Adelaide Zoo is a zoo in Adelaide, Australia. It is the country's second oldest zoo (after Melbourne Zoo) opening in 1883, and is operated on a non-profit basis. It is located in the parklands just north of the city centre of Adelaide, South Australia. It is administered by the Royal Zoological Society of South Australia Incorporated (trading as Zoos South Australia or Zoos SA), which is a full institutional member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and which also administers the Monarto Safari Park near Murray Bridge.
The zoo houses over 3,000 animals comprising 250 native and exotic species. The zoo's most recent enclosures are in the second phase of the South-East Asia exhibit, known as Immersion, providing visitors with the experience of walking through the jungle, with Sumatran tigers and Sumatran orangutans seemingly within reach. Five buildings within the zoo have been listed as state heritage places on the South Australian Heritage Register, including the front entrance on Frome Road and the former Elephant House. The zoo is also a botanical garden and the grounds contain significant exotic and native flora, including a Moreton Bay fig planted in 1877.
The zoo is notably home to the Southern Hemisphere's largest giant panda centre, which opened in December 2009. It is home to two pandas called Xing Qiu and Yi Lan, who arrived in 2024 to replace Wang Wang and Funi who lived at the zoo until November 2024. Wang Wang and Funi were notorious for their failed breeding attempts. Xing Qiu and Yi Lan live as a male and female pair, alongside two Red pandas called Ravi and Maiya.
History
Adelaide Zoo opened on 23 May 1883, occupying (now ) of land granted by the government. It was founded by the South Australian Acclimatization and Zoological Society.NLA Trove > Annual report of the South Australian Acclimatization and Zoological Society. Retrieved 20 September 2013.Adelaide Zoo >...> History Accessed 20 September 2013. The society later became the Royal Zoological Society of South Australia after a royal charter was granted by King George VI in 1937.
The first director of the zoo, from 1882 to 1893, was R. E. Minchin. He was succeeded by his son A. C. Minchin from 1893 to 1934, and grandson R. R. L. Minchin from 1935 to 1940. Another grandson, Alfred Keith Minchin ran the private Koala Farm in the North Parklands from 1936 to 1960. The surplus koalas were set free on Kangaroo Island.Joyce Gibberd, "Minchin, Alfred Keith (1899–1963)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/minchin-alfred-keith-7796/text13273, published first in hardcopy 1986, accessed online 26 February 2015.
In the mid-twentieth century the zoo was involved in the export of live birds, with 99% of Australia's exports of live native birds, mainly finches and parrots for aviculture, passing through either Adelaide or Taronga (Sydney). At a time when the need for conservation of Australia's native birds, and control of their trade was becoming increasingly apparent, South Australia lagged behind other states in passing appropriate legislation.
In 1963, the government launched an investigation into the zoo's improper record-keeping of these birds. The new director of the zoo, William Gasking, was quickly dismissed through the power exerted by the Zoo Council president, Fred Basse, due to Gasking's attempts to address animal health and safety at the zoo. When Basse retired, the trade in birds dropped to one tenth of what it had been two years before. Since then, the zoo's administration has been restructured and the zoo has regained public credibility and scientific status.
The modern zoo has moved away from the traditional housing of species separately in pairs. Now species are grouped together as they would be in the wild, in exhibits that are carefully planned according to region. Enclosures have been designed with the needs of the animals in mind, providing a more natural habitat, which also serves an educational purpose for visitors. Although some of the zoo's heritage listed enclosures, such as the Elephant House that was built in 1900, have been retained, they are no longer used to house animals. The Elephant House now has educational signs. The last elephant housed at the Adelaide Zoo, Samorn, was moved to Monarto in 1991, where she died three years later.Adelaide, remember when Samorn the elephant and George the orangutan lived at the zoo? Adelaide, remember when Samorn the elephant and George the orangutan lived at the zoo? The Advertiser, 6 February 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
The flamingo exhibit was opened in 1885, and is one of the few to have remained in the same position to date. Originally it was stocked with ten flamingos, most of which died during a drought in 1915. In 2014, one of two surviving greater flamingos in the exhibit, thought to be the oldest in the world at 83 years of age, died. The remaining Chilean flamingo at Adelaide Zoo, the last flamingo in Australia, which arrived in 1948, was humanely euthanised on 6 April 2018.Australia's only flamingo euthanased at Adelaide Zoo for health reasons ABC News, 7 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
The nocturnal house opened in 1974. The reptile house opened in 1985 and was expanded in 1993. The giant panda exhibit and Bamboo Forest opened in 2009. This replaced the former "South America Section" and ungulate paddocks. The former great ape compound behind the administration building was demolished and replaced by an education centre and envirodome in 2008–2009.
In 2010, the main entrance was relocated off Frome Road in place of the hoofed animal yards, which were demolished. The famous polychrome masonry and cast-iron gates of the original entry, built in 1883 and restored in 1992, have been preserved.
The zoo's restaurant is located in a brick building that was originally a monkey house. It was constructed in 1891, converted to a kiosk in 1936, and renovated in 1989.
Current focus
The zoo has a particular focus on species from the Gondwana "supercontinent" which later broke up into South America, India, Africa, Australia and South East Asia. The botanic similarities between the regions are featured in the zoo's main exhibits, which include a South East Asian Rainforest, and Australian Rainforest Wetlands walk-through aviary. The South East Asian precinct combined Malayan tapir (the last zoo in Australia to keep them, until 2026) and dusky leaf monkeys in a shared exhibit together. Other exhibits are immersed next to each-other such as those for northern white-cheeked gibbons and siamangs on neighbouring rainforest lake islands. Pygmy hippopotamuses, mandrills and eastern black-and-white colobuses are amongst the African species conserved by the zoo.
The South East Asia Exhibit called Immersion was built in two parts. The first part was finished in 1995 which gave exhibits to animals such as siamangs and sun bears (the latter no longer held by the zoo). In late 2006 most of part two was finished which gave exhibits to Sumatran orangutans, siamangs and Sumatran tigers. There is also a large walk-through aviary which takes visitors past the two gibbon islands towards the tiger enclosures.
Adelaide Zoo has long been recognised for its impressive bird collection, but Australia's strict importation and quarantine laws make it unlikely that many exotic species will sustain genetically viable populations, a problem experienced by all zoos in the region. Importation of birds from overseas has been restricted in Australia since 1943, meaning additions to the exotic bird collection can only come from animals bred in the region or seized illegal imports, such as their hyacinth macaw specimen on exhibit. There are similar restrictions on acquiring many mammal species in Australia.
The zoo also has a focus on educational programs. There is a selection of "get to know the zoo" type of tours, a large "children's zoo" area, and from April 2009, an educational area for secondary school students and their teachers. Schools can hire the facility and groups can sleep there, with a member from the zoo supervising. Also, a new educational area called the Envirodome opened in April 2009. Night walks, tours and animal research can be done. More information on the educational programs can be found on the zoo's web site. The education building in the northeast corner of the zoo replaced the old ape grottos.
The zoo has continued to modernise, emphasizing immersive habitats that reflect natural ecosystems. Recent upgrade plans include improved enclosures for African, Asian and South American animals at the zoo as well as Australian native animals; as well as expanded breeding programs for native species like the Western swamp tortoise. The zoo also supports global conservation through initiatives aiding numerous endangered species.
Animals
In 2023, the zoo housed more than 2,500 animals and 250 species. There were 1,300 animals of 282 species in 1990. 'Immersion' Precinct Trail
Dusky leaf monkey Hamadryas baboon Mandrill Northern white-cheeked gibbon Pygmy hippopotamus Siamang Sumatran orangutan Sumatran tiger
Bamboo Forest Trail Giant Panda Red panda
Zoos Main Trails/Pathways African spurred tortoise African spur-thighed tortoise Aldabra tortoise American alligator Asian small-clawed otter Binturong Black-capped squirrel monkey Brazilian tapir
Capybara Dingo Giraffe
Komodo dragon Little penguin Maned wolf Mantled guereza Meerkats Patagonian mara Quokka
Rhinoceros iguana Ring-tailed lemur Serval Short-beaked echidna Southern cassowary Southern hairy-nosed wombat Tammar wallaby Tasmanian devil Yellow-footed rock wallaby
Tamarin House Cotton-top tamarin Emperor tamarin Golden lion tamarin
Nocturnal House
Black-footed tree-rat Brush-tailed bettong Brush-tailed mulgara Tawny frogmouth Fat-tailed dunnart Greater bilby Greater stick-nest rat Olive python Spinifex hopping-mouse Squirrel glider
Variety Children's Zoo
Domestic goat Domestic rabbit Elongated tortoise Guinea pig Hermann's tortoise Silkie chicken
Reptile House
Adelaide pygmy blue-tongued lizard Aruba Island rattlesnake Blood python Boyd's forest dragon Broad-headed snake Central netted dragon Centralian knob-tailed gecko Corn snake Gila monster Green anaconda Hosmer's spiny-tailed skink Inland taipan Red-bellied black snake Southern angle-headed dragon Southern death adder Woma python
Jewels of Asia Aviary
Black-capped lory Black-winged stilt Chattering lory Dollarbird Dusky lory Emerald dove Luzon bleeding-heart dove Malabar parakeet Noisy pitta Palm cockatoo Red lory Rose-crowned fruit-dove Sacred kingfisher White-breasted ground dove
South-East Asian Aviary
Indian peafowl Java sparrow Lady Amherst's pheasant Mandarin duck Nicobar pigeon Plum-headed parakeet
Birds of the Adelaide Hills Aviary Bush stone-curlew Regent honeyeater Swift parrot
Australian Rainforest Birds Walkthrough Aviary
Australasian figbird Australian king parrot Buff-banded rail Eclectus parrot Pied imperial pigeon Regent bowerbird Satin bowerbird Superb lyrebird White-headed pigeon Wonga pigeon
Ponds and Wetland Walkthrough Aviary
Australian pelican Brolga Cape Barren goose Chestnut teal Glossy ibis Little egret Little pied cormorant Royal spoonbill
Birds of the Australian Desert Aviary Budgerigar Cockatiel
Other Birds
African grey parrot Australian figbird Banded lapwing Barking owl Black lory Black-breasted buzzard Black-capped caique Black-necked stork Blue and gold macaw Blue-winged kookaburra Brown-throated conure Buff-banded rail Crested bellbird Crimson-bellied conure Diamond dove Elegant parrot Gang-gang cockatoo Gouldian finch Helmeted guineafowl Illiger's macaw Major Mitchell's cockatoo Nankeen kestrel Orange-bellied parrot Painted finch Radjah shelduck Red-headed parrotfinch Red-tailed black cockatoo Regent parrot Scarlet macaw