Did you know that zoos started out as early as 1500 BC when Queen Hatshepsut  of Egypt ordered one built?  The earliest zoos were for pleasure of those of higher status, such as emperors or kings, rather than for study or public viewing.

          In Rome, many animals were captured in Africa or India.  They were released in big arenas  with gladiators while many Roman citizens watched.  The gladiators were mostly “barbarians” captured when Rome waged war on surrounding territories.  They were armed with spears, nets, or tritons, and if they were lucky they got to wear armor.  The gladiators would try to recapture or kill the animals before they were killed by the animals and eaten for dinner.  They were very lucky if they survived.  Even though it was gruesome, the Romans (except those who were gladiators) thought it was great sport.

          When Caesar Agustus ruled Rome during the first century BC he kept many animals.  There were six hundred or more lions, tigers and big animals kept in Rome at that time. 

          In Greece, there were public zoos.  Many students would go there to learn about and study plants and animals.

          Most public zoos started opening up for the public in the mid nineteenth century.  In Vienna, though, the Imperial Menagerie was built for the Emperor in 1752.  After he died, the zoo opened for public viewing in 1765.

          In London, a zoo was opened in Regent’s Park by the Zoological Society of London in the year 1828.  In 1872 it had around 500 animals that ranged anywhere from a tiger to a monkey or a bald eagle to a hummingbird.  Now it is the largest zoo in Europe.

Check the graph below to find out about other early zoos open to the public.

          Zoo  habitats started out as cages, pits, and small enclosures.  Animals were very confined.  Habitats usually consisted of cement walls and floor with a lone tree sometimes poking out of the cement floors and iron bars for visibility.  In the early 1900’s, zoo design started to take on a new look.  Bars were replaced with ditches.  It took a few years for this new look to catch on.  Tourists were afraid that the animals would escape and attack them.  This provided a new experience for zoo-goers.

Check out Postcard Through the Years to see what zoos once like.....