The San Francisco Zoo was established in its present location in 1929 under the guidance of Herbert Fleishhacker, a San Francisco banker and president of the Parks commission. An initial inventory list consited of two zebras, three elephants, one cape buffalo, five rhesus monkeys, and two spider monkeys. In the 1930's and 1940's, the zoo was built up as part of the Depression era Works Progress Administration project. During this time, ten structures, such as a seal pool and Lion house, were added. These structures were designed to mimic native habitats and were among the first barless exhibits in the country. Today, the zoo contains approximately 250 different animal species of which 39 are endangered or threatened.
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