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San Diego Zoo, California, USA.[2][8]
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Beginning in 1916 with abandoned animals from a local exhibit, the San Diego Zoo has come a long way to become one of the best zoos in the world. With a worldwide reputation in the field of wildlife care, this amazing zoo was a pioneer in the concept of open-air, cageless exhibits that recreate natural habitats. And, just as an interesting bit of trivia, the San Diego Zoo is also the site of the first YouTube video ever filmed.
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Singapore Zoo, Mandai, Singapore.[1]
![Mandai Zoo]()
Singapore is famous for its efforts to create a natural zoo development, where animals live cage-free in “open” exhibits with hidden barriers. It also houses the largest captive colony of orangutans in the world. The late Steve Irwin greatly admired the Singapore Zoo and adopted it as the sister zoo to the Australia zoo.
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Chester Zoo, Upton-by-Cheshire, England.[7]
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Chester Zoo in Cheshire, England is the most-visited wildlife attraction in England. George Mottershead, an injured WW I veteran opened the zoo in 1931. Impressively, Mottershead built his first polar bear exhibit from recycled wartime road blocks and pillboxes, despite being wheelchair bound for several years. Today, it is one of the largest zoos in the world, with over 12,000 animals from over 400 species.
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Tiergarten Schönbrunn, Vienna, Austria.[3]
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The Tiergarten zoo or “Vienna Zoo” is the world’s oldest continuously operating zoo. Founded as an imperial menagerie in 1752, it is now home to over 700 animals, many of them threatened. Not just an educational and conservation center, Tiergarten’s still-preserved baroque buildings are a guaranteed delight for visitors.
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Taronga Zoo, Sydney, Australia.[6]
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Named after the aboriginal word for “beautiful view,” Taronga Zoo first opened in 1916 on the shores of Sydney Harbor.. Notably, Prince William and his wife, Kate, toured the zoo with their son, George in 2014. The little prince was delighted when the zoo named a cute new bilby after him. (stanciuc / Getty Images)
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National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa.[8]
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Established in 1899, the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa is a part of the National Research Foundation, where it plays an important role in protecting and conserving threatened species. It also has the largest inland marine aquarium in the country and the third largest collection of exotic trees. The zoo also offers camping tours, where you can experience a real wild night out.
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Bronx Zoo, Bronx, New York.[5]
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The Bronx Zoo opened to the public in 1899, and, in 1903, it became the first zoo in the Western Hemisphere to showcase snow leopards. While it also holds the ignoble distinction of also exhibiting a human, an African bushman named Ota Benga in 1906, it is now a major innovator in wildlife preservation and education.. After Benga was released from the Bronx Zoo, he tried unsuccessfully to return to Africa. He later fell into a depression and committed suicide in 1916.
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Zoologischer Garten, Berlin, Germany.[8]
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Zoologischer Garten, which is also known as Zoo Berlin, is not only the oldest zoological garden in Germany, it is also home to the world’s largest variety of species. This is an amazing feat, especially considering that during WW II, the zoo was completely destroyed, and only 91 of the original 3,751 animals survived. .The Berlin Zoo flak tower was one of the last remaining areas of German resistance against the Red Army.
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Smithsonian Zoological Park, Washington D.C., USA.[4][8]
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With free admission, it's easy to go wild for the Smithsonian Zoological Park in Washington D.C. Attracting over 2 million visitors, this zoo also was home to the original Smokey the Bear. He was so popular during his lifetime that the post office gave him his own zip code. (trekandshoot / Getty Images)
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Beijing Zoo, Beijing, China.[2]
![Beijing Zoo]()
Established in 1906, the Beijing Zoo originally housed just 12 monkeys, two parrots, and one blind emu. Now it holds an impressive 950 species of animals on 219 acres of land. It also showcases flower gardens, lotus pools, beautiful Chinese pavilions, and one of the most popular panda exhibits in the world. The Beijing Zoo is definitely a panda-monium of fun.