The Living Desert
You can stroll, dine or shop amid 1,200 acres of scenic gardens, nature trails and exhibits at The Living Desert, the only zoo in the United States dedicated to preserving the desert's fragile ecosystem.
Located at the base of the picturesque Santa Rosa Mountains, this captivating zoo and botanical garden features rare desert animals, including meerkats, coyotes, Bighorn sheep and endangered African cheetahs. There are botanical gardens representing 10 different desert ecosystems and several exciting exhibits including 
"Eagle Canyon," with its streams, mountain lions, bobcats, Mexican wolves, and golden eagles; the Village WaTuTu, a traditional African village featuring leopards, camels, hyenas, tortoises, and birds; and the Petting Kraal with sheep, goats, and Ankole cattle.
From Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve, the City of Indian Wells sponsors WildLights, a larger- than-life illuminated extravaganza of seasonal displays and wild creatures that come to life via 350,000 twinkling lights in a smoke tree forest.
For more information, call (760) 346-5694 or click www.livingdesert.org.