ZSL London Zoo
Date opened	1828
Location	Regent's Park, London, England
Land area	36 acres [1] (0. The year 1828 ( MDCCCXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap For other meanings see Regent's Park (disambiguation Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U 108 km²)
Coordinates	51°32′08″N, 00°09′21″W
Number of Animals	16,802 (2006)[2]
Number of Species	704 (2006)[2]
Accreditations/ Memberships	WAZA, EAZA, BIAZA
Major exhibits	Gorilla Kingdom, Blackburn Pavilion, Clore Rainforest Lookout, Into Africa
Website

ZSL London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA is the "umbrella" organisation for the world zoo and aquarium community The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA is an organisation for the European zoo and aquarium community The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA (formerly the Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Ireland is a conservation education The Zoological Society of London (sometimes known by the abbreviation ZSL) is a Learned society founded in London in April 1826 by Sir Thomas Stamford A zoological garden, shortened to zoo, is an institution in which living animals are exhibited in captivity ^[3] It was opened in London on April 27, 1828,^[4] and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated The year 1828 ( MDCCCXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding It was eventually made open to the public in 1847. Year 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common ^[3] Today it houses a collection of 704 species of animals, with 16,802 individuals, making it one of the largest collections in the United Kingdom. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[2]

It is managed under the aegis of the Zoological Society of London (established in 1826),^[3] and is situated at the northern edge of Regent's Park (the Regent's Canal runs through it). The Zoological Society of London (sometimes known by the abbreviation ZSL) is a Learned society founded in London in April 1826 by Sir Thomas Stamford For the game see 1826 (board game. Year 1826 ( MDCCCXXVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display For other meanings see Regent's Park (disambiguation Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks The Regent's Canal is a Canal across an area just to the north of central London, England. ^[5] 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. ZSL Whipsnade Zoo is a Zoo located at Whipsnade, near Dunstable in Bedfordshire, England. Bedfordshire (abbreviated Beds) is a County in England that forms part of the East of England region. ^[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). Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1853 ( MDCCCLIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

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

The closest London Underground stations are Camden Town and Chalk Farm and is served by the 274 bus route. The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire Camden Town tube station is a major junction on the Northern Line and one of the busiest stations on the London Underground network Chalk Farm tube station is a London Underground station near Camden Town in London. London Buses route 274 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. ^[11]

History

1835 painting of the camel house.

ZSL was established by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1826,^[3] who obtained the land for the Zoo and saw the plans before he died of apoplexy later that year. Sir is an Honorific used as a title (see Knight) and in several other modern contexts ^[10] After his death the third Marquis of Lansdowne took over the project and supervised the building of the first animal houses. Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne KG, PC, FRS ( 2 July 1780 – 31 January 1863) Marquess of Lansdowne, in the County of Somerset is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain held by the head of the Petty-Fitzmaurice family ^[10] The Zoo opened in April 1828 to fellows of the Society,^[3] providing access to species such as Arabian oryx, greater kudus, orangutan and the now extinct quagga & thylacine. The Arabian Oryx ( Oryx leucoryx) is a Bovid and the smallest member of Oryx genus native to desert and steppe areas of the Arabian peninsula The Greater Kudu ( Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a Woodland Antelope found throughout eastern and southern Africa. The orangutans are two Species of great apes known for their intelligence long arms and reddish-brown hair The quagga is an extinct subspecies of the Plains zebra, which was once found in great numbers in South Africa 's Cape Province and the southern The Thylacine (ˈθaɪləsaɪn -iːn ( Thylacinus cynocephalus Latin wolf-headed pouched dog was the largest known carnivorous Marsupial of modern ^[10] 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. A Royal Charter is a Charter granted by the Sovereign on the advice of the Privy council to legitimize an incorporated body such as a city company ^[12][3]

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. The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23 Doctor ( gen: doctoris) means teacher in Latin. The word is originally an Agentive noun of the verb docēre ('teach' Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell CBE FRS DSc LLD (23rd November 1864–1945 zoologist was Secretary of the Zoological Society of London ^[10] 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. The Zoological Garden of Hamburg (German Zoologischer Garten Hamburg) was a zoo in Hamburg, Germany that operated from 1863 until 1930 ^[10] Mitchell also envisaged a new 600-acre (2. 4 km²) park to the north of London, and in 1926 Hall Farm, near to Whipsnade village, was bought. Whipsnade is a small village in the county of Bedfordshire. It lies on the eastward tail spurs of the Chiltern Hills, about 2 In 1931 Whipsnade Wild Animal Park opened, becoming the world's first open zoological park. ^[3]

In 1962 'Caroline', an Arabian oryx, was lent to Phoenix Zoo, Arizona in the world's first international co-operative breeding programme. The Phoenix Zoo, opened in 1962 is the largest non-profit Zoo in the United States The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. ^[3] Today the Zoo participates in breeding programmes for over 130 species. ^[3]

Threat of closure

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. Chester Zoo is a Zoological garden located in Cheshire in north west England. 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. The Tasmanian Devil ( Sarcophilus harrisii) also referred to simply as "the devil" is a carnivorous Marsupial now found in the wild only in The Long-nosed Potoroo ( Potorous tridactylus * is a species of Australian Potoroo. ^[10]

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. ^[10] 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. ^[13][10]

Areas and attractions

The zoo is currently (2008) undergoing a renovation project 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. ^[14][15] In 2005 the "African Bird Safari"^[16] and "Meet The Monkeys"^[17] walkthroughs opened and in 2006 "Into Africa"^[18] and "Butterfly Paradise"^[19] exhibits opened, while in Easter 2007 the Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the new "Gorilla Kingdom"^[20] and "Clore Rainforest Lookout" a walkthrough rainforest replacing the small mammals building. ^[21] During Easter 2008 the Bird House reopened as a tropical rainforest called the "Blackburn Pavilion". ^[22]

Other plans include the redevelopment of the Children's Zoo and the Lion Terraces. ^[23]

African Bird Safari

The African Bird Safari (51°32′6″N 0°9′18.7″W / 51.535, -0.155194) opened in Easter 2005 as a redevelopment of the Stork and Ostrich House, replacing three out-of-date enclosures. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Prehistoric amphibian Amphibians (class Amphibia such as Frogs Toads Salamanders Newts Gymnophiona, Sirens and Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two An invertebrate is an Animal lacking a Vertebral column. The group includes 98% of all animal Species — all animals except those in the Chordate ^[16] It is built around a walk-through design 51 metres (170 ft) long and 10 metres (33 ft) high,^[16] incorporating a bridge over a stream and high trees. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit ^[24]

Species on display include Abdim's stork, superb starlings, Madagascar teals, Von der Decken's hornbills, lilac-breasted roller and blue-bellied roller. The Abdim's Stork, ( Ciconia abdimii) also known as White-bellied Stork, is a black Stork with grey legs red knees and feet grey bill and white The Superb Starling ( Lamprotornis superbus) is a member of the Starling family of Birds It can commonly be found in North East Africa, including Bernier's Teal Anas bernieri (also known as Madagascar Teal) is a duck species of the genus Anas. Von der Decken's Hornbill ( Tockus deckeni) is a Hornbill. Hornbills are a family of tropical Near-passerine Birds found in East Africa The Lilac-breasted Roller, Coracias caudataus, is a member of the Roller family of Birds It is widely distributed in Sub-Saharan Africa The Blue-bellied Roller, Coracias cyanogaster is a member of the Roller family of Birds which breeds across Africa in a narrow belt from ^[16][25][2]

Aquarium

There has been an aquarium at the Zoo since 1853 and was the first aquarium to be established in the world. ^[8] The word 'aquarium' also originates at London Zoo, beforehand the term for a fish enclosure was 'Aquatic Vivarium'. ^[8] The current aquarium (51°32′6.6″N 0°9′21.9″W / 51.535167, -0.156083) was built in 1921 beneath the Mappin Terraces as the public demand to see the fish increased. In April 1924 King George V with his wife Queen Mary opened the aquarium. Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes 26 May 1867 – 24 March 1953 was the queen-empress consort of George V of the United Kingdom

The exhibit is separated into three halls, each home to different types of fish:^[26]

1. The first hall contains species involved in various conservation projects, such as captive-breeding programmes and other ZSL-based initiatives. These include species such as rudd, European eels, pink sea fans, spiny starfish and seahorses. The European eel, Anguilla anguilla, is a snake-like facultatively catadromous fish which can reach in exceptional cases a length of 1½  m, but is UserPolbot. -->The broad sea fan or pink sea fan ( Eunicella verrucosa) is a species of Invertebrate Seahorses are a Genus ( Hippocampus ') of fish belonging to the family Syngnathidae, which also includes Pipefish and Leafy
2. The second hall is a coral reef habitat with tropical species from across the globe, including copperband butterflyfish and clownfish. Coral reefs are Aragonite structures produced by living organisms found in marine waters with little to no nutrients in the water The Copperband Butterflyfish, Chelmon rostratus, also commonly called the Beak Coralfish, is found in Reefs in both the Pacific and Clownfish and anemonefish are Fishes from the subfamily Amphiprioninae in the family Pomacentridae. ^[2]
3. The third hall contains Amazon fish including electric eels, glass knifefish, lungfish and stingray. The Amazon River (Rio Amazonas Río Amazonas of South America is the largest river in the world by volume with a total river flow greater than the next top ten largest rivers The electric eel, Electrophorus electricus, is a species of Fish. Glass knifefishes are fishes in the family Sternopygidae in the order Gymnotiformes. The South American lungfish, Lepidosiren paradoxa, is the single species of Lungfish found in Swamps and slow-moving waters of the Amazon The ocellate river stingray ( Potamotrygon motoro) also known as the peacock-eye stingray, is a potamodromous Freshwater ray

The aquarium also includes the Big Fish Tank which holds fish rescued from private homes that had insufficient equipment to look after the fish. This includes catfish, tucunare, tambaqui and pirapitinga. Catfish ( order Siluriformes) are a very diverse group of bony Fish. The Tambaqui ( Colossoma macropomum) is a freshwater Fish of the subfamily Serrasalminae, family Characidae. ^[27] The breeding room is also visible to the public. ^[26]

Blackburn Pavilion

The Blackburn Pavilion (51°32′1.2″N 0°9′7.5″W / 51.533667, -0.152083) opened to the public on 21 March 2008 as a revamp of the old Bird House. Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[22] The Victorian building was originally built in 1883 as a Reptile House using funds raised from the sale of Jumbo the elephant to Barnum's Circus. The term Victorian architecture can refer to one of a number of Architectural styles predominantly employed during the Victorian era. Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Jumbo The Elephant ( 1861 - September 15, 1885) was a very large African bush elephant, born 1861 in French Sudan, imported to The exhibit is named after the Blackburn family, who provided support to the Zoo during the early 1990s when the Zoo was faced with closure. ^[22]

Recreating both rainforest and cloud forest environments the pavilion holds more than 50 different species of bird including toucans, starlings, kookaburras, lovebirds, and hummingbirds (the only place in the UK to hold them). Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally Tropical or Subtropical evergreen Montane moist forest characterized by a Toucans are a family Ramphastidae, of Near-passerine Birds from the Neotropics (i Starlings are small to medium-sized Passerine Birds in the family Sturnidae. Kookaburras (genus Dacelo) (or Cookaburras are large to very large (total length 28-42 cm/11-17 in terrestrial Kingfishers native Lovebird is the commonly used name for the Genus, Agapornis (from the Greek αγάπη agape, for love and όρνις ornis Hummingbirds are Birds in the family Trochilidae, and are endemic to the Americas. The exhibit also contains several species in danger of extinction, or are already extinct in the wild, such as the socorro dove. The Socorro Dove ( Zenaida graysoni) is a Dove that is Extinct in the wild ^[22]

B. U. G. S

B. U. G. S (Biodiversity Underpinning Global Survival), formerly Web of Life, (51°32′3.5″N 0°9′7″W / 51.534306, -0.15194) aims to educate the public on biodiversity itself. ^[28] Displaying over 140 species, including leaf-cutter ants, Mexican redknee tarantulas, flamboyant flower beetles, anteaters and Malaysian giant stick insects. Leafcutter ants are social Insects found in warmer regions of the Americas. Mexican Red-Kneed Tarantula The Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula ( Brachypelma smithi) is a Species of burrowing Tarantula native to the western face of the Eudicella gralli, sometimes called the flamboyant flower beetle or striped love beetle, is a brightly colored member of the Scarab beetle family Anteaters are the four Mammal species of the suborder Vermilingua commonly known for eating Ants and Termites Together with the Sloths The Stick insect Phobaeticus serratipes (formerly known as Pharnacia serratipes) is the longest known insect with one female specimen recorded ^[28][29] Since 98% of all known animal life are invertebrates the majority of the species on display are also invertebrates. ^[28]

The building is environmentally friendly, constructed from materials requiring little energy to produce, and generating its heating from visitors' and animals' body heat. ^[28]

B. U. G. S is also home to ZSLs Invertebrate Conservation Unit, a facility for the breeding of invertebrates. ^[28]

Butterfly Paradise

An atlas moth in Butterfly Paradise. The Atlas moth ( Attacus atlas) is a large saturniid moth found in the tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia, southern China, common

The Butterfly Paradise exhibit (51°32′6.5″N 0°9′8.8″W / 51.535139, -0.152444), launched in May 2006, holds butterfly and moth species from several major regions, including Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central & South America. May 2006 was a month with thirty-one days The following events also occurred during the month A butterfly is an Insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a A moth is an Insect closely related to the Butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a ^[19] The species of both fauna and flora have been selected to complement each, with the plants having to provide nectar and breeding areas for the animals. ^[30]

Species on display include clipper butterfly, great eggfly butterfly, zebra longwing and postman butterfly. The Clipper ( Parthenos sylvia) is a species of Nymphalid butterfly found in South and South-East Asia The Great Eggfly ( Hypolimnas bolina) also called Blue Moon Butterfly in New Zealand or Common Eggfly, is a species of nymphalid The Zebra Longwing Heliconius charithonia, (also known as the Zebra Heliconian) is a species of Butterfly belonging to the subfamily Heliconiinae The Postman Butterfly ( Heliconius melpomene) is one of Heliconiine butterflies found in South America ^[2]

Like much of the Zoo the exhibit aims to educate the public on conservation projects, such as species recovery programmes, habitat protection initiatives and climate change issues. ^[19] Alongside the free-flying exhibit there is a pupae breeding room allowing the public to see the development of new butterflies. ^[31]

Children's Zoo

The Ambika Paul Children’s Zoo (51°32′2.5″N 0°9′14.9″W / 51.534028, -0.154139), is based around two sections, the pet care centre and the paddock, and provides a hands-on exhibit aimed at children. ^[32]

The pet care centre offers advice on keeping and caring for your pets and animals on display include species of rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, rats, stick insects, chinchillas, degus and snails. Rabbits are small Mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world The Guinea pig (also commonly called the cavy after its scientific name Cavia porcellus) is a species of Rodent belonging to the family Caviidae A mouse (plural mice) is a small Animal that belongs to one Rats are various medium sized long-tailed Rodents of the superfamily Muroidea "Phasmid" redirects here For the cloning vector used in genetics see Phagemid. Chinchillas are rabbit-sized Crepuscular Rodents native to the Andes mountains in South America. The Degu ( Octodon degus) is a small caviomorph Rodent that is native to Chile. The word snail is a Common name that can be used for almost all members of the Molluscan class Gastropoda which have coiled shells in the The paddock includes sheep, Anglo Nubian goats, pygmy goats, llamas, alpacas reindeer and Tamworth pigs. The Anglo-Nubian, or simply Nubian in the United States is a breed of domestic Goat. A pygmy goat is a small breed of domestic Goat. Although they produce a large amount of Milk for their size and can be eaten pygmy goats are not typically used The llama ( Lama glama) is a South American Camelid, widely used as a Pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes The Alpaca ( Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American Camelid. Tamworth Pig is among the oldest of Porcine breeds but as with many older breeds of livestock it is not well suited to modern production methods and is listed as "Threatened" ^[32][2]

It was set up in 1994 from a donation by Swraj Paul in memory of his daughter, Ambika Paul, who died of leukemia. Leukemia or leukaemia (Greek leukos λευκός, "white" aima αίμα, "blood" is a Cancer of the Blood ^[32]

Clore Rainforest Lookout

The Clore Rainforest Lookout (51°32′10.9″N 0°9′18.9″W / 51.536361, -0.15525) was opened by HRH Duke of Edinburgh on 29 March and opened to the public on 30 March 2007. The Duke of Edinburgh is a Dukedom associated with Edinburgh, Scotland. Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Events 240 BC - 1st recorded Perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[20][33] The Lookout replaces the Charles Clore Pavilion for Mammals, which was built in 1967, with the aid of the Clore Duffield Foundation. ^[34]

The exhibit recreates the South American rainforest and provides canopy and forest floor levels for the public to wander through. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a The canopy is one of the uppermost levels of a Forest, below the emergent layer, formed by the Tree crowns Canopy trees refers to the trees ^[34] Species on display include two-toed sloths, agoutis, silvery marmosets, golden-headed lion tamarins, Goeldi’s monkeys, Geoffroy’s marmosets, pottos, slow loris, slender loris, emperor tamarins, gentle lemurs and pygmy marmosets. "Megalonychidae" redirects here For the Prehistoric members of this family see Ground sloth#Megalonychidae. The popular term ( common) agouti designates several rodent species of the Genus Dasyprocta that inhabit areas of Central America the West Indies The Silvery Marmoset ( Callithrix argentata) is a New World monkey that lives in Brazil, south and east of the Amazon basin. The Golden-headed Lion Tamarin ( Leontopithecus chrysomelas) is a Lion tamarin endemic to Brazil. Goeldi's Marmoset or Goeldi's Monkey ( Callimico goeldii) is a small South American New World monkey that lives in the upper Amazon The White-headed Marmoset ( Callithrix geoffroyi) also known as the Tufted-ear Marmoset or Geoffrey's Marmoset, is a Marmoset endemic The Potto ( Perodicticus potto) is a Strepsirrhine Primate from the Lorisidae family The slow lorises are three species of Loris and are classified as the genus Nycticebus. The slender lorises are two species of Loris, the only members of the genus Loris: the Red Slender Loris, Loris tardigradus The Emperor Tamarin ( Saguinus imperator) is a Tamarin allegedly named for its resemblance to the German emperor Wilhelm II. The Lac Alaotra Gentle Lemur ( Hapalemur alaotrensis) also known as the Alaotran Gentle Lemur or locally as the Bandro, is a Bamboo lemur The Pygmy Marmoset ( Callithrix (Cebuella pygmaea) is a Monkey native to the Rainforest canopies of western Brazil, southeastern ^[34][2]

Nightzone, a darkened section, provides an insight into nocturnal rainforest life. This area includes Rodrigues fruit bats, long-nosed potoroos, emperor scorpions and Malasay giant jumping rats. The Rodrigues Flying Fox or Rodrigues Fruit Bat ( Pteropus rodricensis) is a species of Bat in the family Pteropodidae, the flying foxes The Long-nosed Potoroo ( Potorous tridactylus * is a species of Australian Potoroo. The emperor scorpion or imperial scorpion ( Pandinus imperator) is a Species of Scorpion native to Africa. The Malagasy Giant Rat ( Hypogeomys antimena) also known as the Votsovotsa, is a Rodent found only in the Menabe region of Madagascar ^[35]

Gorilla Kingdom

Bobby, a western lowland gorilla, on the island

Gorilla Kingdom (51°32′7.2″N 0°9′18.4″W / 51.535333, -0.155111) is a flagship 6,000-square-metre (65,000 sq ft) exhibit which opened in Easter 2007. M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here The square foot is an Imperial unit / US customary unit (non- SI non- metric) of Area, used mainly in the United States ^[36] It is a 5. 3-million pound development that took 18 months to build,^[37] was launched by HRH Duke of Edinburgh on 29 March and opened to the public on 30 March 2007. The Duke of Edinburgh is a Dukedom associated with Edinburgh, Scotland. Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Events 240 BC - 1st recorded Perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[20]

It replaces old monkey enclosures with a giant moated island and indoor gym that is home to a group of western lowland gorillas. A monkey is any member of either the New World monkeys or Old World monkeys two of the three groupings of Simian Primates the third group being The Western Lowland Gorilla ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla) is a subspecies of the Western Gorilla ( Gorilla gorilla) that lives in montane, ^[38] There are currently four gorillas in the enclosure: Bobby, a 23-year-old male; Zaire, a 32-year-old female, Effie, a 14-year-old female and Mjukuu, a 9-year-old female^[39] brought in from Chessington. Chessington World of Adventures is a theme park and Zoo in south-west London, England. ^[40][41] The area also holds black-and-white colobus monkeys. Black-and-white colobus are Old World monkeys of the genus Colobus and are closely related to the Red colobus monkeys of genus ^[20]

The exhibit is also home to mangabeys, monitor lizards, a variety of bird species and Diana monkey. Monitor lizards are the family Varanidae, a group of carnivorous lizards which includes the largest living lizard the Komodo dragon. The Diana Monkey ( Cercopithecus diana) is an Old World monkey found in West Africa, from Sierra Leone to Côte d'Ivoire. ^[20]

The exhibit was inspired by a conservation project that is managed by ZSL in Gabon. Gabon (gəˈbɒn or /gaˈbõ/ in French) is a country in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Republic ^[42][43] It has been planted with plants and herbs that the gorillas can eat while the island itself represents a natural forest clearing in the Central African rainforest. A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria

A visitor to the exhibit will learn about the plight of western lowland gorillas in the wild and conservation of rainforests, while being separated from the animals on the island by either a moat or a floor to ceiling window. A moat is deep broad Trench, usually filled with Water, that surrounds a structure installation or town normally to provide it with a preliminary line of

Into Africa

Into Africa (51°32′8.6″N 0°9′28″W / 51.535722, -0.15778) opened on 1 April 2006,^[44] and features a high level viewing platform to bring the public face-to-face with the giraffes. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[18] Zebras were reintroduced to the Zoo after an 8-year absence, joining the Rothschild giraffe in the main enclosure. The Rothschild Giraffe, named after Tring Zoological Museum 's founder Lord Walter Rothschild, also known as the Baringo Giraffe, after the Lake ^[45]

After a survey found that 95% of visitors preferred enclosures without bars the decision was made to use glass windows instead, to bring the public closer to the animals and gain a more intimate experience. ^[18]

African hunting dogs can be observed through periscopes and observation pods while other species include warthog, okapi and red river hogs. The African wild dog ( Lycaon pictus) is a carnivorous mammal of the Canidae family found only in Africa, especially in scrub Savanna The warthog or common warthog ( Phacochoerus africanus, "African Lens-Pig" is a wild member of the pig family that lives in Africa The Okapi ( Okapia johnstoni) is a Mammal native to the Ituri Rainforest, located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo The Red River Hog ( Potamochoerus porcus) also known as Bush Pig (but not to be confused with P ^[45][18]

Komodo Dragons

The Komodo Dragon enclosure (51°32′4.6″N 0°9′21.5″W / 51.534611, -0.155972), opened on 12 July 2004 by Sir David Attenborough,^[46] mimics a dry river bed with a curving 20-metre (66 ft) glass wall. Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Sir David Frederick Attenborough OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS (born 8 May 1926 in London, England ^[47] There are two adult dragons, Raja (male) and Sungaï (female), and four babies. ^[48] The Komodo dragons were introduced as part of the European Conservation Breeding Programme. The Komodo dragon ( Varanus komodoensis) is a species of Lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili ^[49][46]

Mappin Terraces

When the Mappin Terraces (51°32′6″N 0°9′24.3″W / 51.535, -0.15675) opened in 1913,^[50] it was the first time that members of the public could see animals in an arctic environment. Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Arctic is the Region around the Earth 's North Pole, opposite the Antarctic region around the South Pole. ^[51] . ^[50] In the past it has been home to Polar bears, Ibex, Snow Leopards and other mountain creatures. The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a Bear native to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas An ibex, commonly called by its French name bouquetin also called Steinbock in German an individual of any of several species of wild mountain goats (genus The snow leopard ( Uncia uncia) sometimes known as the ounce, is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia from Afghanistan Northern

The Mappin Terraces will soon hold wallabies and some other species, possibly emus. Work is currently underway on site to get the new exhibit finished.

When visitors visit the aquarium they do not realise that they are in fact walking underneath the artificial mountains and the reservoirs that hold the water for the aquarium.

Meet The Monkeys

Meet The Monkeys (51°31′59.7″N 0°9′5.9″W / 51.53325, -0.151639) is a 1,500-square-metre (16,000 sq ft) enclosure which was opened on 21 March 2005 by Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt, of The Mighty Boosh. Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Noel Fielding (born 21 May, 1973 in Westminster, London) is an English Artist, Comedian and Actor Julian Barratt (born 4 May 1968) is an English comedian, Musician Music producer and Actor. The Mighty Boosh, colloquially referred to as The Boosh, is the collective name for the creators of the British television situation comedy written by and starring ^[52][17] The exhibit is open, with no roof, and no boundaries between the public and animals. ^[53] Designed to recreate the Bolivian Rainforest, it holds black-capped squirrel monkeys which are part of the European Conservation Breeding Programme. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches The Black-capped Squirrel Monkey ( Saimiri boliviensis) is a South American Squirrel monkey, found in Bolivia, Brazil and ^[54]

The Zoos outer boundary had to be increased to accommodate the new enclosure, encroaching into Regent's Park to the south-east. For other meanings see Regent's Park (disambiguation Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks ^[54][55]

Reptile House

The Reptile House (51°32′6.6″N 0°9′20.7″W / 51.535167, -0.15575) opened in 1927 and was designed by Joan Beauchamp Proctor and Sir Edward Guy Dawber. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sir Edward Guy Dawber, RA, ARA ( King's Lynn, 1861 - London, 1938 was an English Architect working in the late ^[50] Visitors may notice Reptiles and other animals carved by George Alexander on the front of the building. George Alexander may refer to George Alexander (actor, British actor George Alexander (politician, mayor of Los Angeles ^[50]

It is currently home to various reptiles including lizards, tortoises, crocodiles and snakes, adjacent to the house is the Komodo Dragon house (see above). Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Lizards are a large and widespread group of Reptiles of the order Squamata, with nearly 5000 species and ranging across all continents except Tortoises or land Turtles are land-dwelling Reptiles of the family of Testudinidae', order Testudines. A crocodile is any Species belonging to the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the Subfamily Crocodylinae) A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. The Komodo dragon ( Varanus komodoensis) is a species of Lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili

Snowdon Aviary

The Snowdon Aviary

The Snowdon Aviary (51°32′11.1″N 0°9′26.9″W / 51.536417, -0.157472) was designed by Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, Cedric Price and Frank Newby, and built in 1964. Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones 1st Earl of Snowdon GCVO RDI (born 7 March 1930) is an English photographer and Emmy Award Cedric Price ( 11 September 1934 &ndash 10 August 2003) was an English Architect and influential teacher and writer on Frank Newby ( 26 March 1926 &ndash 10 May 2001) was one of the leading structural engineers of the 20th Century working with such architects ^[50]

Over the years a variety of birds have been kept in the aviary from birds of prey to waterfowl. Birds of prey are Birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing using their keen senses especially vision See also UK Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust USA Ducks Unlimited The current birds in the aviary include green peafowl, sacred ibis, little egrets, cattle egrets, night herons, waldrapp, ducks, pigeons and African grey-headed gulls. The Green Peafowl, Pavo muticus is a large member of the Galliformes order that is found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. The Sacred Ibis ( Threskiornis aethiopicus) is a species of wading Bird of the Ibis family Threskiornithidae which breeds in sub-Saharan The Little Egret, Egretta garzetta is a small white Heron. It is the Old World counterpart to the very similar New World Snowy Egret. The Cattle Egret ( Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of Heron ( family Ardeidae) found in the tropics subtropics and warm The night herons are medium-sized Herons in the genera Nycticorax and Gorsachius. The Northern Bald Ibis, Hermit Ibis, or Waldrapp ( Geronticus eremita) is a large migratory Bird found in barren semi-desert For duck as a food see Duck (food; for other meanings see Duck (disambiguation. The Grey-headed Gull ( Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus) is a small Gull which breeds patchily in South America and Africa south of the ^[56]

The Snowdon Aviary was spoofed in the Scotland and The Goodies and the Beanstalk episodes of The Goodies television series. " Scotland " is an episode of the British Comedy television series The Goodies. The Goodies and the Beanstalk is an episode of the British Comedy television series The Goodies. This article discusses The Goodies comedy television series For information about the formation of The Goodies group and for information

Zoo World

Built around the Casson Pavilion, originally the old Elephant and Rhino House,^[57] Zoo World (51°32′4.4″N 0°9′16.5″W / 51.534556, -0.154583) is now home to bearded pigs, bactrian camels and also provides a winter home for the pygmy hippos. Elephants ( family: Elephantidae) are large land Mammals of the order Proboscidea. Rhinoceros (raɪˈnɒsərəs often colloquially abbreviated rhino, is a name used to group five extant species of Odd-toed ungulates in the family The Bearded Pig ( Sus barbatus) also known as the Bornean Bearded Pig, is a Species of Pig. The Bactrian Camel ( Camelus bactrianus) is a large Even-toed ungulate native to the Steppes of north eastern Asia. The pygmy hippopotamus ( Choeropsis liberiensis) is a large Mammal native to the forests and swamps of Western Africa (the scientific species classification ^[58] Previously this house was a temporary home to monkeys and birds while the Clore Rainforest Lookout and Blackburn Pavilion was built.

Inside the house displays inform visitors about the zoo and its various conservation programs. ^[57]

Others

There are also other animals not part of any specific exhibit; these incluse gibbons, vultures, tigers, lions, servals, parrots, spider monkeys, penguins, meerkats, otters, lemurs, aye-ayes and tapirs. Gibbons are the small Apes in the family Hylobatidae. The family is divided into four genera based on their Diploid Chromosome Vultures are scavenging Birds feeding mostly on the carcasses of dead Animals Vultures are found on every continent except Antarctica and The tiger ( Panthera tigris) is a member of the Felidae family the largest and the most powerful of the four " Big cats quot in the Genus The lion ( Panthera leo) is a member of the family Felidae and one of four Big cats in the Genus Panthera. The Serval (ˈsɝvəl Leptailurus serval) is a medium-sized African wild cat. Parrots are birds of the roughly 350 Species in 85 genera comprising the order Psittaciformes, found in most warm and tropical regions Spider monkeys are New World monkeys of the family Atelidae, subfamily Atelinae. Penguins ( order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are a group of aquatic, flightless Birds living almost The meerkat or suricate Suricata suricatta is a small Mammal and a member of the Mongoose family Otters are semi- aquatic (or in one case aquatic) fish-eating Mammals The otter subfamily Lutrinae forms part of the family Lemurs make up the infraorder Lemuriformes and are members of a group of Primates known as Prosimians The term "lemur" is derived from the The Aye-aye ( Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a Strepsirrhine native to Madagascar that combines Rodent -like teeth with a long thin middle Tapirs (ˈteɪpɚ as in "taper" or /təˈpɪər/ as "ta-pier" are large browsing Mammals, roughly pig-like in shape with short

Future developments

Plans have been announced to build a new amphibian exhibit named Frog World. Prehistoric amphibian Amphibians (class Amphibia such as Frogs Toads Salamanders Newts Gymnophiona, Sirens and This will be part of a major ZSL amphibian conservation project costing £2. 2 million also including a disease-research laboratory and a captive-breeding programme. ^[59]

These new developments are all part of the new masterplan to create better accessibility, which involves relocating the main entrance to the east, adjacent to the Broad Walk in Regent's Park. ^[60]

Notable animals

The only photograph of a living quagga was taken at London Zoo in 1870. Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

Throughout its history the Zoo has had many well-known residents. These may have been scientifically important individuals or simply beloved by the public.

The Zoo was home to the only living quagga ever to be photographed, before the species became extinct in the wild due to hunting in southern Africa in about 1870. The quagga is an extinct subspecies of the Plains zebra, which was once found in great numbers in South Africa 's Cape Province and the southern Extinct in the Wild ( EW) is a Conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa the only known living members of which are being kept in captivity or as a naturalized Southern Africa is the Southernmost Region of the African Continent, variably defined by Geography or Geopolitics. Another now extinct species the Zoo held was a number of thylacines, or marsupial wolves. The Thylacine (ˈθaɪləsaɪn -iːn ( Thylacinus cynocephalus Latin wolf-headed pouched dog was the largest known carnivorous Marsupial of modern ^[61]

The first hippopotamus to be seen in Europe since the Roman Empire, and the first in England since prehistoric times, arrived at London Zoo in May 1850 as a gift from the Ottoman Viceroy of Egypt in exchange for some greyhounds and deerhounds. The hippopotamus ( Hippopotamus amphibius) from the Greek ἱπποπόταμος ( hippopotamos, ιππος hippos meaning "horse" The hippo was named Obaysch and led to a doubling of the Zoos visitors that year. ^[62]

In 1865, Jumbo, the largest elephant known at the time, was transferred to the Zoo from Jardin des Plantes in Paris. Year 1865 ( MDCCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Jumbo The Elephant ( 1861 - September 15, 1885) was a very large African bush elephant, born 1861 in French Sudan, imported to Elephants ( family: Elephantidae) are large land Mammals of the order Proboscidea. The Jardin des Plantes is the main Botanical garden in France. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city His name, possibly from Jambo, swahili for hello, become an epithet for anything of large size, such as Boeing's 747 Jumbo jet. Swahili (called Kiswahili in the language itself is the First language of the Swahili people (Waswahili who inhabit several large stretches The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William E WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout He unfortunately became aggressive in old age, and had to stop giving rides; he was sold to Phineas Barnum's circus, the Barnum & Bailey Circus, in 1882, where he was later crushed by a locomotive and killed. Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5 1810 &ndash April 7 1891 was an American Showman remembered for Hoaxes and for founding the Circus that became the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus was started when the Circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P Year 1882 ( MDCCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A locomotive is a railway Vehicle that provides the motive power for a Train. ^[63]

Winnipeg bear (or Winnie) was an American black bear given to the Zoo in 1914 by a Canadian Lieutenant, Harry Colebourn. The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services Harry Colebourn ( April 12, 1887 &ndash September 24 1947) was born in Birmingham, England and immigrated to Canada A. A. Milne visited with his son Christopher Robin, and the boy was so enamoured with the bear Milne wrote the famous series of books for him entitled Winnie-the-Pooh. Alan Alexander Milne (ˈmɪln (18 January 1882 &ndash 31 January 1956 was an English Author, best known for his Books about the Teddy bear Christopher Robin Milne (21 August 1920 &ndash 20 April 1996 was the son of author Alan Alexander Milne and Dorothy de Sélincourt. Winnie-the-Pooh, commonly shortened to Pooh Bear and once referred to as Edward Bear, is a fictional Bear created by A ^[61] A 2004 film A Bear Named Winnie is based on the story of Winnie the bear, with Michael Fassbender playing Harry Colebourn. The year 2004 in film involved some significant events Major releases of sequels took place Michael Fassbender (born April 2, 1977) is an actor born in Heidelberg, Germany, brought up in Killarney, County Kerry ^[64]

Guy, a western lowland gorilla, arrived at the Zoo on Guy Fawkes Night (hence the name) 1947 from Paris Zoo, and lived at the Zoo until his death in 1978. Guy the Gorilla ( May 30, 1946 (his official birthday – 1978) was a Western Lowland Gorilla ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla) who was The Western Lowland Gorilla ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla) is a subspecies of the Western Gorilla ( Gorilla gorilla) that lives in montane, Guy Fawkes Night (also known as Bonfire Night, Cracker Night, Fireworks Night) is an annual celebration on the evening of the 5th of November Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Over his 32-year life he became one of the Zoos best-loved residents. ^[65] After years of trying to find a mate, in 1969 five-year-old Lomie arrived from Chessington Zoo. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Chessington World of Adventures is a theme park and Zoo in south-west London, England. They were kept separated for a year to adjust to each other, until they were finally united. Although they got on well together they never produced any offspring. ^[65] In 1982 Guy was commemorated by a bronze statue, sculptured by William Timyn, in the Zoos Barclay Court. Bronze is any of a broad range of Copper alloys, usually with Tin as the main additive but sometimes with other elements such as Phosphorus ^[65]

On 27 November 1949 Brumas became the first polar bear to be successfully bred at the Zoo, and immediately became a major attraction with the public. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a Bear native to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas This led to the Zoos annual attendance to rise to over 3 million in 1950 - a figure that has yet to be topped. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Although a female, the press reported that she was a 'he' and this was not corrected at the time, leading the public to believe the bear was a male. ^[61] Eighteen years later, on 1 December 1967 the second polar bear bred at the Zoo, this time a male, was born. Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. He was named Pipaluk (Inuit for little one) but, in 1985, had to leave the Zoo when the Mappin Terraces closed. The Inuit language is traditionally spoken across the North American Arctic and to some extent in the Subarctic in Labrador. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) ^[61]

The Zoo's first giant panda, Chi Chi, arrived in 1958. The Giant Panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca, "black-and-white cat-foot" is a Mammal classified in the Bear family ( Ursidae) native to Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Although originally destined for an American zoo, Washington had ceased all trade with communist China and so Chi Chi was refused entry to the United States. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES In the interests of conservation, ZSL had stated they would not encourage the collection of wild pandas. However, when it was pointed out that Chi Chi had already been collected her purchase was approved, and she immediately become the star attraction at London Zoo. As the only giant panda in the west she was the inspiration of Peter Scott's design for the World Wildlife Fund logo. Sir Peter Markham Scott, CH, CBE, DSC, FRS, FZS, ( September 14, 1909 – August 29, 1989 In July 1972 Chi Chi died and was publicly mourned. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[10]

For four days in late August 2005 the Zoo ran an exhibit entitled the Human Zoo, which put eight humans on display in the Mappin Terraces. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Human zoos (also called "ethnological expositions" or " Negro Villages" were 19th and 20th century public exhibits of human beings usually in a "natural" Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus The idea behind the exhibit was the demonstrate the basic nature of man as an animal and examine the impact we have on the animal kingdom. ^[66][67]

Today the Zoo holds the only population of humming birds and socorro doves (which are extinct in the wild) in the United Kingdom in the Blackburn Pavilion. Hummingbirds are Birds in the family Trochilidae, and are endemic to the Americas. The Socorro Dove ( Zenaida graysoni) is a Dove that is Extinct in the wild ^[23]

Architecture at the Zoo

Bird's eye view of the Gardens of the Zoological Society, circa 1828

Since its earliest days, the zoo has prided itself on appointing leading architects to design its buildings, today it holds two Grade I, and eight Grade II listed structures. An architect is a licensed individual who leads a design team in the Planning and Design of buildings and participates in oversight of Building Construction A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural historical or cultural significance ^[68]

The initial grounds were laid out in 1828 by Decimus Burton, the Zoos first official architect from 1826 to 1841, made famous for his work on the Coliseum Theatre and Marble Arch. Decimus Burton ( 30 September 1800 - 14 December 1881) was a prolific English Architect and garden designer particularly The Coliseum Theatre (also known as the London Coliseum) is on St Marble Arch is a white Carrara Marble monument near Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, at the western end of Oxford Street in ^[10] Burton's work began with the Clock Tower in 1828 above what was then the llama house, which today is the first aid kiosk. ^[68] In 1830 the East Tunnel, which linked the north and south parts of the zoo together for the first time, was completed, which also acted as a bomb shelter during World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including ^[50] Burton concluded his work in 1837 with the Giraffe House, which, due to its functional design, still remains in use as the Zoos giraffe enclosure in the Into Africa exhibit. ^[50]

After Burton, Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell and John James Joass were appointed to design the Mappin Terraces. Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell CBE FRS DSc LLD (23rd November 1864–1945 zoologist was Secretary of the Zoological Society of London John James Joass ( 1868 - 10 May 1952) was an Scottish Architect, born in Dingwall, Scotland. Completed in 1914, the Mappin Terraces imitates a mountain landscape to provide a naturalistic habitat for bears and other mountain wildlife. In 1933 the Round House, designed by Berthold Lubetkin's Tecton Architectural Group to house gorillas, was one of the first modernist style buildings to be built in Britain. Berthold Romanovich Lubetkin ( December 14 1901 — October 23 1990) was a Russian émigré architect who pioneered modernist The Tecton Group was a radical architectural group co-founded by Berthold Lubetkin, Francis Skinner, Denys Lasdun, Godfrey Samuel, and This article is concerned with architectural aspects of Modernism; for the most recent developments in architecture see Contemporary architecture. The following year the Penguin Pool, also designed by Tecton, was opened; both are now grade I listed. ^[69]

The Snowdon Aviary, built in 1964 by Cedric Price, Lord Snowdon and Frank Newby, made pioneering use of aluminium and tension for support. Cedric Price ( 11 September 1934 &ndash 10 August 2003) was an English Architect and influential teacher and writer on Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones 1st Earl of Snowdon GCVO RDI (born 7 March 1930) is an English photographer and Emmy Award Frank Newby ( 26 March 1926 &ndash 10 May 2001) was one of the leading structural engineers of the 20th Century working with such architects WikipediaNaming A year later the Casson Pavilion, designed by Sir Hugh Casson and Neville Conder, was opened as an elephant and rhinoceros house. Sir Hugh Maxwell Casson, KCVO, RA, RDI, ( 23 May 1910 – 15 August 1999) was a British Architect ^[50]

Filming at the Zoo

Harry Potter with a Burmese python in the Reptile House. The Burmese Python ( Python molurus bivittatus) is the largest subspecies of the Indian Python and one of the 6 largest Snakes in the world native

Many films and television programmes have made use of London Zoo as a film set. A television program (US television programme (UK or television show (U ^[70]

In 2000,^[71] the Burmese python scene from the 2001 film Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was filmed at the Zoo's Reptile House. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The Burmese Python ( Python molurus bivittatus) is the largest subspecies of the Indian Python and one of the 6 largest Snakes in the world native The year 2001 in film involved some significant events (For more about non-English films check sources in those languages Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (released in the United States as Harry In the film the inhabitant of the tank is a Burmese python, however in reality it is home to a black mamba. The Black Mamba (nicknamed The Shadow of Death) ( Dendroaspis polylepis) an elapid Snake, is native to Somalia and northeastern A plaque beside the enclosure commemorates the event. ^[72]

A couple of scenes were filmed here for the ITV series Primeval. Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent Primeval is a British Science fiction Television programme produced for ITV by Impossible Pictures. The first was a confrontation between Helen Cutter and Claudia Brown in the old elephant house. The second was a brief scene that showed Abby Maitland with a Komodo Dragon. Although the fictional Wellington Zoo played a large role in the episode, most scenes were filmed at Whipsnade Zoo. ZSL Whipsnade Zoo is a Zoo located at Whipsnade, near Dunstable in Bedfordshire, England. ^[70]

In the Exploitin episode of the fifth series of Absolutely Fabulous, Edina and Patsy steal Saffy's new-born infant for a Jean-Paul Gaultier fashion shoot at the Zoo. The following is a list of episodes for the British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. Absolutely Fabulous (also known as Ab Fab) was a BAFTA and Emmy Award -winning British sitcom written by and starring Jean-Paul Gaultier (born April 24 1952, in Arcueil, Val-de-Marne) is a French Fashion designer and past television ^[70]

In the final scene from the 1987 film Withnail and I a sad Withnail is shown standing in the pouring rain next to the former wolf enclosure, declaiming the speech What a piece of work is a man from Hamlet. Events January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago Illinois, to Withnail and I is a British film made in 1986 by Handmade Films. The phrase " What a piece of work is a man! " comes from Shakespeare 's Hamlet Prince of Denmark, Act II scene II and it is often used in reference Hamlet is a Tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601 ^[73]

Part of the 1985 film Turtle Diary, based on the novel by Russell Hoban and starring Ben Kingsley and Glenda Jackson, was also filmed here; the film follows a plan to help two of the turtles escape from the Zoo. Events 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films Turtle Diary is a 1985 romantic - Drama film based on a novel of the same name by Russell Hoban. Russell Conwell Hoban (born February 4, 1925) is an American writer of Fantasy, Science fiction, mainstream Fiction, Sir Ben Kingsley, CBE (born 31 December, 1943) is an English Actor. Glenda May Jackson, CBE, (born 9 May, 1936) is a British actress and Politician, currently Labour ^[74]

The music video for the Talk Talk song It's my life was filmed at London Zoo in 1984. A music video is a Short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music most commonly a Song with lyrics Talk Talk were a popular British rock group that were active from 1981 to 1991 " It's My Life " is a Synthpop song written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene for Talk Talk 's second album It's Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) The video was used as a statement against the banality of lip-syncing and includes mostly footage from nature documentaries with shots of lead singer Mark Hollis in the Zoo keeping his mouth shut, obscured by hand-drawn animated lines. Lip-sync or Lip-synch (short for lip Synchronization) is a technical term for matching lip movements with voice A nature documentary is a Documentary film about Animals Plants or other non-human living creatures usually concentrating on film taken in their natural The lead vocalist (or lead singer) is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song Mark David Hollis (born 4 January 1955 in Tottenham, London, England) is a Composer, Musician, Singer-songwriter

During the 1981 film An American Werewolf in London the lead character David Kessler (played by David Naughton) woke up naked in the wolves enclosure. Events January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. An American Werewolf in London is a comedy / Horror film released in 1981, written and directed by John Landis David Naughton may refer to David Naughton (actor (born 1951 David Naughton (producer (born 1975 Several other animals are also seen and you can clearly see the old caged enclosures of the tigers and apes. ^[75]

A scene from the 1964 film The Pumpkin Eater with Anne Bancroft and James Mason was also set at the Zoo. The year 1964 in film involved some significant events Events January 29 - The film Dr The Pumpkin Eater is a 1964 British Film which tells the story of a woman who finds herself with unfaithful husband number three and pregnant Anne Bancroft ( September 17 1931 – June 6 2005) was an American method Actress. James Neville Mason ( 15 May 1909 – 27 July 1984) was a three-time Academy Award -nominated British Actor who ^[76]

References

External links

• London Zoo website
• Zoological Society of London website
• ZSL Annual Review
• ZSL Bushmeat and Forest Conservation
• London Zoo in the 19th Century
• World Association of Zoos and Aquariums
• European Association of Zoos and Aquaria
• British and Irish Association for Zoos and Aquariums
• London Zoo at British Zoos