Best Zoos In The World

Morning all, hope you’re doing well. It’s been another whirlwind week again, almost everyday we’ve been out of the house, from going to the library to use the free Wi-Fi as we don’t have ours connected until sometime today actually, and have needed to be able to do our blogs, to going out grocery shopping and finding the best route to get to the shops. My health is taking a bit of battering at the minute, I keep picking up one infection after another, and with going on 2 and half months of being in a ‘crash’ it’s weakening my body further, to the point where whilst we were out getting food on Thursday I lost muscle weakness and full mobility in my body and sort of had an episode similar to a stroke, which lasted all night, it was pretty scary and I’ve still not fully recovered from when it happened but I’m trying to rest when I can, especially as from next Sunday my dad is off for the whole week, and we’re hoping to keep busy and use at least one of the days to go to the Zoo that we were suppose to go to last year, before we had to move, and also before it gets colder. Speaking of zoos – let’s get on with todays post..

Catching a glimpse of your favorite animals up close can be a thrilling experience. And all it takes is visiting the right place. Almost every big city in the world hosts a zoo – not just for entertainment but also for wildlife protection, animal conservation and breeding of rare animals. Zoos introduce us with many animals or species that we will never be able to watch in person. Visiting a zoo is a one-of-a-kind experience if you look closer. They not only preserve various species but also educate us about the animals’ habitat, their way of living, food etc. Many zoos across the world attract a large number of tourists and at the same time are a fun place for kids to learn too. If you love zoos, you might want to incorporate a zoo visit into your travels, whether domestic or worldwide. Here are some of the best zoos in the world to improve your travel experience

Zoos and animal reserves provide an opportunity for individuals to experience and learn about animals from around the world in one location, making them an ideal destination for trips with friends and family. These wildlife wonderlands offer an educational experience where visitors can observe nature’s creations up close. Here is a list of the top zoos in the world, which are sure to provide an unforgettable experience of exploring and understanding creatures from all corners of the globe.

Tiergarten Schönbrunn — Vienna, Austria

Schönbrunn Zoo (also simply called Vienna Zoo) is a 17-hectare (42-acre) zoo in the city of Vienna, Austria. Established in 1752, it is the world’s oldest zoo still in operation. Originally established as the imperial menagerie, this historic institution now focuses on conservation and education while retaining its elegant Baroque buildings. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, being a part of the Schönbrunn Palace gardens. It generally receives more than 2 million visitors every year. The zoo is home to a variety of animals, such as oriental small-clawed otters, arctic wolves, elephants, and Siberian tigers.As of 2021, it presented a total of 707 different species with around 8,250 specimens. Its primary attractions include the giant pandas, being one of only 27 zoos in the world to house them.

Bronx Zoo — New York City, USA

The Bronx Zoo (also historically the Bronx Zoological Park) is a zoo within Bronx Park in the Bronx, New York. It is one of the largest zoos in the United States by area and is the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States by area, comprising 265 acres (107 ha) of park lands and naturalistic habitats separated by the Bronx River. The zoo opened on November 8, 1899, featuring 843 animals in 22 exhibits. Its first director William Temple Hornaday served as director for 30 years. From its inception the zoo has played a vital role in animal conservation. In 1905, the American Bison Society was created in an attempt to save the American bison, which had been depleted from tens-of-millions of animals to only a few hundred, from extinction. Two years later they were successfully reintroduced into the wild. In 2007, the zoo successfully reintroduced three Chinese alligators into the wild. The breeding was a milestone in the zoo’s 10-year effort to reintroduce the species to the Yangtze River in China. As of today, the Bronx Zoo is world-renowned for its large and diverse animal collection, and its award-winning exhibitions. The zoo is part of an integrated system of four zoos and one aquarium managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and it is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Singapore Zoo — Singapore

The Singapore Zoo, formerly known as the Singapore Zoological Gardens or Mandai Zoo, is a 28 hectares (69 acres) zoo located on the north-western side of the island, the Zoo is a haven for wondrous wildlife and a must-visit for animal lovers. This beloved establishment first opened its gates to the public in 1973, and has since become one of the best rainforest zoos in the world. It is operated by the Mandai Wildlife Group, which also manages the neighbouring Night Safari, River Wonders, Bird Paradise as well as the forthcoming Rainforest Wild Park. All five parks makes up the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, which consists of more than 15,000 animals from 1,000 species. As you stroll through the Singapore Zoo’s 11 zones, you’re bound to find myriad opportunities for unforgettable encounters with its inhabitants. Within the zoo, there are about 315 species of animals, of which some 16 percent are considered to be a threatened species. Besides being home to many animals and over 300 species—including crocodiles, Malayan tapirs and white tigers—the zoo has won a trove of international and local awards and attracts over 2 million visitors every year.

Edinburgh Zoo –Edinburgh, Scotland

Previously known as Scottish National Zoological Park, Edinburgh zoo is the first zoo in the world that has been able to breed penguins in a zoo environment.  It’s also the first zoo in Britain that houses giant pandas and koalas.  The zoo is home to almost hundred penguins, and the ‘penguin parade’ (when penguins are released from their enclosure to walk around freely among visitors) is a ‘must-see’ activity in Edinburgh Zoo. Another famous thing to see is “state of the art chimpanzee enclosure’ that has been acclaimed by many experts. Other famous resident includes Asian lions, sun bear, Sumatran tigers, Scottish wild cats etc.

Berlin Zoological Garden –Berlin, Germany

As one of the most famous zoo in the Europe and all over the world, the Berlin Zoological garden has a good number of things to talk about. The zoo opened in 1844 and is a great source of pride for Berlin locals. It’s the zoo that housed ‘knut’ – the famous cute polar bear who once received the worldwide attention for being hand raised by its keeper Thomas Dörflein. The park is also known for Bao Bao – the giant oldest panda living in captivity. Apart from the celebrity animals, the zoo is acclaimed by animal rights protectors for its contribution to animal conservation. The Berlin Zoo isn’t just a heritage site, though – it’s also the world’s biggest zoo when measured by number of animals. There are a whopping 20,200 animals across 1,380 different species at this city zoo, making it a key player in many breeding programs. You can discover a dizzying variety of animals across its 86 acres, including polar bears, giant pandas, lemurs, and many other primates.

National Zoological Gardens — Pretoria, South Africa

The largest and best-known zoo in Africa is the National Zoological Garden of South Africa. Also known as the Pretoria Zoo, it was founded in 1899 and has a footprint of 210 acres, which includes an aquarium and a reptile park. With more than 9,000 animals from over 600 species in the zoo, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere with a better collection of animals from across Africa. You can see African penguins, African bush elephants, hippos, and even endangered okapi here, as well as creatures from Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Half of the zoo is situated on relatively flat ground, while the other half is located on the slopes of a hill. The two areas are separated by the Apies River flowing through the zoo. Two bridges provide access over the river.

San Diego Zoo — San Diego, USA

The San Diego Zoo is not only one of the best zoos in the US, but also a contender for the world’s best zoo – or at least the most famous. Since opening in 1916 in Balboa Park, it’s become the most visited zoo in the country and a main attraction of San Diego. Started with abandoned animals from a local exhibit in 1915, San Diego Zoo has come a long way to be another famous cageless zoo that features open-air natural exhibits for animals and birds. The zoo is divided up into eight massive exhibits themed around geography and habitat, which are home to over 3,500 animals across 650 species. One of its better-known exhibits is the Australian Outback section, where you’ll see creatures like koalas and Tasmanian devils. There are also exhibits of animals from places such as Africa and Asia including Pandas, monkeys, gorillas, elephants, and many more. Thus, it has to be one of the best zoos in the US.– as well as interesting ways to get around, particularly the Skyfari Aerial Tram.

Chester Zoo — England, UK

Chester Zoo is the United Kingdom’s most popular wildlife attraction, and for good reason. It covers 128 acres to the north of the English city of Chester, making it one of the largest zoos in the U.K. Opened in 1931 by George Mottershead and his family, it is one of the UK’s largest zoos at 51 hectares (130 acres) and has a total land holding of approximately 160 hectares (400 acres). It’s now managed by the nonprofit North of England Zoological Society, a registered charity founded in 1934. The zoo receives no government funding. You can find over 35,000 animals here, including exotic creatures such as capybaras, babirusas, and Andean bears. Chester Zoo is operated by the North of England Zoological Society, It is the most-visited wildlife attraction in Britain with more than 2 million visitors in 2019. In 2007 Forbes described it as one of the fifteen best zoos in the world. In 2017, it was named as the best zoo in the UK and third in the world by TripAdvisor.

Beijing Zoo — Beijing, China

Found in the Xicheng District of Beijing is the largest and oldest zoo in China, the Beijing Zoo. The zoo was founded in 1906 and is now home to over 450 species of land animals, as well as more than 500 species of marine life in its aquarium. Designed with classical Chinese gardens in mind, the zoo spans more than 200 acres. Naturally, the Beijing Zoo has a strong focus on rare animals native to China, most famously its giant panda population. Other species in the zoo that are endemic to China include red pandas and Sichuan golden hair monkeys, while it’s also home to many creatures from beyond the country’s borders. The zoo occupies an area of 89 hectares (220 acres), including 5.6 hectares (14 acres) of lakes and ponds in Xicheng District. It has one of the largest animal collections in the country. In 2015, the zoo and its aquarium had over 450 species of land animals and over 500 species of marine animals; in all, it is home to 14,500 animals. More than five million people visit the zoo each year. Like many of Beijing’s parks, the zoo’s grounds resemble classical Chinese gardens, with flower beds amidst natural scenery, including dense groves of trees, stretches of meadows, small streams and rivers, lotus pools, and hills dotted with pavilions and historical buildings.

Toronto Zoo – Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Not only is the Toronto Zoo the largest zoo in Canada, but it also boasts an incredible breadth of animals from all around the world. Its whopping 710 acres are separated into seven distinct zoogeographic regions representing various continents and environments: Indo-Malaya, Africa, Americas, Tundra Trek, Australasia, Eurasia, and the Canadian Domain. Some animals are displayed indoors in pavilions and outdoors in what would be their naturalistic environments, with viewing at many levels. It also has areas such as the Kids Zoo, Waterside Theatre, and Splash Island. It has one of the most taxonomically diverse collection of animals on display of any zoo worldwide; it is currently home to over 5,000 animals (including invertebrates and fish) representing over 500 species. Naturally, one of its regions is the Canadian Domain, where you can see classic native animals such as grizzly bears, American moose, and Canada lynx.The zoo is open to the public every day of the year except December 25.

London Zoo –London, UK

The London Zoo, located on the north side of Regent’s Park, has been operating as an animal research facility since 1826. In 1847, the grounds opened to the public, its success as a family attraction has helped them develop new zoo innovations such as the world’s first reptile house (in 1849), public aquarium (in 1853) and petting zoo (in 1938). Since then, the zoo has retained some of its most notable pieces of Victorian architecture while expanding their animals to include the popular Komodo Dragon, Galapagos Tortoises, a wide range of reptiles, tigers, gorillas and more. Particularly noteworthy is their Penguin Beach, which is a circular 12,000-square-meter pool that holds 450,000 liters of water and offers stunning underwater viewing areas.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium – Ohio, USA

Those who are unaware that Ohio was capable of having a world-class anything will be delighted to know that one of the largest zoos in the world is in Powell, close to Columbus. With over 9,000 total animals spread over 793 species and attracting over 2.3 million annual visitors, the Columbus Zoo has proven to be quite the menagerie and worthy of note; but what makes this place really shine is its world-renowned conservation facilities and fundraising programs to help outside conservation efforts. That, and, unlike most traditional zoos, the Columbus Zoo houses thrilling rides, coasters, drops, spin rides and even a water park. A home to a diverse range of creatures from all corners of the world, the zoo is easily a full day adventure.

Melbourne Zoo – Melbourne, Australia

One of the best zoos in the world and the oldest in the country is Australia’s zoo. It started as a place for domestic animals to acclimatize after long journeys to Australia. It was modeled after the London Zoo. Eventually, exotic animals were added. The Zoo is organized into bioclimatic zones designed and landscaped to cater to the needs of each region’s animals. Of course, native animals like kangaroos, wombats, emus, and koalas are highlights. You can even learn more about them on a unique Australian Wildlife Tour that starts before the Zoo opens to the public (and even feed kangaroos some breakfast). Part of the Zoo’s conservation efforts involves a master plan to save 27 local species, like the Mountain Pygmy-possum and Tasmanian Devil, from going extinct over the next decade. Trail of the Elephant provides an opportunity to see Asian elephants up-close as they wander freely through their exhibit. You can take free guided tours of the trail given by Zoo volunteers and see otters, Sumatran Tigers, and the other residents of Asian villages.

ZooParc de Beauval – Saint-Aignan, France

The ZooParc de Beauval, more commonly called Beauval Zoo or, more simply, Beauval, is a French zoological park located in Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, Centre-Val de Loire. It features more than 35,000 animals on 40 hectares, which is one of the largest animal collections in France and in Europe. Created in 1980 by Françoise Delord, it is now run by her son, Rodolphe Delord, and managed by his family, which owns most of the capital. Beauval was often the first zoo to have some animals in France, which contributed to its reputation and to its development. It has been the first zoo in France to present leucistic big cats, white tigers and white lions, in the 1990s. Still today, many species are rare in France, such as the okapi and the tree kangaroos, or unique, such as the koala and the giant panda. Four greenhouses present birds, great apes, sloths, reptiles, manatees and Australasian animals, while three plains present herbivores of the African savannah (like giraffes, white rhinos and antelope), African elephants and Asian herbivores (such as Indian rhinos and Malayan tapirs). Other facilities in the park are the Chinese zone called “On China Heights”, the African swamp called “The Hippos’ Reserve”, the sea lion basin presenting “The Sea Lions’ Odyssey” and the outdoor theatre presenting a free-flight bird show entitled “Masters of Airs”. With more than 1,600,000 annual visitors since 2019, it is the most visited touristic site of the Centre-Val de Loire region, one of the five most visited zoological institutions in France and the most visited conventional private zoo in the country.

Dublin Zoo – Dublin, Ireland

Dublin Zoo is a zoo in Dublin, Ireland, and one of Dublin’s most popular attractions. Established and designed in 1830 by Decimus Burton, it opened the following year. Today it focuses on conservation projects, breeding programmes, and growing awareness for animals. Its stated mission is to “work in partnership with zoos worldwide to make a significant contribution to the conservation of the endangered species on Earth”. Covering over 28 hectares (69 acres) of Phoenix Park, it is divided into habitats including the Himalayan Hills, Wolves in the Woods, the African Savanna, Kaziranga Forest Trail, South American House, Zoorassic World, Gorilla Rainforest, Orangutan Forest, Sea Lion Cove, and Family Farm (as of July 2022). The zoo is part of a worldwide programme to breed endangered species. It is a member of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), which helps the conservation of endangered species in Europe. Each species supervised by the EEP has a single coordinator that is responsible for the building of breeding groups with the aim of obtaining a genetically balanced population. Dublin Zoo manages the EEP for the golden lion tamarin and the Moluccan cockatoo. It also houses members of the species Goeldi’s monkey and the white-faced saki which are part of EEPs coordinated by other zoos. The focus is on conservation, which includes breeding and protecting endangered species, as well as research, study and education.

Copenhagen Zoo – Copenhagen, Denmark 

Copenhagen Zoo is a zoological garden in Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1859, it is one of the oldest zoos in Europe and is a member of EAZA. It comprises 11 hectares (27 acres) and is located in the municipality of Frederiksberg, sandwiched between the parks of Frederiksberg Gardens and Søndermarken. With 1,571,331 visitors in 2019 it is the most visited zoo and one of the most visited attractions in Denmark. The zoo is noted for its new Elephant House designed by British architect Sir Norman Foster. The zoo maintains and promotes a number of European breeding programmes. Starting in the early 1980s, Copenhagen Zoo has been undergoing a renovations aimed at replacing cages with enclosures which recreate animals’ natural environments, giving a better lifestyle to the animals, and a more realistic experience to visitors. The Elephant House and 1.5-hectare (3.7-acre) Savanna are results of these efforts. The Savanna includes a Hippopotamus House where the hippos can be watched underwater. A Herbivore House built in 1875 still houses herbivores, namely tapirs. An owl tower from 1885 is today left as a memorial commemorating how zoo animals were once kept. Animals exhibited at the zoo that are not housed in any of the main areas include bactrian camels, American flamingos, scarlet ibises, roseate spoonbills, Dalmatian pelicans, turkey vultures, Humboldt penguins, California sea lions, black-capped squirrel monkeys, chimpanzees and lions.

There are numerous zoos and wildlife parks established all over the world, from the Americas to Europe, down to Africa and Asia. Hopefully you found this list of the world’s best zoos helpful and entertaining. Whichever zoo you choose, check out the best times to visit – so you’ll miss the crowds. If you think you may be spending the whole day in a zoo, investigate the catering options – sometimes a picnic is a fun and affordable alternative.

Thank you for visiting my blog and reading today’s post, I hope you all have a lovely week and I shall see you next Wednesday! 😄