It wasn’t until 1779, with the opening of the Palace Gardens, that the public could see these exotic creatures in the flesh, fur and feather. It wasn’t a cheap hobby – you can imagine Franz’s disappointment when the zebra he craved proved too expensive even for the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Monkeys, antelopes, and all manner of colorful birds were part of the zoo’s very first collection. Soon the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace were alive with the sounds (and likely smells) of animals procured from all over the world. His wife, and head of the Royal House of Habsburg, María Teresa, agreed to support his boyish dream to build a marvelous menagerie on one condition – that it didn’t house any animals capable of eating her children. Luckily he was much closer in name and nature to St. It began as a royal menagerie in 1752, symbolic of imperial Austrian extravagance, and of Emperor Franz I’s keen interest in the natural world. Vienna’s Tiergarten Schönbrunn is the oldest zoo in the world. Many of the oldest known animal collections were status symbols made possible by royal wealth, so it’s no surprise that the oldest zoo on Earth has regal beginnings.
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Schönbrunn Zoo is the oldest zoo in the world The Oldest Zoo in the World: Tiergarten Schönbrunn
WORLD OF ZOO DRIVER
Thankfully, animal parks and experiences are under more scrutiny than ever before, with the welfare of animals becoming a key driver in visitors choosing where to get their fix of fantastic beasts and adorable animals.īelow are 10 of the oldest zoos in the world accredited by WAZA or EAZA, formerly home to celebrity gorillas, death-defying hippos, and fashion-influencing giraffes! 1. Centuries of scientific study, and a fair bit of self reflection, have led to most zoos adopting a welfare and conservation-first approach. The history of zoos is at times a sad timeline in which human entertainment took priority over animal welfare. If you thought you were fascinated by animals, imagine seeing a monkey in 1779.
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Cave drawings suggest that humans kept dogs as pets as far back as Paleolithic times – #dogsofinstagramin its original form.īut it wasn’t until the 18th century that the idea of public zoos really began to take hold. They’re also home to some of the cutest critters on Earth.Īnimals have fascinated us since the beginning of time. The oldest zoos in the world are renowned institutions, proud bastions of animal protection and conservation.