Edinburgh Zoo, formally the Scottish National
Zoological Park, is an 82-acre (33 ha) non-profit zoological
park located in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. The
mission statement of Edinburgh Zoo is "To excite and inspire our
visitors with the wonder of living animals, and so to promote
the conservation of threatened species and habitats".
The land lies on the Corstorphine Hill, from which it provides
extensive views of the city. Built in 1913, and owned by the
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, it receives over 600,000
visitors a year, which makes it Scotland's second most popular
paid-for tourist attraction, after Edinburgh Castle. As well as
catering to tourists and locals, the Zoo is involved in many
scientific pursuits, such as captive breeding of endangered
animals, researching into animal behaviour, and active
participation in various conservation programs around the world.
Edinburgh Zoo is the only zoo in Britain to house koalas, as
well as being the first zoo in the world to house and to breed
penguins, in particular, King penguins. The zoo is a member of
the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA),
the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), the World
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), and the Association of
Scottish Visitor Attractions. It has also been granted four
stars by the Scottish Tourism Board. The zoo gardens boast one
of the most diverse tree collections in the Lothians. |