ZSL history
Since Sir Stamford Raffles founded ZSL in 1826, there have been a number of achievements in our conservation work in the wild as well as at ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.
1826The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is founded by Stamford Raffles. | |
1828London Zoo opens to Fellows of the Society - the world's first scientific zoo. | |
1829The Zoological Society of London is granted a Royal Charter by King George IV. | |
1837Charles Darwin becomes a Fellow of ZSL. | |
1847London Zoo admits paying visitors to aid funding. | |
1926As the twentieth century dawned the need to keep and study large animals in more natural surroundings became apparent. Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell (ZSL Secretary 1903-35) envisaged a new park no more than 70 miles from London, over 200 acres in size and easily accessible to the visiting public. In 1926 an ideal site was found, derelict Hall Farm, near Whipsnade village, nearly 600 acres on the Chiltern Downs. ZSL purchased the farm in December 1926 for £13,480 12s 10d. | |
1928The first animals arrived at Whipsnade Wild Animal Park - two Amherst pheasants, a golden pheasant and five red jungle fowl. Others soon followed including muntjac, llama, wombats and skunks. | |
1931Whipsnade Wild Animal Park opens - the world's first open zoological park. | |
1960 and 1961The Institute of Zoology is established. Lord Zuckerman, then Secretary of ZSL, raised funds from two medical foundations to found laboratories where scientists would be employed by ZSL and undertake research. | |
1962'Caroline' an Arabian oryx is lent to the world herd in Phoenix, Arizona, the first international co-operative breeding programme. | |
1967Whipsnade breed the first cheetahs born in Europe. | |
1986ZSL co-ordinates the release of Pere David's deer in Da Feng, China. The release includes deer bred at Whipsnade. | |
1995The release of 100 sand gazelles into the Empty Quarter, Saudi Arabia - the world's largest release of captive-bred mammals. | |
1997His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh opens Whipsnade's new Elephant House. | |
1998The release of 4,000 rare British field crickets into southern England. | |
1999Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, officially opened the Millennium Conservation Centre, which houses the biodiversity exhibition, BUG's, on 3rd June. | |
TodayZSL London Zoo houses a wonderful range of reptiles, fish, invertebrates, birds and mammals. Of the more than 650 species at ZSL London Zoo, 112 are listed as threatened in the Red Data Books . ZSL London Zoo participates in breeding programmes for 130 species. |