Monterey Zoo & Vision Quest

It is always an honor when we can give back to those who give so much to us, as we were able to do today for the fire fighters who chose to spend their very short lunch break at Monterey Zoo. Truly some of the kindest most generous people on the planet as is apparent by their choice in life to protect us all.

Per the many requests and concerns, here's an update on the animals and caretakers at Monterey Zoo... We are all fine, animals and caretakers alike. We have continued to stay in very close contact with all fire and law enforcement as well as PG&E who have very much embraced our animals and facility, promising to give us ample notice should the need arise but in the end, we did not and have not had to evacuate---yet. Currently the threat seems to continue moving away from the... zoo however we remain in the ready with transport equipment and temporary housing standing by to load and go if we need to implement our evacuation plan. To our community: We currently have transport/housing available to the pets and livestock of some who may be in a much more threatened area and need a place to temporarily place them so please let them know ~ we're here if anyone or anything needs us. If anyone is aware of injured wildlife, please give us call so we can help or channel the information the right direction. To the several who asked, yes, we did attempt to reach out to the SPCA Wildlife Div. yesterday but were unable to get through on any of their numbers. If anyone has a contact there, we hope to extend the same offer as we do have transport and housing for wildlife available. Calif. F&W and USDA are very much in contact with us and helping us assure the health and well-being of the animals. Thank-you so very much to everyone who cared and offered so much to help our little zoo. A BIG shout out to our electrical family, Ken Calender of PG&E, Steve Tibbs-neighbor and electrician, Dane Whitehead and Brad Rosbach of Dane Electric who together with our Zoo Chairman and owner of Pacific Ag Rentals, Bart Walker, moved in IMMEDIATELY to enable us to achieve enough alternative energy sources to guarantee our animals and their caretakers a guaranteed and continued source of food and water. These people have been angels to us throughout this tragedy. Of course we CAN NOT thank and support our first responders, fire, police, sheriffs and CHP enough for all they've done to help us. Our home just up Pine Canyon, that we share with zoo staff, was literally save by these people as the fire reached our yard and firewood pile just feet from our home and ultimately inches from our propane tank. Thank-you just doesn't seem like enough! To the many who called, showed up with transport options and to volunteer, we THANK-YOU. To the veterinarians who called in to assist, THANK-YOU! To those who sent us dinner while we were on 24hr. watch (Ernie at Pizza Factory) and the MANY who offered to do so when others beat them to it, THANK-YOU so very much. To an entire community, never has our efforts to bring our County its very first zoo felt more rewarded and appreciated. God bless all of you and PLEASE remember, we're here for you if you need us. Charlie

A very SPECIAL THANKU to all voicing concerns for the staff and animals of Monterey Zoo. From Sat night night’s lightening strikes to this morning, we’ve been on 24/7 watch - with the animals! Yesterday we implemented our Emergency Action Plan to evacuate animals if it became necessary due to the fire. The community’s response was overwhelming and emotional to all of us. We remain in emergency evac status today but thus far, none of the fire crews in the area are willing to... commit to an update. It appears contained though as we view it from the zoo side. A special shout-out and Thanku to Ken from PGE and an actual neighbor, who heard our plight and just came by with answers and help as we’re trying to figure out food/water/life support (for those needing such) for the animals. We have generators on site which are being distributed now. Thanks to Ken, electricians are on their way. We’re gonna let animals out today and keep our fingers crossed for now I truly believe we are now out of harms way. The air quality seems fine. Thanku to all who helped us coordinate and implement our evacuation plan which was so readily avail and successful. Our hearts and prayers go out to our community up the hill that suffered so greatly and lost so much. If you or your pets are in need of our services, please call. It will be our honor to assist! Charlie

Hello All, we hope you're all safe, healthy and beginning to find some semblance of life as we all knew and loved it... while practicing all the safe protocols to assure that we can all do the same as soon as possible. Monterey Zoo is NOW OPEN with protocols in place that will make your visit as safe and socially distant as imaginable. So for those who need to stretch their minds and bodies, we sincerely feel we can provide one of the safest environments to do so. For those w...ho prefer to wait a bit longer before venturing out, here's another short "Our little Zoo to You" video to help you get your animal fix at home. We're winding down this series and hope you've all enjoyed them enough to perhaps make a donation at www.montereyzoo.org. Our recovery from the shut-down will be a long and difficult one ~ we could sure use the help. AGAIN and AGAIN, THANK-YOU to all who have contributed thus far and PLEASE, come see are BEAUTIFUL NEW, Monterey Zoo. See more

I know, we're a bit late on our postings but Monterey Zoo is now OPEN for all to visit so we're hoping you'll do just that, visit soon to help support keeping us open while providing our animals with the mental stimulation they so enjoy from your visits. Visit www.montereyzoo.org to learn about when, how and even book your admission on line to minimize contact with anyone. Be sure to check out our Visitor-Guidelines before doing so where you'll learn of the MANY precautions we've taken to make you visit extremely safe. Until then, we will continue to post the remaining videos we shot during our closed time for all to enjoy and continue learning about the animals that make our world a better place. Be safe and stay healthy...

All of us here at Monterey Zoo are are extremely saddened by the loss of our incredible Salinas Mayor, Joe Gunter, forever and affectionately known by us as "Mayor Joe". The news of his passing was a true shock to us as it was just a few short weeks ago, Mayor Joe visited the zoo to both see it completed for the first time and help make recommendations that would enable us to share it with visitors as soon as possible. That's what Mayor Joe did, anything he could to bring as much as possible to our community, as quickly as possible. He truly was ALL about making our community a better place for all. Mayor Joe was a true advocate and supporter of Monterey Zoo and his spirit will forever be reflected in our efforts. Until we meet again Mayor Joe, in another place, a better place,,, rest in peace dear friend.

It seems like we are all in need of a little up-beat social media so here's another short "Our little ZOO to You" video, for those who are still playing it safe at home and unable to venture out. Keep in mind that this was taped before the mandatory mask requirements at the zoo... but rumor has it, since it was shot, Monterey Zoo received three additional Cavy's to keep our little Ernie company. We hope you'll be able to come visit soon and meet our new arrivals as Monterey Zoo is NOW OPEN. We've made it as safe as possible! Be sure to visit www.montereyzoo.org for details on how to visit and if you can, we could sure use donations to help us recover from all we lost and bills incurred during the shut down. Be safe and stay healthy please.

Hi all, One last thank-you to all the Fathers out there as we roll off of Father's Day and a special thank-you to those Fathers who joined us at the zoo with their families this weekend. It was truly rewarding to see the zoo finally enjoyed by guests and on its way to recovering from the financial set-backs of this tragic pandemic. Here's another short "Our little ZOO to YOU" video for those who are still not comfortable to visit in person. We hope you'll consider a making ...a donation to help with our recovery. Donations can be made at www.montereyzoo.org . Those who are venturing out now, PLEASE, come see your very own and brand new, Monterey Zoo, the animals very much miss the mental stimulation of visitors and we've made it as safe as possible to do so. But be sure to visit our website to learn about the few minor requirements to we're asking of visitors to make everyone safe and comfortable. Be safe, stay healthy and never stop caring about animals! See more

YES, MONTEREY ZOO IS NOW OPEN, and what more healthy a way to finally stretch your bodies and minds. Our COVID19 protocols are very comfortable yet beyond what is required making your visit as safe as possible. We hope you'll visit soon, however we realize that some are not able to or comfortable venturing out yet so for the next several weeks, we will continue to bring "our little zoo to you" with our short videos. But PLEASE, consider visiting the DONATION page of our webs...ite at WWW.MONTEREYZOO.ORG to make a donation as we need all the help we can get. The shut-down left us with a great deal of debt and the recovery is going to be difficult. (DISREGARD THE PART ABOUT BEING OPEN WITH RESERVATIONS ONLY PLEASE, THIS VIDEO WAS RECORDED PRIOR TO OUR OPENING. WE ARE OPEN, 10AM-3PM DAILY. NO RESERVATIONS NEEDED.) Please, be safe and stay healthy.

To all our MONTEREY ZOO fans and supporters, this is turning out to be a very special week for us as much long awaited news on several fronts has arrived. Starting Friday, June 12th, Monterey Zoo is now open per the guidelines set by the State of California and Monterey County. But more than that, we are open as a "REAL ZOO" for the FIRST TIME EVER! If you haven't seen the zoo since it's completion in February, we promise you'll be very pleasantly surprised. As of Friday, we... will be open 10am-3pm daily. No reservations need, no tour guide required. Just like a real zoo! We do however ask that ALL PLEASE, visit our website at www.montereyzoo.org to review the requirements and restrictions before arriving. They on the front page and truthfully will have very little impact on your visit however we do intend to enforce them strictly so that ALL will feel safe and comfortable on their visit. You can purchase tickets on line or you can still call the zoo at 831.455.1901 to do so which will further minimize contact with anyone. You can even still shop our gift shop on line. The weather's perfect and the animals are standing by! But that's not all folks, after seven very long and difficult years of fundraising and building while fighting battles that ranged from political to financial to world-wide pandemics,,, our very ambitious dream of one day being reviewed/inspected and accredited by the Zoological Association of America has finally become a reality. We simply can not thank those in the community enough, who helped us reach this goal... but we will never stop trying! Please, come visit, and help us celebrate Monterey County's very first "real" ZOO.

Hey, we're actually on schedule this week with another little "Our little ZOO to You" Video to help make your stay-at-home time a bit more entertaining. The animals at Monterey Zoo miss you! Your visits are as mentally stimulating to their lives as the animals are to yours. Please know that you can now visit, although on a restricted bases. But in the end, you basically get almost the ENTIRE ZOO to yourself for up to 90 minutes while remaining more socially distant anywhere o...utside your home today. This in turn helps reward and stretch the bodies and minds of your household while helping support our efforts to care for the animals. Just visit www.montereyzoo.org for instructions on how to arrange your visit. Your visit will be completely non-contact with anyone. Finally, your help with donations are so VERY MUCH needed and appreciated as all the businesses that support the zoo as well as our normal zoo operations are shut down leaving the zoo's survival dependent upon donations and the minimal income from our current restricted visits. You can even use your donation today for admittance into the zoo at a later date. Until then, we thank-you by continuing to bring our little Zoo to You in these short videos. Please keep checking back for additional videos. Be sure to have your friends, "friend" and "like" Monterey Zoo so they can also enjoy our videos. Please be safe and stay healthy. See more

It's that time again everyone, time to bring "Our little Zoo to You" while you're trying so hard to shelter-in-place. This one's kind of special as it showcases two "newbies" to Monterey Zoo, both of whom are doing an awesome job of fitting right in. Don't forget, if you want to come visit the zoo, we are now offering a means of doing so. Scroll down and read the post regarding our restricted/limited opening to learn how you can treat yourselves and the kids who've been coope...d up for so long while helping the animals here at the zoo. And finally, PLEASE, consider donating anything you can at https://montereyzoo.org/donate/. Your donations are keeping the animals fed and cared for today as our other businesses that support the zoo are not yet allowed to open and even when they do, our financial recovery is going to be a long and difficult one. Until then, PLEASE, stay safe and be healthy. See more

If you thought we forgot, welllllll, we might have, but only because there are some exciting things happening at the zoo that will make your next visit even MORE FUN!!! More info soon, we promise but until then, we'll make it up to you. Here another "Our little Zoo to You" short video to help entertain your "stay-at-home time. And don't forget, YOU CAN NOW VISIT us although on a limited/restricted basis. Be sure to visit www.montereyzoo.org to learn how. We have lots of available time slots, especially during the week and the weather COULD NOT be nicer to do so. And as always, if you can, our finances are still very much threatening us these days so we could use all the help we can get. There's also a DONATION link on or website. THANK-YOU and please, be safe and healthy.

Just in time for the weekend, here's another short "Our little Zoo to You" video to entertain your minds while enjoying this gorgeous "COVID killing" weather at home. Our very restricted RE-OPENING has gone without a glitch thus far as folks are following the rules an restrictions to the "T". You can actually see the happiness in the faces of the animals as even the few come by to visit. Be sure to scroll down to the previous post to learn about how you can make a reservation...s to stretch your bodies and minds with a visit to the zoo now. Be sure to ask about the special "ZOO QUIZ" we've put together to make your children's visit a bit more entertaining and educational. It would very well contribute to their home schooling curriculum. We even put our gift shop on our website so you can shop before you get here. Finally, if you can, we sure could use the help right now as our financial recovery from this pandemic will be a difficult one. Please visit www.montereyzoo.org to donate. We'll keep a close eye on the Governors orders so hopefully we can open to more people at one time soon. Until then, stay healthy and safe. See more