Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa

Lisbon's zoo opened in 1884, one of the older zoological gardens in Europe, and moved to its present site in Sete Rios in 1905. It holds around two thousand animals of several hundred species across twenty-six hectares, with a cable car of about twenty minutes running over the enclosures, a dolphin presentation, a reptile house, a farm area and a children's section. Like every old zoo it carries the argument that comes with the model: enclosures built to nineteenth and twentieth-century standards have been progressively rebuilt, some species phased out, and the institution presents itself around conservation breeding and education, while critics point to the marine mammal shows and the space available to large animals in a city site. Both positions are readily available and worth reading before deciding. There is also a small cemetery for pets in the grounds, a survival from the early years.

History

The idea of a zoo in Lisbon was first reported in the press in August 1882, and Dr Van Der Laan, Dr Sousa Martins and May Figueira, owner of the largest aviary in Portugal, set about creating one. It opened on 28 May 1884 with 1127 animals and drew 170,000 visitors in its first year, moved to Palhavã in 1894 and to its present site at Quinta das Laranjeiras, in Sete Rios, in 1905 (Wikipedia, Lisbon Zoo).

What's there

• The cable car - a twenty-minute run over the enclosures.
• The 1884 foundation - one of the older zoos in Europe, on this site since 1905.
• The collection - around two thousand animals across twenty-six hectares.
• The pet cemetery - a survival from the institution's early decades.

When to go

April to October. Half a day. Weekends and school holidays are very busy. Animals are most active early and late.

Practical notes

Whether keeping large animals and running marine mammal presentations in a city zoo is acceptable is a genuine argument, and visitors should decide for themselves rather than be told. Older enclosures remain small. Expensive for a family. Crowded at weekends.

Nearby

Palácio Fronteira is a short walk; the Gulbenkian is east.

Key facts