The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert California

Baby Giraffe at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer

Planning a trip to Palm Desert, California? The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is a not to be missed experience for anyone, any age. How about a camel ride for the kids, or up close viewing of Giraffes, elephants, a leopard, hedgehogs, a butterfly habitat, and cheetahs. I was absolutely stunned when I visited the Zoo’s Tennity Wildlife Hospital and Conservation Center. This multi-million dollar facility is loaded with state of the art surgery suites, and treatment rooms. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls allow visitors to watch the medical staff at work. Tennity also serves as a rescue, rehabilitation facility for local wildlife.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE NPR PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH BARBARA BLYTHE

Curious about the native plants of the desert realm? Then this is the place to spend a day or two, as the Living Desert Gardens showcase more than 1,400 plant species, with representative collections from the arid regions of North America and Africa, along with hummingbird and butterfly gardens. The Living Desert’s “immersion” gardens were among the first to showcase the flora of a specific geographic region. I’m correspondent, Tom Wilmer, come along and join Barbara Blythe, Tourism Specialist with the City of Palm Desert at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens where we’ll meet a baby giraffe, and stop in at the high-tech wildlife hospital and rehab facility.

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Exotic Giraffes at Living Desert Zoo & Gardens — Wild Animals abound at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert, California. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer

Now you can enjoy my Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer in a new way. Download the free otocast.com mobile app and let me take you on a guided tour of the places I visited in Palm Desert. With Otocast, you can browse through photos for each location, read interesting facts, and, if you are in the area, get directions to the exact places that I talk about in the episode. It’s the next best thing to accompanying me on a trip. Otocast is available for Apple and Android devices – just search for Otocast in the app store and join me on my Journeys of Discovery in a whole new dimension.

Thomas Soule, Tourism and Marketing Manager with the City of Palm Desert, California, visits with a travel journalist in front of the Tennity Wildlife Hospital & Conservation Center at Living Desert Zoo & Gardens. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer

Camel Ride at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens — Camel Rides at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert, California. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer

Exotic animals at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens — Exotic Wildlife at Living Desert Zoo & Gardens in Palm Desert, California. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer

Naturalist at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens — Wildlife interpreter at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert California. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer

Baby Giraffe interviewed for the Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer NPR podcast show. — Baby Giraffe being interviewed for the “Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer” NPR podcast show

Native habitat at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens — Native Habitat at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer

Native Species at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens — Native species abound at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer

Butterfly at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens — Butterfly Habitat at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert, California. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer

This Podcast is funded by Oahu based, Hawaiian Reforestation Initiative