【ANN NEWS, LOS ANGELES】
Los Angeles residents taking their children to the zoo may soon have to spend more.
The Los Angeles City Council’s Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee voted Tuesday to approve a proposal that would raise all Los Angeles Zoo admission prices by $2. Depending on the ticket category, the increase would amount to about 7% to 9%.
If ultimately approved by the Los Angeles City Council, the new general admission prices would be:
- Adult admission: $29
- Child admission: $24
- Senior admission: $26
This would mark the second consecutive year of price increases at the Los Angeles Zoo.
Tickets Rose $5 Last Year, With Another $2 Increase Proposed This Year
In 2025, zoo admission prices increased by $5 in a single hike to help the City of Los Angeles address a budget shortfall.
Now, less than a year later, the city is again moving to raise prices. If the proposed $2 increase takes effect, some ticket prices will have risen by a total of $7 over two years.
Notably, the City of Los Angeles’ 2026–2027 fiscal year budget has already factored in revenue expected from the proposed admission increase.
However, the price increase has not yet taken effect.
After receiving approval from the City Council’s Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee, the proposal must still go before the Budget Committee and ultimately receive approval from the full Los Angeles City Council.
59-Year-Old Zoo Faces Funding and Staffing Pressures
Located in Griffith Park, the Los Angeles Zoo covers about 133 acres and has been operating for 59 years. It currently houses approximately 1,600 animals.
In recent years, however, the zoo has faced insufficient funding, staffing shortages and aging facilities.
Some exhibits have been closed because they require major renovations. Federal regulators previously found rust and peeling paint in some animal facilities and said the zoo was facing “severe” funding and staffing shortages.
The zoo’s national accreditation has also come under pressure as a result.
Meanwhile, elephants Billy and Tina, longtime residents of the Los Angeles Zoo, have been transferred to the Tulsa Zoo. Animal welfare advocates had raised concerns for years about the living conditions of elephants at the Los Angeles Zoo.
Legal Battle With Longtime Fundraising Partner
In addition to operational pressures, the relationship between the City of Los Angeles and the zoo’s longtime fundraising partner, the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association（GLAZA）, has also broken down.
The two had worked together since 1963, with GLAZA responsible for fundraising and special events.
But in 2024, the City of Los Angeles sued GLAZA, accusing the nonprofit of withholding approximately $50 million in donated funds and violating their agreement.
The parties’ operating agreement ended last year.
GLAZA subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but a federal judge dismissed the bankruptcy case last month. The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office had previously argued that the bankruptcy filing was intended to delay litigation over the $50 million fund.
A Los Angeles County civil grand jury report also recommended that the city seek a new public-private partnership model to establish a more stable source of funding for the zoo.
Even at $29, Still Far Cheaper Than the San Diego Zoo
Even if the proposed increase is approved, admission to the Los Angeles Zoo would remain relatively inexpensive compared with another famous Southern California zoo.
The San Diego Zoo, which houses approximately 12,000 animals across about 100 acres, currently charges $78 for a one-day adult ticket.
By comparison, even if adult admission at the Los Angeles Zoo rises to $29, it would still be $49 cheaper.
For Los Angeles families, however, two consecutive years of price increases would still be significant.
For a family of two adults and two children, general admission alone would cost $106 under the proposed prices, not including food, souvenirs or other expenses beyond parking.
The proposed price increase will next go before the Los Angeles City Council’s Budget Committee for review before proceeding to a final vote by the full City Council.
