National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka | |
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![]() Dehiwala Zoo Museum | |
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6°51′24.5″N 79°52′22.4″E / 6.856806°N 79.872889°E | |
Date opened | 1936 |
Location | Dehiwala, Colombo |
Land area | 10.1 ha / 0.10 km2 |
No. of animals | 3000 (2005)[1] |
No. of species | 310 (2013)[citation needed] |
Annual visitors | ~1.5 million (2008)[2] |
Memberships | World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) |
Major exhibits | Mammals, reptiles, aquatic animals, birds |
Website | Official website |
National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka (also called Dehiwala Zoo or Colombo Zoo) is a zoological garden in Dehiwala, Sri Lanka, founded in 1936. It is home to various birds, mammals, reptiles, fish and amphibians. The zoo not only exhibits animals from Sri Lanka, but also exhibits species from across Asian and other parts of the globe.
As of 2005, the zoo has 3,000 animals and 350 species. The annual revenue is LKR 40 million.
The Dehiwala Zoo exchanges its residents with other zoological gardens for breeding purposes. In June 2021, a lion named Thor which had been living in the zoo since 2012 reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.[3][4]