Holden Tours L.A. Zoo to Assess Conditions

City Councilman Nate Holden toured the Los Angeles Zoo Monday, assessing for himself the conditions that prompted federal officials to threaten possible revocation of its license.

Holden, who was escorted by zoo Director Warren Thomas, said that he saw a need for better all-around maintenance but added “from what I’ve seen today . . . they’re obviously correcting the most serious problems.”

For more than three years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has repeatedly cited the zoo for violations ranging from inadequate food storage to pest and rodent problems. Department officials say the zoo’s administrators have been slow in responding to their complaints, prompting them to issue a letter last week threatening the zoo with stiff fines or revocation of its license to operate if the violations are not corrected immediately. Holden said he will submit his findings to council President John Ferraro, who is calling for an investigation.