Visiting the Beijing Zoo

Beijing has many amazing sites and attractions to explore. Nonetheless, the Beijing Zoo is a favorite among tourists to the city. Not only is it famous for its rare animals and for its native Chinese displays, but it is most well known for its care and protection of the Chinese giant pandas that it cultivates. Therefore, even those visitors that are generally opposed to housing wildlife in zoos are usually supportive of the zoo and more than happy to pay it a visit.

The land on which the Beijing Zoo sits has always been a beautiful site. In fact, it is so attractive that it was set aside by noblemen and emperors to be used as parks on their estate. In 1906, however, the land was converted into an experimental farm and zoo, which was called the Garden of Ten Thousand Animals.

The zoo opened to the public for the first time in 1908. Unfortunately, it suffered greatly in periods of war and unrest, and by 1937, most of the animals had died. After China changed governments and became the People's Republic in 1949, the zoo was rebuilt and was again opened to the public in 1950. It was later given the simple but descriptive name, The Beijing Zoo, in 1955.

One of the most famous and expansive zoos in the world, the Beijing Zoo has come a very long way from its days of suffering and neglect. It covers over 50,000 square meters and includes habitats that imitate China, Africa, North and South America, Europe, and India.

Inside these numerous habitats, visitors will find over 7,000 animals that are representatives of over 600 different species. These include several species of bears, lions, tigers, zebras, many different sorts of birds, yaks, hippopotamuses, giraffes, gorillas, elephants, rhinoceroses, antelope, wild oxen, kangaroos, gibbons, chimpanzees and monkeys. The zoo also has a reptile hall, which houses different many types of reptiles, including sea turtles, pythons, and crocodiles. The zoo is especially famous for its collection of native Chinese animals, however, especially the giant panda, the red panda, the golden monkey, Pere David's deer, and the red-crowned crane.

The animals housed within the zoo are organized by their species type. Therefore, you will find the appropriate animal type in places such as the monkey hall, the lion and tiger hall, the sea beast hall, the elephant hall, and of course, the panda hall. There are over 30 of these specialized halls for you to see on your visit. In addition, the Beijing Zoo is home to the Beijing Ocean Hall, which is the biggest aquarium in China. Visitors can see a variety of shows, including those put on by the dolphins and sea lions, at the aquarium.

Besides being a world class zoo and tourist attraction, the Beijing Zoo is also a center for research into conservation, care of native plants and trees as well as animals, zoological research, and a number of breeding programs that help combat the demise of endangered species. The giant panda conservation effort is one example of such programs taking place within the Beijing Zoo. The zoo is also a site for some of China's most striking architecture, including buildings and ruins from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). These were simply incorporated into the Zoo's design when it was built on the former imperial lands.

The zoo is located outside the city on the western side. It costs 15 yuan to get into the zoo, but it costs 5 extra yuan to see the world famous giant pandas, which still comes to a total of less than 3 US dollars. They also have a gift shop for you to buy souvenirs for remembering your visit.

The zoo opens at 7:30 in the morning and closes at 6:00 at night. You can get to the zoo via several different bus lines, including the 7, 15, 27, 45, 103, 105, 111, 332, 347, 812, and 808. If you are planning your day, be aware that the zoo is also located near to both the Beijing Exhibition Hall and the Beijing Astronomical Observatory. Therefore, if you plan carefully, you can see much more than just the zoo during your outing.