Is it time to tear down the aging SF Zoo? A campaign to replace it with an ecological park has begun
By Gloria Rodriguez
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SAN FRANCISCO, California (KGO) — Long-time activist Justin Barker, who has for decades advocated for the transformation of zoos, believes the 100-acre San Francisco Zoo & Gardens could turn into what he’s calling EcoPark SF.
For years, the San Francisco Zoo has faced backlash over its crumbling facilities, which are deemed unsafe for its animals, staff, and visitors.
Leveraging past successes in advocating for zoo animal liberation, Barker, with his clear vision and passion, now focuses on San Francisco’s zoo.
What he wants is to transition the zoo “to a place that focuses on conservation and education and really a modern place for families to come and enjoy, to learn without harming animals,” he said.
The project, which is just a conceptual map at this point, would cost about $350 million, according to Barker’s estimates. He added that City Hall would need to get behind it. He said they’d need generous donors, too.
Despite founding SF Zoo Watch and architecting the EcoPark SF proposal, Barker lacks direct zoo management experience.
The zoo responded, dismissing his plan as unrealistic.
Cassandra Costello, co-CEO of the San Francisco Zoo, sent a statement to ABC7 News:
“We genuinely welcome feedback and ideas about the future of the Zoo, and we’re always open to thoughtful public input. That said, the first time we saw this proposal was this week in a newspaper opinion piece, and we do not consider this idea realistic. Anyone can come up with a fanciful plan and pretty pictures, but these images do not reflect the complexity or responsibility involved in caring for animals, conservation of species, and operating a major public institution.
SF Zoo has begun initial work on a Master Plan in partnership with animal experts, the city, and other stakeholders. We’ll be providing our community with more information on the zoo’s future as it is available.”
Data shows the zoo has been struggling recently, with a $6.3 million operating deficit in fiscal 2025.
In 2024, former Mayor London Breed signed an agreement with Chinese wildlife officials to bring pandas to the zoo. The zoo said it doesn’t have an update on the pandas. But that idea has been controversial, as is the proposed ecopark.
“I probably will say I do lean more toward keeping the zoo as it is already,” said San Francisco resident Salote Fainga. “The kids enjoy it. It’s for the kids.”
“I invest every year in getting a membership,” said San Francisco resident Eila Saarni. “They offer a variety of options for seniors and stuff like that, too. I give them as Christmas presents. It’s a really fun place to be. And I think the zoo without animals turned into an ecopark is ridiculous.”
Barker doesn’t think so.
“San Francisco is all about innovation and pushing big, bold ideas forward, and that’s exactly what the EcoPark is,” Barker said, adding that the zoo needs a big fix.
Barker said he paid a few thousand dollars of his own for the renderings of the proposed project and has donated his time and effort to the project.
A zoo spokesperson said that, like nearly every cultural institution, the zoo experienced attendance declines during the COVID-19 pandemic but that a recent monthly report showed a 53% increase in attendance in December compared to the previous December, which is very encouraging.
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