Founded in 1913, and owned by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), the zoo is involved in the conservation of endangered animals and scientific research. Every year, more than half a million people visit the historic institution.
Modelled on Hamburg’s Tierpark Hagenbeck Zoo in Germany, it has housed some of the world’s most loved animals over its history, with three king penguins arriving in 1914, supplied by the Christian Salvesen whaling expedition which docked in Leith.
In more recent times, the zoo was home to the UK’s only giant pandas before Yang Guang and Tian Tian returned to China earlier this month after 12 years in Scotland.
We’ve trawled through the picture archives to bring you some amazing pictures of Edinburgh Zoo from years gone by.
1. Memories of Edinburgh Zoo
We’ve trawled through the photo archives to bring you some amazing pictures of Edinburgh Zoo from years gone by. Photo: Third Party
2. Dumbo the elephant
Dumbo , the baby elephant, comes out for a stroll August 1958 Photo: Contributed
3. Animals on the streets
Edinburgh Zoo director Gilbert Fisher with Scrap the cheetah outside Edinburgh Zoo in 1964 Photo: Contributed
4. New enclosures opened
Lord Provost Duncan Weatherstone meets one of the residents at the opening of the new camel house at Edinburgh Zoo in 1965 Photo: Contributed