LA Zoo set for another price hike— as visitors vanish and crisis looms

LA Zoo visitors are about to get another hit to the wallet.

A Los Angeles City Council committee voted this week to hike admission prices by another $2 — just a year after the zoo’s tickets already jumped $5.

The latest increase comes after the city had left admission prices untouched since 2019, before approving last year’s hike as officials scrambled to help plug LA’s massive budget hole.

Mayor Karen Bass defended the previous increase, saying the extra cash would help offset the city’s roughly $1 billion deficit.

Now, it looks like the price of a day at the zoo is going up again.

If the latest upcharge is approved by a full council vote, adults ages 13–61 can expect to pay $29 for zoo entry, while children ages 2-12 will be charged $24 and seniors, those 61 and up, will pay $26.

Group rates would increase to $26 for adults and $23 for children.

Children under two are allowed free entry to the zoo.

The LA Zoo is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., save for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day 

The proposed ordinance will face another vote before the Budget and Finance Committee before it heads to the full City Council for final consideration.

Last month, The California Post reported that a Los Angeles County civil grand jury concluded that the LA Zoo cannot continue operating as it has been, underscoring that deteriorating facilities, declining membership, and financial strain have put the future of the city-run attraction in peril.

Unlike most major zoos in the United States, the Los Angeles Zoo remains fully operated by the city, requiring oversight and involvement from the zoo commission, neighborhood councils, the city attorney, city controller, multiple city departments, the mayor, and the City Council.

The zoo, which spans 133 acres in Griffith Park and houses more than 1,600 animals, has struggled to maintain its facilities while the city faces ongoing financial pressures, including the aforementioned $1 million budget shortfall this year.

Membership has also suffered a sharp decline.

A recent report found that memberships fell from 36,914 in April 2025 to 28,440 in February 2026, a loss of 8,474 members, or 23%, in less than a year.

Exhibits for lions, bears, sea lions, and pelicans have been shut down because of major renovation needs.

Last year, Billy and Tina, the zoo’s final two elephants, were transferred to the Tulsa Zoo after decades of criticism from animal-rights advocates over living conditions and health concerns.

Federal regulators have also flagged maintenance issues, including rust and peeling paint in animal enclosures.

Previous inspections by the US Department of Agriculture and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums found a “critical lack of funding and staffing to address even the most basic repairs,” according to a November 2024 budget document cited in the report.

Despite those challenges, Los Angeles has reportedly allocated $34 million to the zoo, including $10 million dedicated to animal care.

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