Set within 82 acres of sloping parkland, three miles to the west of Edinburgh city centre is Edinburgh Zoo, formally the Scottish National Zoological Park. Receiving over 600,000 visitors a year makes Edinburgh Zoo Scotland's second most popular paid-for tourist attraction. Edinburgh Zoo is one of Europe's leading centres of conservation, education and research and the mission statement of the non-profit zoological park is:
'To inspire and excite our visitors with the wonder of living animals, and so to promote the conservation of threatened species and habitats.'
Opened in July 1913, Edinburgh Zoo is owned by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and is home to a variety of different species. Get up and close to over 1,000 rare and endangered animals, including a polar bear and two koalas, of which Edinburgh zoo is the only zoo in Britain to have such animals. Well known for its large collection of penguins - King Penguins, Gentoo Penguins and Rockhopper Penguins - Edinburgh Zoo was the first zoo in the world to house and to breed penguins. With collections of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates and a number of activities to enjoy ranging from keeper talks through to hands-on animal encounters, several play areas, a fantastic gift shop and free hilltop safari rides, a visit to Edinburgh Zoo is a great day out for all the family.
A selection of the animals at Edinbouruh Zoo:
Two Indian Rhinoceroses, a pair of jaguars, Asiatic Lions, pair of Sumatran tigers, African Hunting Dogs, Maned Wolf, Wolverines, Ratels, European Sousliks, Pallas Cats, Temminck's Golden Cat, Margays, Oriental Small-Clawed Otters, Patagonian Sea Lions, Giant Anteater, Bactrian Camel, Zebra, Vicunas, bongo, Thorold's Deer, Siberian Musk Deer, Lesser Kudu, Goral, Japanese Serow, Hog Deer, Bawean Deer, Nyalas, Kirk's Dik-diks,Capybaras, Malayan Tapirs, Pygmy Hippos, Red River Hogs, Visayan Warty Pigs, Warthogs, Aye Aye, Titi Monkeys, Purple-Faced Langurs, Drills, Gelada Baboons, Red Ruffed Lemurs, Ring-Tailed Lemurs, Swamp Wallabys, North American Porcupines and a large group of Common Chimpanzees.
Address
Edinburgh Zoo
134 Corstorphine Road
Edinburgh
EH12 6TS
Official website
www.edinburghzoo.org.uk