[BREAKING] LA Zoo sees visitors disappear as city resists critical change that would save iti can add it too, just lmk

As Los Angeles grapples with budget woes, a new report warns that the city's zoo may be heading toward a crisis of its own as membership declines and costs soar.

A Los Angeles County civil grand jury concluded that the Los Angeles Zoo cannot continue to operate as it does today, finding that deteriorating facilities, declining membership and financial strains have put the future of the city-run attraction in doubt.

The report paints a worrying picture of an institution that has been left behind as it is managed through a sprawling bureaucracy.

Unlike most major zoos in the United States, the Los Angeles Zoo remains entirely operated by the city, requiring oversight and involvement of the zoo commission, neighborhood councils, the city attorney, the city comptroller, various city departments, the mayor, and the City Council.

According to the grand jury, that model no longer works.

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

The 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.

“Simply put, to keep these important educational institutions afloat, nearly all zoos in the United States have turned to public-private partnerships,” the civil grand jury wrote.

The panel urges Los Angeles to follow that model and begin the transition to a public-private partnership, arguing that the city can no longer bear the burden alone.

The recommendation comes as the city remains locked in a legal dispute with the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, or GLAZA, over a $50 million endowment.

For nearly five decades, GLAZA helped fund exhibits, conservation programs, capital improvements, educational initiatives and community outreach efforts.

The grand jury described the organization's support as a critical source of funding for the zoo.

"When that belief turned into litigation, the future of our zoo was in jeopardy," the report states.

“Their relationship with GLAZA is now in ruins, crashed on the rocky shore of a major lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court.” California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedInCalifornia Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, The lion, bear, sea lion and pelican exhibits have been closed due to major renovation needs.

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

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

Previous inspections by the U.S.

Department of Agriculture and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums found a “critical lack of funding and personnel 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 $

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