London Zoo

London Zoo was the World’s first scientific zoo. Opened in 1828, it housed a collection of exotic animals that were studied by scientists of the day. Only later, in 1847, did the zoo open its doors to the public.
Throughout the 19th century, most of the animals in the Zoo were sent by people from all over the world – diplomats, sailors, collectors. Some animals, like Obaysch the hippopotamus, were gifts to the Royal Family. Many reached London by sea and some were required to walk the last few miles from the sea port to Regent’s Park. The Zoo’s first giraffes on their walk to the Zoo in 1836 were afraid to move. Soon London Zoo had developed the best collection, including several species which were unknown to science. Polar bears became a major attraction in 1949. However, the Zoo has not kept polar bears since 1986 as the Zoo does not have the right conditions.
In 1849 the Zoo opened the first Reptile House, in 1853 the first public Aquarium and the first Insect House in 1881. More recently, they opened the Children Zoo.
Originally, there was no intention to admit the general public to the gardens. From 1828 the gates were only open to Members of the Zoological Society and their friends.
The best known animals in the Zoo are a gorilla, a bear and a hippo. One of them is Guy Fawkes, a small gorilla who arrived at the Zoo clutching a tin hot-water bottle in 1947. Guy became one of the Zoo’s most loved characters.
He died of heart attack after having a tooth extracted in 1978. His statue is much loved by London Zoo visitors.
Winnie was an American black bear who was deposited at the Zoo in 1914 by a Canadian lieutenant at the start of the First World War. She lives on in the stories of Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin.
When Obaysch arrived in 1850, the number of visitors doubled that year, which was not surprising, since he was the first hippopotamus to be seen in Europe since Roman times.
London Zoo is open every day except Christmas Day from 10 am. to 5.30 pm. The entrance fee is for adults 12 pounds and for children 9 pounds. The address of the Zoo is: Outer Circle; Regent’s Park. It is easy to find it on the map.
This year London Zoo will get a new area up to the North.
On the 8th of January 2008 the Zoo was covered by heaviest snowfall. The last snow a lot of animals saw was 12 years ago. Many of the Zoo’s animals, including the Asian lions were very surprised by snow.
Today, London Zoo is one of the biggest and well organized in the world. The Zoo houses many of small animals including a wonderful range of reptiles, fish, birds. Of more than 650 species at London Zoo, 112 are listed as threatened in the Red Data Books.