Lahore Zoo, on Mall Road in Lahore, Punjab, was established in 1872 and is one of the largest zoos in Pakistan — and by founding date one of the oldest zoos anywhere in the world. It began as a small aviary donated by Lala Mela Ram to the Lahore Municipal Corporation, and over 150 years has grown into a 25-acre collection of roughly 1,400 animals from about 140 species that draws around 3 million visitors a year.
Few zoos of its age remain on their original site with an unbroken history of operation. That longevity puts Lahore Zoo in elite company among the oldest zoos in the world still operating — a list dominated by European institutions, which makes this South Asian pioneer all the more notable.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Mall Road, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
- Opened: 1872
- Area: 25 acres (about 10 hectares)
- Animals: About 1,400 animals of roughly 140 species
- Annual visitors: About 3 million
- Famous for: Growing from a donated aviary in 1872 into one of South Asia’s oldest and busiest zoos
From a Donated Aviary to a National Institution
The zoo’s origin story is unusually humble: a private aviary gifted to the city in 1872. The Fancy Birds Aviary just east of the main gate still occupies the zoo’s oldest section, home to pheasants, peafowl, macaws, and grey parrots. The Lahore Municipal Corporation ran the zoo until 1923, after which management passed through several government departments before landing with the Wildlife and Parks department in 1982 — the turning point after which the zoo upgraded exhibits, layout, and landscaping and became self-financing.
In 2004 the zoo hosted the fifth annual conference of SAZARC, the South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation, and a 2005 master plan brought a multi-year improvement program. In November 2023 the zoo closed temporarily for a sweeping renovation intended to remodel it along modern, naturalistic lines with glass-fronted enclosures.
Animals and Landmarks
The Lion House, first constructed in 1872 and rebuilt in 1987, anchors the big-cat collection: the zoo has bred generations of lions and Bengal tigers, at times housing more than 20 lions and 15 tigers, plus pumas and black bears. The Elephant House of 1972 has hosted some of the zoo’s most beloved residents — the elephant Suzi, a fixture from 1988 until her death in 2017, and the hippo Raja, who arrived in 1974 and was the zoo’s oldest resident when he died in 2015 at age 51.
The grounds are a botanical treasure in their own right, with about 1,280 trees of 71 species — including a banyan beside the Waterfowl Lake reported to be over 400 years old. Other residents include giraffes, white rhinoceros, mugger crocodiles, blackbucks, nilgai, urials, zebras, ostriches, and a walk-through aviary.
Explore more: Explore more Zoos & Aquariums.
Lahore Zoo FAQs
How old is Lahore Zoo?
It was established in 1872, when a donated aviary became the seed of the collection — more than 150 years of continuous history, making it one of the oldest zoos in the world.
How big is Lahore Zoo?
The zoo covers 25 acres (about 10 hectares) on Mall Road in central Lahore and houses roughly 1,400 animals of about 140 species.
How many people visit Lahore Zoo?
Around 3 million people visit annually, making it one of the busiest zoos in South Asia.
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Photo: Jugni / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.