Oakland Zoo's 56-Acre California Trail Expansion Is Finally Here
By Diana San Juan and Jennifer Gonzalez ••
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo’s California Trail more than doubled its size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others.
The long-awaited California Trail at the Oakland Zoo is finally here.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Thursday morning and included speeches by Mayor Libby Schaaf, and president and CEO of the zoo, Joel Parrott, as they introduced the trail’s 56-acre expansion for the first time after three years of construction.
Not only were attendants welcomed by drinks and cake, but the zoo’s grizzly, brown and black bears got a rather cold house warming with 8,000 pounds of snow.
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
President and CEO of the Oakland Zoo, Joel Parrott, and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, introducing the California Trail’s 56-acre expansion after three years of construction. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
President and CEO of the Oakland Zoo, Joel Parrott, spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, introducing the California Trail’s 56-acre expansion after three years of construction. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
President and CEO of the Oakland Zoo, Joel Parrott, and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, introducing the California Trail’s 56-acre expansion after three years of construction. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
President and CEO of the Oakland Zoo, Joel Parrott, and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, introducing the California Trail’s 56-acre expansion after three years of construction. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
President and CEO of the Oakland Zoo, Joel Parrott, and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, introducing the California Trail’s 56-acre expansion after three years of construction. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area
The new 56-acre expansion to Oakland Zoo's California Trail was revealed Thursday morning. The trail's $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others. (July 12, 2018)
Children were able to mountain-climb, zip-line and splash in five different play zones inspired by different ecological zones animals in the trail call home.
The California Trail’s $75 million expansion more than doubled the size and is now home to eight native California animal species including a new jaguar, grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray wolves, and American bison, among others.
The trail is described as "an exciting new exhibit that helps you explore of our state’s natural past, present, and future," according to the zoo's website.
