Backpackers Guide to London
London Zoo
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Sitting on 36 acres of Royal Park and housing the notable Zoological Society of London, the London Zoo officially opened in 1828. One of the zoo’s most famous (and most regular) visitors was Charles Darwin, a fellow of the Zoological Society of London since 1831. He was extremely fascinated by one of the London Zoo’s most prized exhibits at the time, the first-ever orangutan in Europe back then. Perhaps his long walks through the zoo played a key role in his formulation of the Theory of Evolution. Darwin wasn’t the last to find creative inspiration from the London Zoo. Various Chi-Chi, the great panda of the West in 1958, was the muse behind Peter Scott’s design for the symbol of the World Wildlife Fund. Today, people of all ages continue to flock to the zoo and visit its over 600 species, 112 of which are listed as endangered. Visitors can get up and personal with regular favorites such as lions, tigers, gorillas, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and more. And both children and adults will get a kick out of the Animals in Action display, with its 30 minutes of flying, foraging, and leaping action from animals showing off their natural skills and abilities. There is even an interactive petting zoo in the children’s section with rabbits, pigs, cows, and a bunch of much-loved farmyard animals. In the Reptile House waits an array of cold-blooded reptiles; visitors are even allowed to feed the snakes on Fridays! The London Zoo also offers other opportunities to get close to the animals; people can feed the fish in the aquarium or penguins at the spiral pool, and hop on a pony at the Riding Square. Spend a day, even go back for more, at the London Zoo - wriggle out of your cozy accommodations and go all natural with the animals! Introduction
Exhibits
Ashlee House, 261-265 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8QT, England
Tel: +44 (0)20 7833 9400 Fax: +44 (0)20 7833 9677
