The Orange County Zoo is nestled inside beautiful Irvine Regional Park. Tucked among coastal live oak and giant sycamores groves, this eight acre zoo displays flora and fauna native to the southwestern United States.

The Orange County Zoo exhibits its animals in naturalistic habitats for the comfort of the animals, to encourage natural behaviors and to enhance the education of visitors. The Zoo's focus is on animals and plants native to the southwestern United States. Animals on exhibit include black bears, mountain lions, bald eagle, island foxes, ocelot, red-tailed hawk, great horned owls, porcupine, coyotes, turkey vultures, coati and more. The zoo also features a barnyard with domestic goats, chevoit sheep, jacob sheep, pot-bellied pigs, doves and pheasants. In front of each animal exhibit are beautifully painted tiles of the animals, along with interesting facts about the animals.

The Zoo features an extensive collection of native plants. Throughout the zoo, you will find many interpretive plant signs, which include a description, botanical information and the traditional Native American usage of the plant. The barnyard area features a variety of domestic animals, including several breeds of sheep, goats and chickens. Many of these animals are available for touching contact through the fence. Grain may be purchased to feed some of the animals in the barnyard only.

The Orange County Zoo offers docent-guided educational tours for pre-K to any grade level. Tours are about one hour in length and are $3.00 per person. Tours include information covered about animals native to the southwestern U.S. including habitats, adaptations, feeding habits and behavior. Tour information helps meet the standards for the Science Framework for California public schools.

Please contact Education Coordinator: Marcy Crede-Booth (714)973-6846

Orange County Zoo
1 Irvine Park Rd.
Orange, CA 92869
(714)973-6847
www.ocparks.com/oczoo