Tehran Zoological Garden

The Tehran Zoological Garden, also known as Eram Zoo, is located 4 kilometer on the Tehran - Karaj Expressway in the Eram amusement Park. This zoo covers an area of 5 hectares and was inaugurated in 1992, housing over more than 290 species.

In old times of Iran, it was common to have small exhibitions of animals and birds for families in some houses; some times there were exhibitions in some parts of the cities.

In 1637, Adam Olorius, the German traveler had mentioned seeing a zoo in Isfahan (Safavid empire capital). At Fat′h-Ali Shah Qajar's era, around 1809, there used to be exhibitions of baboons, apes, snakes, bears and lions in Sabze meidan, Tehran. Also, there was a permanent exhibition of elephants at elephant house in Darolkhalafeh and the Indian elephants were used in especial occasions. In Qajar era, the first zoo was not established until Naser al-Din Shah Qajar established it at Lakhti Street (Sadi). It was small and few people were visiting it.

Later, when Naser al-Din Shah Qajar traveled to Europe he was inspired by the modern zoological gardens. He established the Tehran Zoological Garden at Doshan Tappeh where there was already a splendid Mansion established from 1853 containing a very beautiful lake using qanat as water source. It was built for Nassereddin Shah's excursions and a collection of Shiraz lions, Mazandaran tiger, Persian leopards, an Asiatic cheetah, bears, striped hyenas, monkeys, apes, baboons, peafowl and predatory birds were kept in the zoo. People could visit the park unless the king was hiking in there. During time, this park was expanding until 1992 that it moved to the current location for medical reasons and renovation.

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