Page 68 - San Luis Obispo Visitors Guide - Summer 2025

68 SUMMER 2025 slovisitorsguide.com
Cambria, San Simeon, North Coast
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Zebras on the Central Coast?
Hearst Castle's unexpected savanna sight
An unexpected sight often greets
travelers along Highway 1 near
the town of San Simeon - a herd of
zebras. No, you haven’t been trans-
ported to the African savannah; the
herd is made up of the descendants
of the former Hearst Castle private
zoo.
Built in the early 20th century,
the Hearst Garden of Comparative
Zoology was the largest private
zoo at the time. Constructed as
part of the estate between 1919 and
1947 by publishing tycoon William
Randolph Hearst and architect Julia
Morgan, the estate featured a col-
From private zoo to
wild herd, Hearst
Castle's zebra story
lection of caged animals and large
enclosed spaces, providing habitats
for animals including grizzly bears,
lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars,
orangutans, monkeys, an elephant,
as well as the now iconic zebras.
In 1937, the financial struggles
that Hearst met during the Great
Depression forced the disman-
tling of the zoo. Many of the zoo's
animal residents were donated to
public zoos or sold to commer-
cial establishments in California,
Oregon, and Washington. However,
the zebras' story took a different
turn.
The zebras remained confined
within their enclosures until a win-
ter storm hit, toppling the fences
that once kept them captive. Seizing
their newfound freedom, the zebras
ventured forth into the vast 77,000-
acre expanse of the Hearst Ranch.
The animals adapted and flourished
in their new environment, increas-
ing in population.
Fast forward to the present
day, and an estimated 126 zebras
now roam freely across the coastal
grasslands. The zebras now graze
alongside Hearst Ranch Beef cattle,
a grass-fed cattle operation that
Wild zebras thrive at Hearst Ranch, a symbol of the enduring power of nature.