Pretoria Zoo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
National Zoological Garden of South Africa

Okapi at Pretoria Zoo
Date opened	21 October 1899 (125 years ago) (1899-10-21)
Location	232 Boom Street, Pretoria, South Africa
Land area	85 hectares (210 acres)
Coordinates	25°44′18″S 28°11′21″E / 25.73833°S 28.18917°E / -25.73833; 28.18917
No. of animals	About 9,000
No. of species	About 700
Annual visitors	More than 600,000
Memberships	WAZA, PAAZA, AKAA
Major exhibits	Aquarium, Aviary, Mammals, Reptiles
Website	https://www.pretoriazoo.org/

The Sammy Marks Fountain in the Zoological gardens

The National Zoological Garden of South Africa is a huge zoo in Pretoria, South Africa. People often call it The Pretoria Zoo. It covers about 80 hectares, which is like 160 football fields! This zoo is the national zoo of South Africa. It was started by J. W. B. Gunning way back in 1899. The Pretoria Zoo is one of the eight largest zoos in the whole world.

Discover the Pretoria Zoo's History

When Did the Zoo Open?

The Pretoria Zoo officially opened its doors in 1899. It was first built on a farm called Klein Schoemansdal. This land was bought by the state in 1895. The zoo became the official National Zoological Gardens in 1916. Today, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) helps manage the zoo.

Exploring the Zoo's Landscape

How is the Zoo Laid Out?

The zoo is split into two main parts. One part is mostly flat ground. The other part is on the side of a hill. The Apies River flows right through the middle, separating these two areas. Don't worry, there are two bridges to help you cross the river easily!

Getting Around the Zoo

What Can You Do at the Zoo?

There are about 6 kilometers of paths to walk on at the zoo. If you get tired, you can rent a golf cart to ride around. Most, but not all, animal areas can be reached by golf cart. There's also a cool cable car that takes you from the bottom of the hill to the top.

Where Can You Eat?

The zoo has two restaurants where you can grab a bite. There's also a nice picnic area by the Apies River if you bring your own food. Right outside the zoo entrance, you might find a crafts market.

Meet the Animals: Zoo Exhibits

What Animals Live at the Pretoria Zoo?

The Pretoria Zoo is home to about 9,000 animals from over 700 different species! It's like a giant animal kingdom. Here's a quick look at some of the groups you can see:

Walking Through the Exhibits

When you first enter the zoo, you can walk through a large aviary filled with birds. You'll also see African penguins, Cape fur seals, leopards, flamingoes, and lemurs. Further along, you'll find more bird aviaries and areas for hamadryas baboons and other monkeys.

In the middle of the zoo, there are big sections designed to look like an African savannah. Here, you can spot large animals like cheetahs, black and white rhinos, giraffes, African bush elephants, hippos, plains zebras, African buffaloes, and okapis. You'll also find smaller areas for primates, African wild dogs, and red kangaroos.

On the northern hillside, there are big enclosures for lions, tigers, brown bears, Nubian ibexes, and western lowland gorillas. The western part of the zoo has two aquariums and a reptile park. You can enter these areas separately.

Images for kids

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  Cableway over the zoo

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  Inside the aviary

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  Pretoria skyline seen from within the aviary

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  Apies River flowing through the zoo

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  African savannah exhibit

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  Lions in the hill enclosure

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  A shady walkway

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  Upper story of the Aviary

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  From inside the ramparts at the top of the hill

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  Pretoria skyline from the zoo

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  Pretoria from the zoo

See also

In Spanish: Jardín zoológico nacional de Sudáfrica para niños