Perth Zoo, Zoological park in South Perth, Australia

Perth Zoo is a zoological park in South Perth featuring more than 160 animal species spread across nearly 20 hectares of land. The grounds are divided into distinct zones representing different habitats from around the world, including African grasslands, tropical rainforests, and native bushland.

The zoo was founded in 1898 by the Acclimatisation Society with a modest collection of animals. Over the following decades it evolved into a major conservation facility supporting endangered species breeding and habitat protection programs.

The zoo maintains active programs for wildlife preservation through breeding endangered species and supporting conservation projects in natural habitats worldwide.

The zoo lies on the south bank of the Swan River in South Perth, with the main entrance on Labouchere Road. Paths link the African Savannah, Asian Rainforest and Australian Bushwalk precincts across the 17-hectare site. The terrain is mostly flat, but some paths slope and walking distances are long, so allow several hours and wear comfortable shoes.

In 1909 the zoo's main lawn, now open grass, was the Zoological Gardens Courts, then considered Western Australia's best tennis facilities and host of the Australasian Championships, forerunner of the Australian Open. The original palm collection, begun when the sandy site was irrigated from a well bored in 1898, still stands with over 61 species.