs several hundred staff to support its operations.