Dublin Zoo
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Dublin Zoo entrance
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| Date opened | September 1, 1831 |
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| Location | Dublin, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°21′14″N 6°18′14″W / 53.35389°N 6.30389°WCoordinates: 53°21′14″N 6°18′14″W / 53.35389°N 6.30389°W |
| Land area | 28 ha (69 acres) |
| Annual visitors | 1,029,417 (2012) |
| Major exhibits | African Plains, Kaziranga Forest Trail, World of Cats, World of Primates, Meerkat Restaurant, Roberts House (aviary), South American House, Reptile House, City Farm, Pet's Corner, Discovery Centre |
| Website | www |
Dublin Zoo (Irish: Zú Bhaile Átha Cliath), in Phoenix Park, Dublin, is the largest zoo in Ireland, and one of Dublin's most popular attractions. Opened in 1831, the zoo describes its role as conservation, study, and education. Its stated mission is to "work in partnership with zoos worldwide to make a significant contribution to the conservation of the endangered species on Earth".
Covering over 28 hectares (69 acres) of Phoenix Park, it is divided into areas named Asian Forests, Orangutan Forest, The Kaziranga Forest Trail, Fringes of the Arctic, Sea Lion Cove, African Plains, Roberts House, House of Reptiles, City Farm and South American House.{citation needed}
The Royal Zoological Society of Dublin was established at a meeting held at the Rotunda Hospital on 10 May 1830 and the zoo, then called the Zoological Gardens Dublin, was opened on 1 September 1831it was open to the public . The animals, 46 mammals and 72 birds, were donated by London Zoo.
It is no coincidence that the founders of Dublin Zoo were members of the medical profession. Their interest was in studying the animals while they were alive and more particularly getting hold of them when they were dead. In the 1830s the laws concerning cadavers for medical use changed. Up until then, anyone not associated with one of the big medical institutions had to resort to grave-robbing in order to obtain a cadaver for study, so getting hold of the corpse of a primate without having to rob a grave was considered quite a coup.
The initial entry charge per person was sixpence, which was a sizable sum at the time and limited admission to relatively wealthy middle-class people. What made Dublin Zoo very different from some of its contemporaries was a decision to reduce the charge to one penny on Sundays. This made a day at the zoo something that nearly every Dubliner could afford once in a while and it became very popular.
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