|
Beijing Zoo The Beijing Zoo
(Traditional Chinese: 北京動物園; Simplified Chinese: 北京动物园; Pinyin: běi
jīng dòng wù yuán), lies west of Xizhimen and is in the western part
of Beijing, China, was known for a short time after the founding of the
People's Republic as Western Suburbs Park (Xijiao Gongyuan). The grounds
combine cultivated flower gardens with stretches of natural scenery,
including dense groves of trees, stretches of grassland, a small stream,
lotus pools and small hills dotted with pavilions and halls.
Beijing Zoo mainly exhibits the wild and rare animals of China. Visitors
usually go to see the famous Giant Pandas, but there are many other
interesting animals including the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey,
Manchurian tigers, white-lipped deer, yaks from Tibet, enormous sea
turtles, polar bear from the North Pole, kangaroo from Australia, and
zebra from Africa.
The zoo is also a famous center of zoological research and it collects
and breeds rare birds and animals from various continents. The buildings
in the Zoo cover an area of more than 50,000 square meters, including
the monkey hall, the panda hall, the lion and tiger hall, the elephant
hall, and many others. Altogether there are more than 30 large halls.
Initially named The Ten Thousand Animal Garden,
the zoo was built in 1908, making it almost 100 years old. It is located
in Xicheng District of Beijing City, beside Beijing Exhibition Hall,
facing Beijing Astronomical Observatory. The Zoo was originally an
imperial manor during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). Plants were
cultivated and animals were raised here during the Qing Dynasty (1644 -
1911). After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, it was
reconstructed and renamed the West Suburb Park. In 1955, the name was
changed to the Beijing Zoo. |
