People visiting Beijing are likely going to want to check out one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city – the Beijing Zoo. It is easy to get to by cab or subway, and it is within walking distance of some hotels.
The area where the zoo is now located was once called the Garden of Happiness and Friendship home to an imperial palace at the time of the Ming Dynasty. The land retained its popularity throughout the Qing Dynasty as well, and in 1908 the first zoo was opened. At that time, it was called the Garden of Ten Thousand Animals. In 1955, the name changed once again to the Beijing Zoo. One of the unique features of the zoo is that there are many of the original buildings from the Qing Dynasty still on the property and that are open to the public.
The animals are housed in environments that simulate the ones in which they would live in the wild. This not only makes the zoo more visually appealing to the visitors, but it makes the animals feel not as confined as they would have in the cages of the past. Like so many animal parks around the world today, the zoo in Beijing understands the need for conserving the natural world. Their efforts are helping ensure that the animals of today will be here for the children of tomorrow to enjoy.
The Beijing Zoo is made up of 16 exhibition areas and halls that contain the thousands of animals on the property. Some of the most famous of these halls include the Panda Hall, and the Gorilla Hall. All of the exhibits, including the landscaping itself, are beautiful and well maintained to ensure the health of the animals. Besides the pandas and the gorillas, a number of other animals from around the world call the zoo their home. These include elephants, tigers, bears, and reptiles of all shapes and sizes.
A more recent addition to the zoo is the Beijing Ocean Hall – the largest of its kind in China. Visitors here can see a variety of types of marine life, including fish, octopus, dolphins, sharks, whales, and more.
A visit to the Beijing Zoo will not only get you up close to some of the rarest and most exotic species in the world, it will also help you to understand the need for conserving our wildlife and our planet. |
