London Zoo is the world’s oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April
1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847. Today it houses a collection of 758 species of animals, with 16,802 individuals, making it one of the largest collections in the United Kingdom.
The
zoo is sometimes called Regent’s Zoo. It is managed under the aegis of the Zoological Society of London (established in 1826), and is situated at the northern edge of Regent’s Park, on the boundary line between City of Westminster and Camden (the Regent’s Canal runs through it). The Society also has a more spacious site at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire to which the larger animals such as elephants and rhinos have been moved.
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Giraffes live in Africa, in grasand and woodland habitats. They eat mainly acacia leaves but also shoots, fruits and other vegetation. Surprisingly, giraffes have the same number of bones in the neck as we do – seven. Valves in neck prevent blood rushing to the head when they bend down to drink. Babies stand at about two metres at birth - their horns lie flat at birth and pop up several days later. Into Africa offers the opportunity to come eye to eye with some of Africa’s most unusual animals.
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This is a fantastic opportunity to get up close to some of your favourite animals and learn more about how we take care of them at our zoos. Whether at ZSL London Zoo or ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, your experience is certain to be a fantastic one and will also be contributing to our vital conservation work around the world. Meet one of our incredible animals with one of our expert keepers. This is a fantastic opportunity to get up close to some of your favourite animals and learn more about how we take care of them at our zoos.
Whether at ZSL London Zoo or ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, your experience is certain to be a fantastic one and will also be contributing to our vital conservation work around the world.
ZSL was established by Sir Stamford Raffles and Sir Humphry Davy in 1826, who obtained the land for the Zoo and saw the plans before Raffles died of apoplexy (what would now be called a stroke) later that year on the 5th of July – his birthday. After his death the third Marquis of Lansdowne took over the project and supervised the building of the first animal houses. The Zoo opened in April 1828 to fellows of the Society, providing access to species such as Arabian oryx, greater kudus, orangutan and the now extinct quagga and thylacine. The Society was granted a Royal Charter in 1829 by King George IV, and in 1847 the Zoo opened to the public to aid funding. It was believed that tropical animals could not survive outside in London’s cold weather and so they were all kept indoors until 1902, when Dr Peter Chalmers Mitchell was appointed secretary of the Society. He set about a major reorganisation of the buildings and enclosures of the Zoo, bringing many of the animals out into the open, where many thrived. This was an idea inspired by Hamburg Zoo, and led to newer designs to many of the buildings. Mitchell also envisaged a new 600-acre (240 ha) park to the north of London, and in 1926 Hall Farm, near to Whipsnade village, was bought. In 1931 Whipsnade Wild Animal Park opened, becoming the world’s first open zoological park. The first woman to be a curator at the London Zoo was Evelyn Cheesman.
At the beginning of the 1990s, the Zoo had almost 7,000 animals; the nearest any other collection came to in Britain was Chester Zoo, with just under 3,500 animals. Many of the species in London Zoo could not be seen anywhere else in the country, such as the wombat, Tasmanian devil or long-nosed potoroo. Although this vast collection was part of the Zoo’s appeal, it may also have been one of the main causes of its financial problems. This contributed to the Zoo being faced with closure in the 1980s. Due to the public change of attitude to animals kept in captivity and unsuitably cramped space, the Zoo also suffered dwindling visitor numbers. However, when it was announced that London Zoo would close in 1991, a swell of public support in visitors and donations allowed the Zoo to continue its work, attempt to balance its books, and take on the huge task of restoring its buildings and creating environments more suitable for animal behaviour in the late 20th century. One benefit of the ‘swell of public support’ was the development of volunteer staff. Employed by both Education and Animal care, these volunteers give one day a week to assist the running of London Zoo and can be recognised by their red sweaters.