One of the oldest zoos in the world is the Tiergarten Schönbrunn. It was founded by the Habsburgs in the Schönbrunn Palace park in Vienna's 13th district of Hietzing in 1752. Since 2020, zoologist Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck has served as the zoo's director. Since 2006, Schönbrunn Zoo has averaged over two million visits annually. On a 17 ha space, it displays about 8,000 animals from 700 species. Schönbrunn Zoo has been named the greatest zoo in Europe five times in a row by Anthony Sheridan's zoo rankings.

The idea for Schönbrunn Zoo originated with Franz Stephan of Lorraine, Maria Theresa's husband. When the Habsburg-Lorraine moved into their new summer home at Schönbrunn, Franz Stephan, who had been elected as Franz I, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations, in 1745, hired architect Jean Nicolas Jadot de Ville-Issey to create a menagerie in the park.

The park was divided into twelve enclosures, each with an administration building with a front garden and similarly sized animal housing. Later, two yards and a pond were added. After roughly a year of development, the menagerie was unveiled to visitors in the summer of 1752. The site's central octagonal pavilion, which was designed as breakfast and social area in 1759, was the last section to be finished. Even today, it continues to serve as the zoo's historical hub. Since 1949, it has been a restaurant.

Year Established: July 31, 1752
Location: Vienna, Austria

The National Museum of Natural History's public zoo, Ménagerie du Jardin des plantes, is situated in Paris's 5th arrondissement. This zoo was established in 1794 under Bernardin de Saint-suggestion. Pierre's All structures, including horticultural or animal shelters, have been designated as historical sites since 1993.

The Menagerie occupies an area of the Jardin des Plantes de Paris measuring about 5.5 hectares, and the quai Saint-Bernard bounds it to the northeast and rue Cuvier to the northwest. It introduces 189 species in all, including 600 kinds of invertebrates and 189 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. This is one of the few French zoos that house both tree orangutans and kangaroos.

The French Revolution led to the establishment of the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes. Privately owned exotic animals intended to be given to the Royal Menagerie in Versailles or stuffed were seized instead. The researchers, however, decided to keep the animals alive and relocated them to the Jardins des Plantes. These animals were also moved to the Jardins des Plantes after the Royal Menagerie was closed.

Year Established: December 11, 1794
Location: Paris, France

The nest position on the list of the oldest zoos in the world is the London Zoo, also known as ZSL London Zoo or London Zoological Gardens. It was first meant to be used as a collection for scientific study when it was first inaugurated in London on April 27, 1828. The animals from the Tower of London menagerie were moved to the zoo's collection around 1831 or 1832. Public access was granted in 1847. It now houses a collection of 673 animal species, totaling 19,289 individuals, making it one of the UK's largest collections. Sometimes the zoo is referred to as Regent's Zoo.

It is located at the northern extremity of Regent's Park, on the border between the City of Westminster and the borough of Camden (the Regent's Canal flows through it), and is operated by the Zoological Society of London (founded in 1826). The larger species, like elephants and rhinos, have been relocated to the Society's larger location at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire. ZSL London Zoo opened the first reptile house (1849), first public aquarium (1853), first insect house (1881), and the first kids' zoo in addition to being the first scientific zoo (1938).

Year Established: April 27, 1828
Location: Regent’s Park, London, England

The Dublin zoo was built in 1830, and renowned English architect Decimus Burton designed it. The London Zoo supplied the first creatures that were brought to the Dublin Zoo. The Dublin Zoo was founded with the intention of studying animals, just like the London Zoo. This custom is still upheld by the Dublin Zoo, which also participates in a global initiative to breed endangered animals.

Ireland's Dublin Zoo is a well-known tourist destination in Dublin and is located in Phoenix Park. Decimus Burton founded and created it, and it opened the next year. These days, it concentrates on breeding programs, conservation initiatives, and raising public awareness of animals. Its declared goal is to "contribute significantly to the protection of the endangered species on Earth by working in conjunction with zoos worldwide".

It is divided into habitats that span 28 hectares of Phoenix Park, such as the Himalayan Hills, Wolves in the Woods, the African Savanna, Kaziranga Forest Trail, South American House, Zoorassic World, Gorilla Rainforest, Orangutan Forest, Sea Lion Cove, and Family Farm (as of July 2022). Over one million people visit the zoo annually and it is home to about 400 animals in a total of 100 different types.

Year Established: September 1, 1831
Location: Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland

The Bristol, Clifton, and West of England Zoological Society initially opened the Bristol Zoo in 1836, making it the oldest provincial zoo in the entire globe. Bristol Zoo is very modest in comparison to many of the other zoos on this list but is home to approximately 7,000 animals. At Bristol Zoo, many of the original structures are still standing, although they have been given new uses because many of them are no longer adequate for housing animals according to contemporary standards.

A zoo can be found in the South West English city of Bristol. The stated goal of the zoo is to "keep and safeguard" biodiversity through breeding rare and endangered animals, protecting their habitats, and fostering a greater appreciation of nature. The Twilight Zone exhibit at the zoo was the first of its kind when it initially opened. In addition, there are numerous additional inside exhibits, such as an insect and reptile house and aquarium, multiple aviaries outside, as well as a seal and penguin enclosure. Gorillas, golden lion tamarins, golden-headed lion tamarins, gibbons, and squirrel monkeys live on the islands of the lakes.

Year Established: 1836
Location: Bristol, UK

Gerard Westerman, J.W.H. Werlemann, and J.J. Wijsmuller established the zoo in 1838. At first, it was only accessible to members. It was made accessible to the public every September beginning in 1851. Despite being accessible to the public all year long since 1920, September is still discounted.

The board of the zoological association "Natura Artis Magistra" acquired the majority of the existing zoo site, which was formerly the "Middenhof" estate, late in 1838 in the Plantage, a rural region on the outskirts of Amsterdam. It featured both live and mounted specimens right away.

Zoo and botanical park Natura Artis Magistra also referred to as Artis, are located in the heart of Amsterdam. It is among the oldest zoos in all of continental Europe and the oldest in the Netherlands. Along with the zoo, Artis also houses an aquarium, a planetarium, an arboretum, and a sizable collection of paintings and sculptures. The zoo's Aquarium building has a portion of the art collection on exhibit. Artis is a special location of 19th-century cultural history because it has 27 historically significant buildings, bridges, and ponds, the majority of which are still in use as animal enclosures.

Year Established: 1838
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Antwerp Royal Society for Zoology established the Antwerp Zoo in 1843 for the purpose of conducting zoological and botanical research. The Antwerp Zoo is still managed by the city's zoological organization, which is now known as De Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen, in contrast to several of the other zoos on this list.

The 1920 Summer Olympics' boxing and wrestling competitions, as well as concerts, were previously held at the Antwerp Zoo. The Antwerp Zoo underwent significant improvements following World War II to become a model zoo that adhered to new and modern scientific, educational, cultural, and aesthetic norms.

The park's area increased from less than 1.59 hectares to more than 10.5 hectares over its formative years. The Egyptian temple (1856) and the Oriental-style antelope building (1861), which is currently home to the okapis, are notable structures from that time period. The zoo serves a cultural purpose as well. Initially, the zoo's garden served as the location for concerts. To make room for a concert venue, the museum building was destroyed. The Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, a Flanders symphony orchestra, moved into the auditorium at that point. The second floor was where the museum's holdings were relocated.

Year Established: July 21, 1843
Location: Antwerp, Belgium

One of the oldest zoos in the world is the Berlin Zoological Garden. It is a 35-hectare park that was established in 1844 and is situated in Berlin's Tiergarten. With nearly 20,200 animals and 1,380 different species, the zoo has one of the largest collections of species in the world.

More than 3.5 million people visited the zoo and its aquarium in 2017. It is one of the top zoos in the world and the one with the most visitors in all of Europe. One of its most well-known attractions is the regular animal feedings. The public perception of the zoo has benefited from the presence of well-known animals like Bao Bao the giant panda and Knut the polar bear.

The zoo works in conjunction with numerous colleges, research facilities, and other zoos all over the world. It supports and upholds European breeding programs, aids in the preservation of a number of endangered species, and takes part in a number of initiatives for the reintroduction of various species.

Year Established: 1844
Location: Berlin, Germany

The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo is situated in the state capital of Kerala, India, in the city of Thiruvananthapuram. Its 22 acres are made up of lakes, lawns, and forests.

Among the oldest zoos in India is the one in Thiruvananthapuram. The Museum and Botanical Gardens are also among the nation's oldest institutions of their sort. The Thiruvananthapuram Museum and Zoo were founded with the help of Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma (1816–1846), the Travancore monarch from 1830–1846. In his horse breeding facility, he kept a wide range of animals, including elephants. He built a menagerie within the Trivandrum stables and kept tigers, panthers, cheetahs, deer, bears, and a lioness there. But the creation of the Napier Museum and Zoo at Thiruvananthapuram was left to his brother Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma and the then-British Resident General Cullen.

In 1855, the Maharaja of Travancore established a committee with General Cullen as its president, The Elaya Raja as vice president, Mr. Allen Brown as secretary, and the Maharaja of Travancore serving as a patron. In September 1857, the Museum opened to the public. However, the Museum was unable to draw in many visitors on its own, so in 1859 a zoo and a park were established. When the zoo was first constructed, it had the conventional iron-barred cages that were in vogue at the time and were intended for recreational use. However, as more forests and wildlife have been lost as a result of human development, the zoo's focus has shifted from recreation to conservation.

Year Established: 1857
Location: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

Australia's Melbourne is home to the Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens. It is situated inside Royal Park in Parkville, about 4 kilometers north of Melbourne's downtown. It serves as Melbourne's main zoo. More than 320 animal species from Australia and other parts of the world may be found in the zoo, which is reachable by bicycle on the Capital City Trail, tram routes 58 and 19, and Royal Park station on the Upfield railway line. The actual zoo does not permit bicycles.

A picnic spot and floral gardens surround the zoo. A lot of the species are now grouped into bioclimatic zones, including the Australian bush with koalas, kangaroos, emus, echidnas, and critically endangered hairy nose wombats, as well as the Asian and African rainforests with tigers and otters. The Great Flight Aviary, the Trail of the Elephants, and the Butterfly House are other well-liked attractions.

The zoo has a sizable section for schools and welcomes lots of school groups each year. Its hugely well-liked educational program inspires young people to protect animals. Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens is one of the oldest zoos in the world.

Year Established: October 6, 1862
Location: Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia