Sonries the Jaguar Has Moved Into Happy Hollow, San Jose Gets Its Big Cat Back

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo has a new jaguar. His name is Sonries, he arrived from the Los Angeles Zoo through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Jaguar Species Survival Plan, and he is still settling in behind the scenes. Guests walking the bamboo path through Zoo in the Hollow will not find him on exhibit yet. Keepers have given him time to learn new sights, new sounds, and a new daily rhythm before he steps into the outdoor habitat that once belonged to San Jose’s last resident cats.

That gap lasted more than a year. Sophia, the jaguar many local kids grew up watching from the viewing rail, died in June 2025 at age 21 after kidney disease. She had lived at Happy Hollow for about two decades and became one of the oldest jaguars in an AZA-accredited zoo. Kianto, the park’s other senior male, was already gone. The empty habitat left a hole in a 16-acre park that has mixed rides and conservation since 1961. Sonries’ transfer is the Species Survival Plan doing what it was built to do: move animals between accredited zoos so the North American population stays genetically healthy.

The animal care team has refused a fixed debut date. Positive reinforcement training is underway, the same slow, treat-and-trust work that lets a big cat choose when a new step feels safe. Happy Hollow published Chapter 1 of a “Meet Sonries” series on August 16 and promised milestones, enrichment clips, and keeper notes in the weeks ahead. When he is ready for public viewing, the park said it will say so first.

A trip to Kelley Park still pays off while the wait continues. Twix the red panda, capybaras, lemurs, meerkats, and the petting barn remain on view. Danny the Dragon, the carousel, and the Pacific Fruit Express keep running. Every ticket still feeds Quarters for Conservation, the program that sends a slice of admission to field projects abroad. General admission currently runs $22 for ages 2 to 59, $19 for seniors and military, and free for children under 2. Parking is $10. Note the current detour: Story Road at the main entrance has been closed, so drivers should use the lot at 1300 Senter Road until the park says otherwise.

Follow the zoo’s updates, then take the kids anyway. The hollow already has a jaguar again. The rest of us just have to wait until Sonries decides the yard is his.

Tickets and hours: https://happyhollow.org/visit/
Meet Sonries, Chapter 1: https://happyhollow.org/happy-hollow-blog/meet-sonries/

Green Halloween Brings Eco-Friendly Fun to Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

San Jose families have a perfect opportunity to celebrate the spooky season sustainably with Green Halloween at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo on October 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This annual event turns the zoo into a hub of Halloween excitement, where visitors can watch animals engage with themed enrichments like pumpkins filled with treats. Happy Hollow offers a welcoming space for all ages to enjoy the festivities while supporting local wildlife conservation efforts.

The day features a variety of activities designed for young explorers, including critter shows, hands-on crafts with a creepy twist, interactive games, and close-up animal encounters. Decomposing decor adds to the eerie yet educational vibe, teaching attendees about natural cycles in an engaging way. Families can participate fully, with everything included in general admission, making it an easy outing for parents looking to create memorable experiences without extra hassle.

What sets Green Halloween apart is its focus on environmental responsibility, aligning with Happy Hollow's status as a certified green facility. The event encourages reusable costumes and highlights ways to make holidays more planet-friendly, inspiring attendees to adopt similar practices at home. This approach not only entertains but also fosters a sense of community stewardship, showing how San Jose leads in blending fun with sustainability.

Tickets range from $15 to $18, with a $3 discount for those arriving in costume, rewarding creativity and participation. Members enjoy free entry, adding value for regular visitors. As San Jose continues to prioritize green initiatives, events like this strengthen the city's appeal as a family-oriented destination that values both entertainment and the environment.

Update on Danny the Dragon in Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

The most famous ride in San Jose history is getting a major makeover. The new Danny the Dragon ride will weave through five new lands with entirely new decorations. Most of those will be habitats reminiscent of Happy Hollow and the animals that live in them but the train will eventually travel to the Land of Enchantment with Rupunzel's castle, a gnome grove, and mushroom meadow. If you have younger kids, this will be the ride to take them to locally in the summer when it reopens. Stay tuned for more updates later this summer on this exciting enhancement to Happy Hallow Park & Zoo!

Danny the Dragon Gets a Roaring Revival at Happy Hollow

San Jose’s beloved Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is breathing new life into one of its most iconic attractions—Danny the Dragon! For over six decades, this whimsical train ride has been a cornerstone of family fun in our city, delighting generations with its quirky charm and playful journey through the park. Now, thanks to a renovation project, Danny is set to soar to new heights, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store.

The Happy Hollow Foundation recently launched a $500,000 capital campaign to “reimagine” Danny the Dragon, ensuring this treasured mascot remains a vibrant part of San Jose’s story for years to come. This renovation goes beyond a simple spruce-up—it’s a full transformation. The updated Danny will evolve from a classic train ride into an immersive experience, guiding visitors through themed “lands” that reflect the diverse habitats found at Happy Hollow.

What makes this project extra special is its focus on community. The goal is to fund the entire renovation through local support, with donors earning a unique perk: their names will be featured on “dragon scales” along the ride’s queue fence (I ordered one myself). It’s a chance for San Joseans to leave their mark on a piece of the city’s history.

Below are some of the concepts for the reimagining of the ride, which is expected to be complete later this year. If you are interested in learning more or contributing to the project, head over here!

Meet Donatello at San Jose's Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

Happy Hollow has a new resident, a capybara named Donatello. He got his name after picking up sticks with his mouth and swinging them around like a Ninja Turtle. Happy Hollow is also in the process of expanding the capybara habitat to include a larger yard and more vantage points for visitors. It should be ready later this year, but you can go visit Donatello right now.

It's amazing how many San Jose residents have never been to this cute little zoo. It's very nicely maintained and is the perfect size for toddlers and elementary school-aged kids. There is also a historic puppet theater, a handful of carnival-type rides, and a family roller coaster. It's also rarely crowded. If you have kids, it's the perfect outing to work into a weekend.

Source: SJ Today

Noon Year's Eve at Happy Hollow

There are not a lot of kid-friendly options for New Year's Eve, but there is one great one at San Jose's Happy Hollow Park and Zoo. They are doing a "Noon Year's Eve" with a countdown to noon instead of midnight on December 31st.

The early New Year celebrations runs from 11am to 1:30pm and includes games, crafts, activities, a ventriloquist magic show, and scavenger hunt. As expected, the countdown and ball drop happen at just before noon. It's a great family-friendly event that everyone can participate in.

For more info, head over here.

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo Nabs $1M for Upgrades

Happy Hollow has just received an anonymous $1 million donation donation, which is the largest gift it has ever received. The donation will go towards planning a future multispecies exhibit (multiple animals cohabitating) as well as upgrading the lower zoo area.

While not exactly the largest zoo in the world, I was very impressed with the renovation that was done several years ago. The lemur exhibit at the entrance of the park is particularly interesting since it incorporates an area where children can play while watching/imitating the animals. Hopefully they keep this level of interactivity in mind when planning out their renovations and new exhibits.

Source: The Merc

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo Grand Opening Weekend

Yesterday I took my goddaughter to the grand re-opening of Happy Hollow! The renovations and expansions are pretty impressive, this is definitely not the Happy Hollow Park & Zoo I remember from my childhood.

The park is now divided into 3 main sections: 1.) massive children's play area with rides and a titanic-sized play set  2.) the main zoo 3.) petting zoo (part of section 2 in the old park) and lemur play area. While everything was substantially renovated, what impressed me the most was the third section--which had one of the most innovative designs I have ever seen in an amusement park. A huge chunk of this area was themed around lemurs; however, instead of just having an expansive zoo exhibit of lemurs there is also a lemur-themed play area adjacent to it. So kids can essentially watch the lemurs while immediately imitating there actions in the play area. Excellent idea!

The entrance, store, restaurant, restrooms, and education facilities are all brand new. There are several new rides as well as new animal exhibits. Also, there are quite a few improvements still to come. Several areas are under construction and there are still 3 animal exhibits that haven't opened yet: bats, bees, and foxes.

One observation I had while walking back to the car was just how much underutilized space there is in Kelly park. We're talking dozens of acres here. How nice would it be to eventually build out a full zoo equivalent to San Francisco or Oakland? I think this current renovation and expansion will put Happy Hollow on the map as an exceptional children's park, but a full-blown zoo would increase it's appeal to a much larger audience. It could also be a profitable venture for San Jose, just a thought!