London Zoo

London's Zoo is actually the oldest scientific zoo in the world, first opening all the way back in 1828. It hosts over 700 species, and over 16,000 animals within the 36-acre site. It is situated just to the south of Camden Town, extremely close to the heart of the city.

The Monkey House at London Zoo, 1835

London Zoological Gardens in 1835

London Zoo has been used as a set for the filming of many movies and television shows, including About A Boy, Absolutely Fabulous, and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Although some of the larger animals - such as elephants and rhinos – have been moved to a larger site at London's sister zoo in Bedfordshire, there are still a wide variety of species to see, ranging from African giraffes, to Asian turtles. Other crowd-pleasing animals on display include lions, tigers and bears, penguins, monkeys, flamingos and snakes – as well as of course, the ever-popular meerkats.

In 1995, for four days, the zoo had a display of extremely unusual animals – human beings. The participants wore fig leaves, and roamed around in their own enclosure.

In the 80s, the zoo experienced record lows in visitor numbers. The resulting financial problems, a well as a lack of space for the animals, resulted in the risk of closure, after 150 years. In fact, in 1991, there was even an official announcement of the zoo's end. Luckily, when the public heard this, members flocked to visit. Donations and support went through the roof, allowing London Zoo to not only stay open, but to begin an extensive renovation project that continues to this day. Animals were given larger enclosures, modelled on their natural environments, and new animals were brought in. Recent additions include gorilla and butterfly exhibits - and all signs point towards the zoo continuing to improve every year.