A zoo is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes.
Sea lion and keeper at the Welsh Mountain Zoo
London Zoo, 1835
The Tower of London housed England's royal menagerie for several centuries (Picture from the 15th century, British Library).
The Versailles menagerie during the reign of Louis XIV in the 17th century
London Zoo, previously known as ZSL London Zoo or London Zoological Gardens and sometimes called Regent's Park Zoo, is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. In 1831 or 1832, the animals of the Tower of London menagerie were transferred to the zoo's collection. It was opened to the public in 1847. As of December 2022, it houses a collection of 14,926 individuals, making it one of the largest collections in the United Kingdom.
1835 painting of the camel house.
Three great white pelicans in their enclosure
The Snowdon Aviary
Aquarium