Oakland Zoo has been an institution of Oakland’s community since 1922, with a rich history and tradition as part of Oakland’s fabric. Kids have grown up and taken their kids to the zoo. Some might say that zoo means as much to the community as the Tribune building in Downtown Oakland.

The zoo has gone through many developments, raising money to develop different exhibits, such as the African Veldt exhibit (1965), the Australian Outback (1975) and the original tiger exhibit (1980). Today, the zoo is home to over 660 native and exotic animals and is nationally known for its excellent elephant exhibit.

There they were on a sunny Sunday afternoon, 800 school kids from the Oakland Unified school district, enjoying a catered box lunch while watching the Oakland Raiders get their first win of the year against the Jacksonville Jaguars.