Judge rejects zoo nonprofit's bankruptcy, bolstering Los Angeles' claim to $50 million endowment

A federal court has rejected the Chapter 11 petition of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, delivering another win for the City of Los Angeles in its dispute over a $50 million endowment earmarked for the Griffith Park zoo. The city’s lawsuit, filed in 2024, accuses the longtime fundraising partner of breaching its contract, withholding zoo data, and monopolizing the funds. Earlier this year a preliminary injunction prevented GLAZA from accessing the endowment after its operating agreement lapsed.

City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto praised the ruling as evidence that the bankruptcy filing was a bad-faith effort to stall litigation. GLAZA, which says it owes creditors over $300,000, claimed the city’s aggressive legal tactics forced it into bankruptcy protection. The zoo, home to more than 1,600 animals, faces deteriorating exhibits, staffing shortages, and threats to its accreditation, prompting calls for a new owner. Animal-rights groups recently relocated the zoo’s last two elephants to the Tulsa Zoo.