Edinburgh Zoo

Edinburgh Zoo
Map
55°56′35″N 3°16′5″W / 55.94306°N 3.26806°W / 55.94306; -3.26806
Date opened22 July 1913[1]
LocationEdinburgh, Scotland, UK
Land area82 acres (33 ha)[2]
No. of animals3218 (2022)[3]
No. of species171
Annual visitors601,285 (2022)[7]
MembershipsBIAZA,[4] EAZA,[5] WAZA[6]
Major exhibitsPenguins, koalas, chimpanzees, sun bears, giraffes
Websitewww.edinburghzoo.org.uk

Edinburgh Zoo (Scottish Gaelic: Sù Dhùn Èideann), formerly the Scottish National Zoological Park, is an 82-acre (33 ha) non-profit zoological park in the Corstorphine area of Edinburgh, Scotland.

The zoo is positioned on the south-facing slopes of Corstorphine Hill, giving extensive views of the city. Established in 1913, and owned by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, it receives over 600,000 visitors a year, which makes it one of Scotland's most popular paid-for tourist attractions.[7][2] As well as catering for tourists and locals, the zoo is involved in many scientific pursuits, such as captive breeding of endangered animals, researching into animal behaviour, and active participation in various conservation programmes around the world.[8]

Edinburgh Zoo was the first zoo in the world to house and breed penguins. It is the only zoo in Britain to house Queensland koalas and, until December 2023, giant pandas. The zoo is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), and the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions. It has also been granted four stars by the Scottish Tourism Board. The zoo gardens boast one of the most diverse tree collections in the Lothians.[9]

  1. ^ "Our history". Edinburgh Zoo. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Zoo Beginnings". Edinburgh Zoo. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  3. ^ "Edinburgh Zoo Animal Inventory" (PDF). rzss.org.uk. Edinburgh Zoo. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference biaza_list was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference eaza_list was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference waza_list was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b "Visits made in 2022 to visitor attractions in membership with ALVA".
  8. ^ "Animals & Conservation". Edinburgh Zoo. Archived from the original on 5 March 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  9. ^ "Beavers". RZSS. Archived from the original on 13 October 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2016.