Auckland Zoo, Zoo in Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland Zoo sits in Albert-Eden next to Western Springs Park and houses over 1,400 animals from 135 species in naturalistic enclosures across 16 hectares. The grounds are divided into several themed zones, including a section for African savanna animals and a tropical rainforest with elevated walkways.

The park opened on December 16, 1922, after acquiring animals from a private collection, and grew through the 1930s despite early veterinary problems. In the following decades, enclosures were gradually redesigned to give animals more space and more natural environments.

The zoo's Māori name is Te Whare Kararehe o Tāmaki Makaurau. From 1956 chimpanzees brought from London Zoo took part in public 'tea parties', a practice that ended in 1963 as zoo philosophy changed. The female Indian elephant Jamuna was an early star, and Jamuna Plaza at the rear of the grounds still carries her name.

The zoo is at 99 Motions Road, beside Te Waiōrea Western Springs Park, about 6.4 km from the town hall. The grounds are loosely divided into five tracks by region of origin, taxonomy or biome, so pick a route at the entrance. The New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine houses the zoo's veterinary hospital.

The zoo's veterinary hospital is housed in the New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine, where sick and injured wildlife from around the country are treated with the aim of rehabilitation and release. The zoo also runs conservation fieldwork in New Zealand, French Polynesia and the Pacific Islands, including species monitoring, research and education.