Beijing Zoo

The feeder feed penguins in Beijing Zoo.[Photo by Tong Jiang]

In Beijing Zoo, tourists celebrate the elephant's sixth birthday, which was sent as a gift from Sri Lanka.[Photo by Yang Shizhong]

Located in Xicheng District, Beijing Zoo was the first of its kind to be opened in the country. The zoo contains a diverse collection of animals, many exhibition halls and sites of historical interest.

The zoo is home to around 900 different species, with some 20,000 animals. Popular attractions are the wild and rare animals of China, such as the pandas, golden monkeys, milu deer and northeast tigers.

The collection is far from restricted to native species; there are also polar bears, American bison, zebras, kangaroos, giraffes and elephants.

The Beijing Zoo has 16 exhibition areas and halls. The most popular is Panda Hall. Built in 1989 and covering 10,000 square meters (2.5 acres), it delivers an impressive aesthetic scene while housing large and physical animals. The hall’s interior replicates Chinese gardens and is shaped in a Tai Chi diagram.

The Gorilla Hall, was constructed two years earlier in 1987. The building houses artificial hillocks and wooden apparatuses for animals, which sit against a backdrop of attractive gorilla murals. Facilities include a medical room, mating room and feeding room. The hall is decorated with a series of rockeries and pools.

All the zoo's halls and exhibition areas are constructed to ensure animals can enjoy a comfortable and healthy living environment.

The Beijing Aquarium is a must-see for anyone visiting the zoo. It is recognized as one of the country's top attractions, and the largest inland aquarium in the world, which features thousands of different aquatic species - man-eating fish, precious Chinese sturgeons, huge sea elephants and fierce sharks. Tourists can enjoy shows performed by dolphins, sea lions and whales in the aquarium's Ocean Theater.

Beijing Zoo has become one of the largest zoos in the country.

Beijing zoo

Address: 137 Xizhimenwai Dajie, Xicheng District

Tel: +86-10-68315131

Open: 7:30 am-6 pm (April 1-October 31)

7:30 am-5 pm (November 1-March 31)

Admission: 15 yuan (April 1-October 31) 10 yuan (November 1-March 31)

Traffic: Bus Nos 103, 107, 332, 334, 360, 601, 814 and 904

Beijing Aquarium

Address: North Gate of Beijing Zoo

Tel: +86-10-68338741

Open: 9 am-5:30 pm (April 1-October 31)

      9 am-5 pm (November 1-March 31)

Admission:120 yuan

Traffic: Bus Nos 103, 107, 332, 334, 360, 601, 814 and 904