San Diego Zoo Global
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1916
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
San Diego Zoo Global firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- San Diego Zoo Global
- Legal name
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
- Website
- https://sandiegozooglobal.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1916
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
San Diego Zoo Global industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildlife Conservation & Zoological Parks
- NAICS
- Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE), Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG), Guided Wildlife Safaris & Game Drives (Sanctuary/Reserve-Based) (THAAAFAF), Safari & Wildlife Travel Agencies (THAKAFAG), Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI)
Keywords
Where San Diego Zoo Global is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
San Diego Zoo Global business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Charitable donations: Online donations via give.sandiegozoo.org supporting wildlife conservation globally. Both one-time gifts and recurring monthly giving options are offered, framed as the core funding mechanism for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- Memberships: Annual membership program ("Wildlife Ally") providing access and benefits to San Diego Zoo and Safari Park; renew/rejoin flow is integrated.
- Park admission tickets and safari experiences: One-time ticket purchases for San Diego Zoo and Safari Park entry, plus paid upgraded experiences (e.g., Caravan Safari) and premium safari tiers.
- Retail merchandise (e-commerce): Direct online retail of zoo-branded merchandise through shopzoo.com storefront.
- Adventure Travel: Wildlife-focused travel experiences marketed through a dedicated adventure travel portal (adventures.sdzwa.org).
- Sponsorship and licensing: Sponsorship & Licensing program for corporate partners and licensees leveraging the San Diego Zoo brand and conservation assets.
- Education programs: Paid education offerings including Summer Camps and learning adventures for all ages, as well as Academy online training courses.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | — | San Diego Zoo admission tickets |
| Other | — | Safari Park admission tickets |
| Subscription | Annual | Wildlife Ally membership |
| Other | — | Charitable donations |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels14 records
San Diego Zoo Global product offering
Product offeringCore offering
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is an international nonprofit conservation organization that operates two flagship wildlife parks — the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido — offering ticketed visits, upgraded experiences, wildlife safaris, memberships, retail merchandise, adventure travel, and education programs. The organization integrates wildlife health and care, science, and education to fund and deliver global conservation through a network of international conservation hubs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- San Diego Zoo: One of the Alliance's two front-door parks; a zoo in San Diego offering ticketed visits, upgraded experiences, and education programs.
- San Diego Zoo Safari Park
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Press
- Academy (SDZWA)
- Amazing Wildlife (Podcast)
- Adventure Travel
Products and services
- San Diego Zoo A flagship zoological park offering ticket-based public visits, upgraded experiences, and on-site amenities for individuals and families.
- San Diego Zoo Safari Park A companion wildlife safari park offering ticket-based visits, safaris (including the Caravan Safari), and other guest experiences.
- Wildlife Ally Membership A recurring annual membership program providing entry to both the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park along with other benefits for members.
- Adventure Travel Conservation-focused international travel experiences marketed through a dedicated adventure travel portal.
- Zoo-branded Retail Merchandise Direct online and on-park retail of zoo-branded merchandise and apparel.
- Education Programs Paid education offerings including Summer Camps, learning adventures for all ages, and Academy online training courses.
- Charitable Donations Program Charitable donation program offering one-time and monthly recurring giving options to support wildlife conservation globally.
- Sponsorship & Licensing Program Corporate sponsorship and brand licensing program for partners leveraging the San Diego Zoo brand and conservation assets.
- Upgraded Zoo Experiences Premium paid upgraded experiences at the San Diego Zoo beyond standard admission.
- Safari Park Safaris Premium paid wildlife safari experiences at the Safari Park, including the Caravan Safari.
Companies that use San Diego Zoo Global
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
San Diego Zoo Global technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
San Diego Zoo Global partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights6 records
San Diego Zoo Global competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation nonprofit with donor-funded programs and corporate partnerships, broadly comparable to SDZWA's international conservation and donor-membership model, though without the zoological park core.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium: Another California-based nonprofit aquarium with ticketed admission, membership, education, and conservation programs, overlapping SDZWA's visitor experience, membership, and nonprofit funding model.
Regional players
- Chester Zoo: One of the largest U.K. zoos with a strong conservation focus and similar combination of ticketed visitation, membership, and field conservation — directly comparable business model in a different geography.
- Australia Zoo: Large privately operated zoological park with paid experiences, wildlife encounters, and conservation messaging, mirroring SDZWA's safari/experiential offerings in a different geography.
- San Francisco Zoo: California-based zoological park with admission, membership, and education programs comparable to SDZWA's core park offerings, though operating primarily in a different regional market.
Others
- The Nature Conservancy: Large U.S.-based conservation nonprofit with membership, donor, and corporate partnership models comparable to SDZWA's fundraising engine, though focused on land and habitat rather than animal-based visitor experiences.
Direct peers
- Houston Zoo: A large AZA-accredited zoo with comparable ticketing, membership, education, and on-site wildlife experiences, serving as a directly comparable zoological park operator in the U.S.
- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium: Major U.S. zoo with a similar mix of ticketed admission, membership, education programs, and conservation initiatives, overlapping SDZWA's core operating model.
- Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute: Operates a major zoological park combined with a conservation biology research institute, directly comparable to SDZWA's integration of wildlife care, science, and education under one nonprofit umbrella.
- Wildlife Conservation Society (Bronx Zoo): Runs the Bronx Zoo alongside global field conservation programs, mirroring SDZWA's combination of flagship zoological parks and international conservation footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
San Diego Zoo Global social profiles
Digital presenceSan Diego Zoo Global financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
San Diego Zoo Global leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
San Diego Zoo Global subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
San Diego Zoo Global funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
San Diego Zoo Global M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about San Diego Zoo Global
What does San Diego Zoo Global do?
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is an international nonprofit conservation organization that operates two flagship wildlife parks — the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido — offering ticketed visits, upgraded experiences, wildlife safaris, memberships, retail merchandise, adventure travel, and education programs. The organization integrates wildlife health and care, science, and education to fund and deliver global conservation through a network of international conservation hubs.
Is San Diego Zoo Global a public or private company?
San Diego Zoo Global is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was San Diego Zoo Global founded?
San Diego Zoo Global was founded in 1916. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is San Diego Zoo Global based?
San Diego Zoo Global is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does San Diego Zoo Global make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Charitable donations are the primary driver. The others are memberships, park admission tickets and safari experiences, retail merchandise (e-commerce), adventure Travel, sponsorship and licensing and education programs.
Who are San Diego Zoo Global's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Monterey Bay Aquarium. Regional players are Chester Zoo, Australia Zoo and San Francisco Zoo. The Nature Conservancy is listed as an others. Direct peers are Houston Zoo, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and Wildlife Conservation Society (Bronx Zoo).
Does San Diego Zoo Global have an API?
No public API is recorded for San Diego Zoo Global.
What industry is San Diego Zoo Global in?
San Diego Zoo Global's product category is Wildlife Conservation & Zoological Parks. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAL, Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections), with a secondary code of BPAGAGAB, Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection. Its NAICS code is 71213 and its SIC code is 7900.