Zoological and Botanical Gardens

The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (HKZBG) are located on the northern slope of Victoria Peak with a highest point of 100 meters and a lowest point of 62 meters above sea level. HKZBG, occupies an area of 5.6 hectares was founded in 1871 as a Botanic Garden and renamed in 1975 as Botanical and Zoological Gardens to reflect the increased commitments to zoological exhibits. Construction works of the Garden started in 1860 and the first stage was opened to the public in 1864.

Mr. Charles Ford was the first Superintendent of Gardens, appointed in 1871. Having served as a temporary Government House from 1841 to 1842, the Garden was still called "Bing Tau Fa Yuen" by the Chinese. Bounded by Garden Road, Robinson Road, Glenealy and Upper Albert Road, the Garden was divided into two parts by Albany Road, but linked by a subway. The eastern part of the Garden is known as the Old Garden where a Children's Playground, Aviaries, Jaguar Enclosure, Green House and a Fountain Terrace Garden are found. The New Garden in the west is mainly the home of mammals and reptiles.

The gardens are divided into two main areas: plants and aviaries in one area and animals in the other. In the plants area, which retains some of their Victorian charm, flowers are almost always in bloom, from azaleas in the spring to wisteria and bauhinia in the summer and fall. More than 1,000 species of plants, most of them indigenous to tropical and subtropical regions and planted throughout the grounds, include Burmese rosewood trees, varieties of bamboo, Indian rubber trees, camphor trees, a variety of camellia, herbs, and the Hong Kong orchid. The small zoo houses 600 birds, 90 mammals, and 20 reptiles, including jaguars, orangutans, tamarins, kangaroos, flamingos, a Burmese python, Palawan peacocks, birds of paradise from Papua New Guinea, cranes, and Mandarin ducks. The zoo is well known for its success in breeding birds on the verge of extinction and for supplying zoos around the world with new stock. It is also a great place to take pictures of the kids with the various spotted, striped and feathered animals on show.