Santa Ana Zoo - Santa Ana, California - Prentice Park zoo and tourist attraction

Located within Santa Ana's Prentice Park, the Santa Ana Zoo features animals and plants from around the world. The zoo covers 20 acres and focuses mainly on flora and fauna from Central and South America. First opened in 1952, the zoo's land was donated by Joseph Prentice, who agreed to the gift only with the stipulation that the zoo keep at least 50 monkeys at all times. Today, the zoo still honors his wishes, housing over a dozen species of primates from all over the world.

Most of the monkeys at the Santa Ana Zoo are located on Monkey Row. Their primate collection includes prosmians, monkeys from the New World, monkeys from the Old World, and apes. Some of the species visitors can find at the Santa Ana Zoo are the white-faced saki monkey, the spider monkey, the white-handed gibbon, the squirrel monkey, the howler monkey, four different types of tamarins, three different types of lemurs, and two different types of capuchins.

One of the most popular attractions at this zoo is the Zoofari Express. This children's train has two engines, one of which was originally found at Santa's Village in Sky Forest. The other was commissioned to the park in 2005. Families can ride the train to see many of the zoo's animal exhibits.

Along with monkeys, the Santa Ana Zoo features animals that call the rain forest home. Some of these tropical creatures include the margay cat, the guanaco, the acouchi, the sloth, the green iguana, and the blue and yellow macaw. The Amazon also comes to life for visitors at the aviary, which is called The Colors of the Amazon Aviary. Some of the species represented here include the red-eared slider turtle, the striated heron, the sunbittern, the scarlet ibis, the American bullfrog, and the white-bellied caique. The zoo also has other reptiles, such as poison dart frogs, slider turtles, and boa constrictors, and other mammals visitors can view include rock hyrax, crested porcupine, swamp wallaby, and binturong.

For children, the zoo houses a number of domesticated farm animals on the Crean Family Farm Children's Zoo. Some of the animals families can visit here include the horses, ponies, cows, goats, pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, goose, and rabbits. The children's zoo also has barn owls, great horned owls, hawks, turkeys, and Amazon parrots. Children can learn about how these animals live on a farm, as well as have the chance to touch the creatures and ask zookeepers questions. This part of the zoo also has the Endangered Species Carrousel, a ride that has 33 endangered animal species, such as the gorilla, eagle, elephant, giant panda, and tiger, represented.

The Santa Ana Zoo also has a number of exhibits meant to help guests learn more about nature and the animals found at the zoo. The Bauer Jaguar Exploration Outpost is a place families can go to finds hands-on learning exhibits. This is also the home of the zoo's insects, and they have a bird-eating tarantula on display for everyone to see. Nearby, guests can also visit the Boeing Women in Science Maze, which changes on a daily basis.

Guest can visit the Santa Ana Zoo weekdays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and weekends from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM between Labor Day and Memorial Day. Hours are a bit shorter during the winter, and the zoo closes on some holidays. Admission is free or zoo members and just $4 to $7 for other visitors. To learn more about this zoo, guests can 714-836-4000.