The History of ZSL

Science awakens, cities expand, photography is born and the modern zoo takes shape.

The early Victorian era was defined by exploration and invention. The first permanent photographs were taken, railways transformed travel, and public institutions flourished as science stepped into the spotlight.

It was during this period of intense curiosity that our society was founded - creating the world’s first scientific zoo and opening a new chapter in the study of living animals. From the arrival of Jumbo the elephant and the hippo Obaysch to the first public aquarium - and even the popularisation of the word “zoo” itself - this era laid the foundations for modern zoology and the public’s fascination with wildlife. 

1826

• The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is founded by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles.

1828

• London Zoo opens to Fellows of the Society, and to the public with a written 'order' from a Fellow and payment of 1 shilling.
• Lady Sophia Raffles is elected as the first female Fellow.

1829

• The Zoological Society of London is granted a Royal Charter by King George IV. We’ve been honoured to have the reigning British monarch as Patron of ZSL ever since. 

1830

• Scientific Meetings start. The first issue of the Proceedings of the Zoological Society is published.
• ZSL's first scientific output is recorded at the inaugural meeting of the Committee of Science. Secretary Nicholas Aylward Vigors presents a paper about quails, following Richard Owen who presents on the anatomy of an orangutan.  

1831

• The Royal animal collection from the Tower of London is presented to ZSL.
• Charles Darwin, the world-famous naturalist best known for his theory of evolution, becomes a ZSL member. 

1835

• A chimpanzee is exhibited at London Zoo for the first time. 

1836

• Britain's first giraffes arrive at London Zoo - the only way to get them here is to walk them up from the docks. Londoners going about their daily business stop and stare in amazement. 

1839

• Charles Darwin cements his relationship with ZSL by becoming a Fellow and serving on Council from 1839 until 1841.  

1847

• London Zoo opens to the public.  

1849

• The world's first Reptile House opens at London Zoo. 

1850

• Obaysch the hippopotamus arrives at London Zoo, the first living hippo seen in Europe since ancient Roman times. He sparks an outbreak of 'hippomania', inspiring souvenirs and even a popular song, the 'hippopotamus polka'.  

1853

• The world's first ever public Aquarium opens at London Zoo. Originally called the 'Fish House', the building creator, Philip Henry Gosse, soon coins the term 'aquarium' as a shortening of the old-fashioned 'aquatic vivarium'. 

1862 

• The great naturalist and explorer Alfred Russel Wallace brings living birds of paradise back to ZSL from one of his expeditions. 

1865

• Jumbo, the first African elephant seen alive in England, arrives at London Zoo from Paris. He joins the Zoo as a calf, but soon grows into a towering bull elephant weighing over six tonnes (about the same as four cars!). 

1869 

• The word ‘zoo’ is first used, in a music hall song called ‘Walking in the Zoo’ – about London Zoo. 

Incredible new species are described, women cement their place in science, and the first seeds of conservation are sown.

As telephones connected the world and early cinema captured moving images for the first time, scientific understanding accelerated.

This dynamic period saw our society expand its research influence while conservation thinking began to emerge. The okapi was formally introduced to Western science, Komodo dragons arrived in Europe for the first time, and groundbreaking women like Evelyn Cheesman and Joan Procter reshaped zoological practice.

It was a time of discovery - but also reflection - as awareness grew that wildlife needed protection, not just observation. 

1881

• The world's first Insect House opens at London Zoo.

1890

• The first recorded mention of conservation in our history - the ZSL Silver medal is awarded to the Edmondston family for protecting the great skua over 60 years. 

1901 

• The shy okapi is first discovered by the western world by ZSL Fellow Sir Harry Johnston, exploring the dense forests of the Congo with the help of local tribespeople. We still care for okapi at London Zoo today. 

1913 

• Europe's first Komodo dragons arrive at London Zoo. 

1914

• Winnie the Bear is 'deposited' at London Zoo. She was the inspiration for 'Winnie-the-pooh'.

1916

• Evelyn Cheesman is appointed Assistant Curator of Insects, the first woman in a curatorial post at ZSL.

1923

• Joan Procter becomes the first female Curator of Reptiles at London Zoo and sets about transforming reptile care and dispelling long held myths about reptiles. 

1926

• As 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.
• Inspired by trips to London Zoo to visit a black bear called Winnipeg, A.A. Milne publishes the first Winnie the Pooh book. 

Children’s books, broadcast television and bold modern architecture bring animals into everyday life.

Mass media transformed how people connected with nature. Winnie-the-Pooh leapt from the pages of a London Zoo-inspired book, wildlife documentaries reached living rooms through Zoo Quest, and the world’s first dedicated wildlife TV unit was installed at London Zoo.

At the same time, Whipsnade Zoo pioneered open-air zoological parks, and landmark structures like the Lubetkin Penguin Pool and Snowdon Aviary redefined modern zoo design. Charismatic residents - from Guy the Gorilla to Chi Chi the panda - became household names, inspiring logos, campaigns and lifelong fascinations with wildlife. 

1927 

• The New Reptile House opens at London Zoo. It was designed mainly by Joan Procter, our first female curator of reptiles. 

1928

• The first animals arrive 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.

1931

• Whipsnade Wild Animal Park opens - the world's first open zoological park. The larger animals have to be walked up to the Zoo from Dunstable railway station.

1934 

• The Lubetkin Penguin Pool, designed by the great Berthold Lubetkin, opens at London Zoo. Though the penguins later move home, architecture enthusiasts continue to visit the Grade I listed structure. 

1935 

• Edward Young visits London Zoo and designs the Penguin Books logo based on the Lubetkin Penguin Pool. 

1938

• A children's zoo opens at London Zoo.
• Ming, the first giant panda ever seen in the UK, arrives at the Zoo. She quickly becomes a celebrity. Among the children who flock to see her are Princess Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret. 

1939

• The start of Second World War. The giant pandas, elephants and rhinos are sent to Whipsnade Zoo. London Zoo closes briefly from 3-9 September, but remains open throughout the rest of the War.

1947

• Guy the gorilla arrives at London Zoo on bonfire night, 5 November, and is named after Guy Fawkes. This gentle giant becomes something of a celebrity in the 1960s and 1970s. 

1949

• Baby Brumas the polar bear is born at London Zoo – the first polar bear born in the UK.

1953 

• Her Majesty The Queen becomes Patron of ZSL from her coronation in 1953.

1954 

• The first series of Zoo Quest airs on the BBC, David Attenborough's first presenting role. Attenborough accompanies London Zoo keepers on worldwide animal collecting expeditions. The show allows British TV-viewers to encounter many exotic animals for the first time. 

1956

• Granada TV installs a film and TV unit at London Zoo to produce dedicated wildlife broadcasts – the first of its kind to focus on natural history.

1958

• Chi Chi the panda arrives at London Zoo and becomes a national celebrity. She inspires the first WWF logo. 

1960

• Prince Phillip becomes President of ZSL – a post he would hold for 17 years. 

1961

• The Institute of Zoology is established, and grows into a world-renowned research centre working at the cutting edge of conservation science. Lord Zuckerman, then Secretary of ZSL, raises funds from two medical foundations to found laboratories where scientists are employed by our society and undertake research.

1962

• 'Caroline' an Arabian oryx is lent to the 'World Herd' in Phoenix, Arizona, the first international co-operative breeding programme. The herd is crucial to the successful reintroduction of oryx to their native lands across the Arabian peninsula.
• The first IUCN Red List of threatened species is established. 

1965

• The Nuffield Institute is opened by Prince Philip.
• The Snowdon Aviary opens to the public at London Zoo, designed by Cedric Price, Frank Newby and Lord Snowdon. The pioneering structure is famous for its futuristic design and gravity-defying triangles. In 2023 it reopens as Monkey Valley after a sensitive restoration.

• The Casson Elephant House opens at London Zoo.
• Goldie the golden eagle escapes from London Zoo twice, causing much excitement and publicity.

1967

• The Clore Pavilion for small mammals is opened by the Queen and Prince Philip.
• Pipaluk the polar bear is born.

• Whipsnade Zoo breeds the first cheetahs born in Europe.

1968

• Visitors are no longer allowed to feed the animals.

1970

• A herd of white rhinos are brought to Whipsnade, as a result of an agreement with the Natal Parks Board, who had raised white rhino from near extinction. They thought it would help the conservation effort if there were breeding groups outside Africa as well.

1971

• The Emperor of Japan visits London Zoo and is made an Honorary Fellow.

1972

• The Sobell Pavilion for Apes and Monkeys is opened at London Zoo by Prince Philip.

1974

• Giant pandas Ching-Ching and Chia-Chia arrive at London Zoo. 

1976

• The new Lion Terraces is opened by the Queen at London Zoo. 

From local rescue to global restoration - science becomes a lifeline for species under threat.

As environmental awareness surges and digital technology shrinks distances, conservation becomes ZSL’s driving force. This era is marked by field programmes being set up around the world, international breeding efforts, species reintroductions, and urgent responses to wildlife crises - from rescuing Critically Endangered frogs to releasing thousands of snails back into their native habitats.

Programmes including the EDGE of Existence and scientific outputs such as the Living Planet Report have helped guide global conservation priorities, linking scientific research directly to protection on the ground. Today, as ZSL celebrates 200 years, the focus is firmly on action – protecting wildlife, restoring ecosystems, training future conservationists and safeguarding wildlife for the centuries ahead.

1981

• Whipsnade celebrates its 50th anniversary.

1982 

• David Attenborough visits Bulu, the daughter of an orangutan he rescued during a ZSL expedition to Indonesia in the time of Zoo Quest. As her unofficial 'grandfather', Attenborough named her and visited her often at London Zoo. Bulu means 'little hairy one'. 

1986

• We coordinated the release of Pere David's deer in Da Feng, China. The release includes deer bred at Whipsnade.

1990

• The Queen and Prince Philip visit the Zoo. Prince William visits the Insect House, followed by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
• Our Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) is set up. The project investigates whale, dolphin and porpoise strandings around the UK coast, to learn more about the threats they face and improve conservation efforts. 

1992

• Our Council decide to close London Zoo as it is losing money. The Emir of Kuwait then donates one million pounds, prompting the Zoo to remain open.
• At Whipsnade the ‘Africa’ and ‘Passage through Asia’ exhibits prove successful.

1995

• A new Royal Charter is granted to ZSL by the Privy Council.
• Ambika Paul Children’s Zoo is built using a one million pound donation from Dr Swarj Paul in memory of his daughter.
• One hundred sand gazelles are released into the Empty Quarter, Saudi Arabia, the world's largest release of captive-bred animals. 

1997

• His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh opens Whipsnade's new Elephant House.

1998

• Four thousand British field crickets are released into southern England; the largest reintroduction release of a zoo-bred animal at the time.
• The first Living Planet Report is released – a collaboration with WWF.
• ZSL co-founds the first European aquarium breeding programme for corals. 

1999

• Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, officially open the Millennium Conservation Centre, including BUGS, the biodiversity exhibit at London Zoo.

• We launch our first website.

2001

• ZSL celebrates 175 year, and Whipsnade Zoo celebrates 80 year, anniversaries.

2004

• Sir David Attenborough opens a new Komodo dragon house at London Zoo.

• The Meet the Monkeys walkthrough exhibit for the squirrel monkeys opens at London Zoo.
• The African Bird Safari walkthrough opens at London Zoo. 

2006

• We assist in rescuing approximately 950 exotic fish and coral illegally imported from Indonesia seized at Heathrow.

2007 

• ZSL's EDGE of Existence programme launches. It's goal is to highlight and protect the most unique and endangered species on the planet, many of which are on the verge of extinction.
• Gorilla Kingdom opens at London Zoo.

2008

• The Blackburn Pavilion opens in March at London Zoo.
• The outback exhibit opens in August at London Zoo.
• The Rhinos of Nepal habitat opens at Whipsnade Zoo.

2009

• London Zoo's Animal Adventure opens with red pandas, aardvarks, and prairie dogs on display.
• Giants of the Galapagos opens at London Zoo. 

2010

• Once thought extinct, the Horton Plains slender loris is found in Sri Lanka by ZSL, with first ever photos.
• A three part ITV documentary ‘The Zoo’ was aired on prime time television.

2011

• Penguin Beach opens at London Zoo - England's biggest penguin pool.

2013

• London Zoo opens Tiger Territory, a 2,500sqm (27,000sqft) enclosure for Sumatran tigers that replicates their natural Indonesian habitat. 

2014

• Thug and Nicky, two pygmy hippos, move into a new custom built enclosure, complete with solar panels to power their own indoor heated pools. 
  HRH The Prince of Wales becomes ZSL's first Vice Patron.
• ZSL wins the Google Impact Award following its deployment of state of the art camera traps to prevent poaching. 

2015

• Two brand new enclosures open at London Zoo - In with the Lemurs and In with the Spiders, Europe's only walk through spider enclosure.
• Whipsnade Zoo opens its brand new Butterfly House and Visitor Centre.

2016

• We celebrate a roaring success as Endangered tiger numbers nearly double in Parsa Wildlife Reserve in Nepal in just three years, thanks to conservation efforts led by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, supported by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) and ZSL.
• Queen Elizabeth II officially opens London Zoo's Land of the Lions - its biggest and most breathtaking lion exhibition.

• London Zoo launches its #OneLess campaign to tackle single-use plastics, becoming the first UK attraction to remove single-use plastic water bottles and install refill stations, encouraging visitors to use reusable ones.

2017

• Jimmy and Yoda move into the new Gibbons enclosure at London Zoo in Tiger Territory.
• The African Wild Dogs exhibit opens at Whipsnade Zoo.
• The Centre for Elephant Care opens at Whipsnade Zoo. It's given the royal seal of approval as HM The Queen, accompanied by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, officially unveil the elephants’ new home. A photograph of HM The Queen feeding Donna a banana features on her official Christmas card that year. 

• Conservationists from ZSL celebrate the return of the iconic scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) to its homelands on the edge of the Sahara desert after a successful release of 14 captive-bred animals to a remote region of Chad. This is only the second group to return to the wild after the species was classified as Extinct in the Wild by the IUCN in 2000. 

2018 

• Our conservationists discover two new species of frog, found 3,143 meters above sea level on Indochina’s highest mountain in northern Vietnam. The remarkable discovery demonstrates just how little is known about this fascinating region of Vietnam.

2019 

• The first ever wolverine kits are born at Whipsnade Zoo as part of a European-wide breeding programme.
• Two Extinct-in-the-Wild species of tropical snail are returned to their native homeland for the first time in French Polynesia, 25 years after they were wiped out by a human-introduced invasive species. 

2020 

• With a prolonged period of enforced Zoo closure threatening the future of our Zoos, Sir David Attenborough fronts a national fundraising campaign to save our science-led conservation charity during the coronavirus pandemic. 

2021

• London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo reopen on 12 April 2021 after a closure of more than three months, due to nationwide COVID restrictions.  

2022

• London Zoo unveils its landmark new Monkey Valley walkthrough exhibit, revealing the iconic former Snowdon Aviary's transformation into a new home for Eastern black and white colobus monkeys – the first of its kind in the UK.
• We are deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II who was Patron of ZSL from her coronation in 1953 and her support for our work, and passion for animals has helped us to inspire millions to protect wildlife around the world. As a mark of respect, London and Whipsnade Zoos did not open on Friday 9 September.
• A baby Asian elephant born at Whipsnade Zoo is named the Thai word for ‘Queen’ in honour of Queen Elizabeth II, who met the calf’s mum, Donna, in 2017.
• A wildlife survey led by the Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), Government of Nepal and supported by ZSL reveals that Endangered Bengal tigers in Nepal have doubled in number for the first time in decades.
• The Countess of Wessex visits London Zoo to tour its newest exhibit, Monkey Valley, and join in Christmas celebrations with local children. 

2023

• 5,000 Extinct in the Wild & Critically Endangered Partula snails released in French Polynesia, part of a collaborative restoration project spanning more than 30 years.
• The Scimitar horned oryx is downlisted from Extinct-in-the-Wild to Endangered by the IUCN – the direct result of a globally coordinated effort supported by our experts.  

• London Zoo's Friendly Spider Programme celebrates 30 years. In this time, the landmark course has so far seen over 5,000 arachnophobes, travelling from as far as away America and Australia to take part, and has an impressive 98% success rate.
• A Critically Endangered vulture chick, nicknamed ‘Egbert’, hatches at London Zoo for the first time in 40 years. 

2024

• Our scientists rescue 53 southern Darwin’s frogs from a Chilean island ravaged by deadly chytrid fungus, and take them back to ZSL to kickstart a vital breeding programme.
• Monkey Forest opens at Whipsnade Zoo, home to Francois langurs and Sulawesi crested macaques.
• A mural by Banksy appeared overnight on London Zoo's shutters, becoming a global news sensation.
• We are delighted that HM King Charles becomes ZSL’s Royal Patron. This continues an unbroken tradition of the reigning British Monarch being our Royal Patron, starting with King William IV in 1830.
• The Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians opens at London Zoo. Two Critically Endangered Mountain chicken frogs breed for the first time in five years in their brand-new custom-built home in this new area of the Zoo.
• Extinct-in-the-Wild sihek are released into the wild for first time in 40 years -  the result of a global conservation project to restore the species. 

2025

• ZooTown opens at London Zoo, transforming the old Reptile House into an imagination-firing play space for kids who dream of being zookeepers, scientists and vets.
• An Extinct-in-the-Wild Socorro dove hatches at Whipsnade Zoo – the first time the conservation zoo has bred this species.
• We launch our Access to Nature campaign and calls on the government to make access to nature a right for every schoolchild.
• A rare species of Polynesian tree snail once declared Extinct in the Wild has officially been downlisted, thanks to a decades-long conservation programme led by our experts.
• ZSL launches its first ever lottery, the Wildlife Winners Lottery. 

2026 

• We celebrate 200 years of science, conservation and culture that connects us all.