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London Zoo

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London Zoo
Date opened1828
LocationRegent's Park, London, England
Land area36 acres [1] (0.108 km²)
Coordinates51°32′08″N 00°09′21″W / 51.53556°N 0.15583°W / 51.53556; -0.15583
No. of animals19,789 (2018)[2]
No. of species673 (2018)[2]
WebsiteZSL London Zoo

London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo.[3] It was opened in London on 27 April 1828,[4] and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847.[3] Today it has a collection of 673 species of animals, with 19,789 individuals, making it one of the largest collections in the United Kingdom.[2]

It is managed by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), established in 1826.[3] It is 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).[5] The Society also has a larger site at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire to which the larger animals such as elephants and rhinos have been moved.[6][7] As well as being the first scientific zoo, ZSL London Zoo also opened the first Reptile house (1849), first public Aquarium (1853),[8] first insect house (1881) and the first children's zoo (1938).

ZSL receives no state funding and relies on 'Fellows', 'Friends', 'Members', entrance fees and sponsorship to get income.[9][10]

However, the ZSL's nearby Institute of Zoology may get public grants as a scientific institution. It has an international reputation in bioconservation.[11]

References

[change | change source]
  1. "ZSL Corporate and Private Events". ZSL. Archived from the original on 9 August 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 ZSL Inventory [1]
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "ZSL's History". ZSL. Archived from the original on 28 February 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  4. "April 27". Today in Science History. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  5. "Google Maps". Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  6. "London elephants to join friends at Whipsnade". ZSL. 30 October 2001. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  7. "Elephants leave London". BBC News. 1 November 2001. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  8. ZSL Aquarium history [2] Archived 2013-10-26 at the Wayback Machine
  9. "Volunteering at London Zoo and Whipsnade Wild Animal Park" (PDF). ZSL. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 April 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  10. "London Zoo". Good Zoos. Archived from the original on 20 October 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  11. ZSL Institute of Zoology [3]