Where is living desert zoo located?

Parents and their little ones flock from all over the Inland Empire, Orange County, Los Angeles and even San Diego to see the California’s purple tongue giraffes at the Palm springs Zoo. Well, actually Living Desert zoo is located in Palm Desert but given the proximity of Palm spring this little misnomer has came about.

Tip #1: Bring plenty of water / electrolytes & Sunscreen. The Zoo park is located in the desert and you have a good chance of burning even during the winter month.

Check out this short video to get a better glimpse of what to expect at the Palm Springs Zoo. You will definitely feel pumped up to go & check out the living desert zoo after watching this YouTube clip.

Exact address is 47900 Portola Ave, Palm Desert, CA 92260

Feeding Purple tongue giraffes

Right away, go to the official Zoo page to check for the purple tongue giraffes feeding times. Living desert website.  As of right now (2018) the feeding is only $7, and you can’t place a price tag on the emotions and memories you’ll  experience.

Btw. we found out why the giraffe’s tongue is so purple – it is actually the pigment -melanin that protects the tongue from sunburns. In fact portions of the giraffe’s tongue are pink! What?! I simply don’t know what to do with this information now, but I guess it might come in handy at the trivia night.

Here’s a short clip on purple tongue giraffes

Quote:
The color of a giraffe’s tongue is described as black, blue or purple with a pink base. … A giraffe’s tongue has melanin (same pigment that turns your skin dark when you get suntanned). Their dark tongues have more melanin, which protects them from getting sunburned.

Who else lives at the California’s zoo beside Purple tongue giraffes?

Well, it will all depends on the weather and how early you will arrive at the zoo. It’s typically super hot in the desert and you might want to make every effort to be there as early as possible. Even though there is a huge FREE parking lot next to the zoo (unlike Oakland Zoo), the lot fills up pretty quickly.

There are zebras, cheetah, kudu, long horns, exotic birds and lizards and many more creatures. Check out some photos to get a quick glimpse of what to expect.  Apparently Palm Springs Zoo homes creatures from Africa and North America. Very good choice given the climactic condition of palm desert.

Tip #2: Here’s an almost a 50% discount to the zoo from Costco! Costco offers a $23 entrance to see purple tongue giraffes at living desert zoo for two adults (regular entrance is about $20 per adult)

Palm Desert zoo with kids?

Make sure to acquaint yourself with the zoo’s map prior setting out on your walk. The zoo is not as huge as for example San Diego zoo or the San Francisco Zoo, however keep in mind you are in the desert. The weather conditions in the heat of the desert can be exhausting and even a little walk through the zoo gardens can become challenging, especially for toddlers.

The zoo is a perfect location to enjoy with kids (even young kids) just keep in mind to stay hydrated and watch out for signs of heat exhaustion. Bring extra sunscreen seriously !

Don’t forget to check out the miniature train set; our little dude went berserk when he saw all the little trains and sets. There’s just so much to see for the little ones.

Events at the palm springs zoo

Living desert zoo is dedicated to Desert Conservation Preservation Education & Appreciation, however the institution also runs a bunch of cool events through the year. For example the Howl-O-Ween – a little festivity in the conjunction with Halloween. Thus besides riding camels and feeding purple tongue giraffes your kids have a chance to partake in some of the seasonal activities.

Also if you like sleepovers in the museums and such, check out the starry night safari at the palm desert zoo. Starry Night Safari – Enjoy the overnight Adventures at the zoo (mostly for older kids/teenagers). This is one of many cool locations, like Cabazon shopping mall and the Joshua Tree Desert to checkout while you’re in palm springs with kids.  See the itinerary below to get more ideas for your next trip.