Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
The gardens
33°41′45″N 116°22′13″W / 33.69583°N 116.37028°W / 33.69583; -116.37028
Date openedMarch 9, 1970
LocationPalm Desert, California, United States and Indian Wells, California, United States
Land area1,800 acres (730 ha)
(1,720 acres (700 ha) left in natural state)
No. of animals500
No. of species150
Annual visitors500,000
MembershipsAZA, WAZA
Major exhibitsWilds of North America, African Safari, Australian Adventures
Websitewww.livingdesert.org

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, formerly the Living Desert Museum, is a non-profit zoo and desert botanical garden located in Palm Desert, Riverside County, California, United States. The Living Desert is home to over 500 animals representing over 150 species and welcomes over 500,000 visitors annually. Situated in the Sonoran Desert of the Coachella Valley and Santa Rosa Mountains foothills near Palm Springs, California, The Living Desert is set on 1,200 acres, with 80 developed as zoo and gardens.

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens has been a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1983, and is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). It has participated in species reintroduction programs including the peninsular bighorn sheep to the local mountains and returning Arabian oryx to Oman.