Browse Donations

We are no longer in need of browse donations at this time. Thank you for supporting Oakland Zoo!

What is Browse?

Browse is high growing vegetation, particularly branches with leaves, used as food and enrichment for elephants, giraffe, chimps and many other animals at Oakland Zoo. Though browse is not essential to our animals health, it is valuable for happiness and well-being.

We Can Only Accept the Following Browse:

Acacia

Alder

Apple

Baileyana (Feathery Acacia)

Bamboo – green only

Birch

Bird of Paradise

Bradford Pear

Carob

Cotoneaster

Deciduous fruit trees

Elm (Ulmus)

Eugenia

Oak

Palm frond – green only

Plum

Maple (Silver, Sugar, Japanese)

Mulberry

Sumac

Sweetgum (Liquidambar)

Willow (Salix)

We can only use fresh (still green, moist leaves), non-toxic, branches that have not been sprayed with pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Please see the attached flyer for details on, type of tree, branch size etc.

How do we get browse to Oakland Zoo?

If you have branches that you can deliver please call (510) 632-9525 x266 to leave a message or email web@oaklandzoo.org. Please make sure your items are on the accepted browse list above before contacting us about a donation. Since the animal keepers are busy taking care for our animals we may not be able to come to you to pick browse up. However, if you have 2-4 large loads (large load equals one pick up trucks worth) that you can’t deliver, please leave us a message and we will try to arrange for pick up. We are not able to go more than 10 miles from the Zoo. We will be practicing social distancing during any deliveries so staff will maintain a minimum of 6 feet distance from people delivering browse. We will be able to unload browse if necessary.

Visit here for a complete list of Frequently Asked Questions

Thank you for your support in our animals' well-being!