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.

Why do we need it more than ever?

During the COVID-19 restrictions, our usual tree company partners are not cutting as much, so we are not getting our regular browse deliveries. If you are cutting or pruning trees we may be able to use them for our animals. (Our hay, produce, and meat suppliers will not be interrupted.)

What can we use?

We can only use fresh (still green, moist leaves), nontoxic, 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. 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 a large load (1 or more pickup truck loads) 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 form 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.

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