Edinburgh Zoo was first opened to the public in 1913, when it was called the Scottish National Zoological Park, and since then has provided a fun and educational day out for millions of families from around the world.
It was the brainchild of Edinburgh lawyer Thomas Hailing Gillespie, who founded the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland in 1909 which, in turn, purchased the Corstorphine Hill site from Edinburgh Town Council in 1913.
Gillespie modelled the zoo on Hamburg’s Tierpark Hagenbeck in Germany, which replaced the traditional steel cages with open enclosures that more resembled the animals’ natural habitat.
A visit by King George VI in 1948 led to the prefix ‘Royal’ being added to the society’s name and it remains the only zoo with a royal charter in the UK.
Some of the zoo’s most famous residents were added in January 1914 when three king penguins arrived, supplied by the Christian Salvesen whaling expedition which docked in Leith.
The zoo made international headlines in 2011 when Tian Tian and Yang Guang arrived from China – becoming the first giant pandas to live in the UK for 17 years and instantly becoming the zoo’s star attractions.
This year saw them return to China, but there are still plenty of other amazing creatures to see.
Here are 10.
5. King Penguin
Edinburgh Zoo is famoud for its penguins, which were one of the first animals to arrive when it opened and the zoo became the first in the world to successfully breed them in 1919. Their colony includes a the first ever knighted penguin - Major General Sir Nils Olav. He was knighted by the Norwegian King's Guard, who regularly visit the city for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. | Canva/Getty Images
6. Koala
The zoo's four koalas - Inala, Kalari, Talara and Myaree - originate from the Australian state of Queensland. Sometimes wrongly referred to as bears, they are actually masupials, like the wallabies and kangeroos that also call the zoo home. | Canva/Getty Images
7. Nubian Giraffe
A relatively new addition to the zoo, the herd of five giraffes - named - Ronnie, Arrow, Gerald, Fennessy and Gilbert - only arrived in 2021. Since then they have become firm favourites with visitors, who are able to see the tallest mammals on earth from close range. | Canva/Getty Images
8. Greater One-horned Rhinoceros
Edinburgh Zoo has a single rhino resident - Qabid the greater one-horned rhinoceros. Endangered in their native India these amazing creatures love the water - so don't be surprised if you see him enjoying a dip. | Canva/Getty Images