The Fresno Chaffee Zoo's newly launched Centennial Campaign got a "seven-figure" boost from its board chairman, Kyle Kirkland, the zoo announced Tuesday evening in a news release. Kirkland, a local casino owner and animal welfare advocate, made the pledge that kicks off the zoo's fundraising effort. In a news release,...
Fresno’s Zoo Kicks Off Centennial Campaign with A Huge Donation
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo's newly launched Centennial Campaign got a "seven-figure" boost from its board chairman, Kyle Kirkland, the zoo announced Tuesday evening in a news release. Kirkland, a local casino owner and animal welfare advocate, made the pledge that kicks off the zoo's fundraising effort. In a news release,...
Avian Flu Makes Its Way to Fresno, Killing Two Roeding Park Waterfowl
The avian flu, first detected in 1996, surged last summer and now has made its way to Fresno's Roeding Park. Officials with the Fresno Chaffee Zoo said that they discovered two dead waterfowl at the park last week. "While this is a highly infectious disease, our teams enacted our safety...
Fresno Chaffee Zoo Defends Care of Elephants, Calls Lawsuit ‘Frivolous’
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo has moved to defend itself against a lawsuit after a nonprofit group, the Nonhuman Rights Project, filed a civil action against the popular venue. The group claims the zoo's three African elephants — Amahle, Nolwazi, and Vusmusi — have been unlawfully imprisoned and restrained of...
Fresno Pride Event, Drag Show at Zoo Sold Out. Water Tower Gets Rainbow Treatment
Despite protests led by Fresno area conservatives and Christian pastors, an LGBTQ Pride event at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo has "reached capacity," organizers say. A drag queen performance is among the scheduled activities at the after-hours function. The program, along with the raising of the Pride flag at Fresno...
What’s a ‘Family Friendly’ Drag Queen Event? Organizers Provide the Answer
It is Pride month and among the celebrations is a "family friendly" drag queen event next Friday night at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo hosted by the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission. However, the event is generating criticism from some conservative Christian leaders and politicians, who say a drag queen show...
82% of Fresno County Residents Vote to Continue Supporting the Zoo
Fresno County residents voted to support a countywide sales tax to help fund the local Fresno Chaffee Zoo for a third time on Tuesday night. The latest figures show more than 82% of voters favoring the one-tenth of a 1% percent sales tax for another 15 years. The tax...
Tech Entrepreneur Donates $50K for Chaffee Zoo’s New Tiger Center
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo has its claws set on a new project after getting a $50,000 donation from the founder and CEO of Parsec Education, a Fresno-based educational data analytics and technology company. The donation will help build a new tiger enrichment area, "Kingdoms of Asia," which is set...
Fresno Zoo Becomes Classroom for Unique Charter School’s Teachers
Fresno Chaffee Zoo will be a classroom laboratory for students at Golden Charter Academy, Fresno's newest charter elementary school, and this week more than a dozen teachers from the school are at the zoo for training. Animals facts that were dispensed Monday morning by zoo docent Cathy Walker and Dean...
All Chaffee Zoo Attractions Open Again, Free Tickets for Kids
Visitors to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo can again soak in all the sights and sounds of the city's most popular attraction. With the state's lifting of many COVID restrictions on Tuesday, CEO Jon Forrest Dohlin said, the Wilderness Falls water play, Dino Dig features, and indoor exhibits are open. Those...