‘Zoo’ is short for ‘Zoological garden’. And a zoological garden is a place where living animals are kept and exhibited.
A zoo is kind of school for learning about both animals and people. By watching the things animals do, what they eat and how they grow, much can be learned not only about them but about human beings, too. Scientists are able to learn many important things by studying living animals. That is why the first zoo was called an ‘intelligence park’.
In 1150 B.C., an intelligence park was started by Chinese emperor. And it had many kinds of deer, birds and fish in it. It resembled our modern zoo in may respects but, it was kept for the amusement of the Emperor and his court only.
Since it requires a great deal of money to start and maintain a zoo, it was the pride of kings and rich lords in the ancient times. Some of them had collections of rare birds, fish, and various animals.
The first real public zoo in the world was opened in Paris in 1793. This was the famous ‘Jardin des Plantes’ and contained animals, museum and botanical garden in it.
In 1829, the next big zoological garden was opened in Regent’s Park in London. In 1814, zoological garden of Berlin began which became one of the finest and best zoo in the world.
In the United States, the first zoo was opened in Philadelphia in 1874, and then came the zoological garden in Cincinnati in 1875.
