Chongqing Zoo is located at Xijiao Yicun, Yangjiaping, Jiulongpo District, Chongqing. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction. Founded in 1953, it covers an area of 43.5 hectares. The park features a typical hilly terrain, presenting a style of mountain zoo with fresh and beautiful natural scenery. As the main part of the park, the animal exhibition area covers about 29 hectares, accounting for approximately 70% of the park's accessible area. The zoo permanently exhibits more than 230 species of wild animals, with a total number of over 4,000 individuals (heads), among which rare and protected animals account for more than 80%.
Historical Culture
The origin of Chongqing Zoo can be traced back to August 1953, when the Chongqing Municipal Construction Bureau established a special team to be responsible for its preparation. In September of the same year, under professional guidance, a site was selected around Xiashiqiao in Yangjiaping, with Taohua Creek as the core area. An area of 10 hectares was allocated to establish "Yangjiaping Park". In March 1954, the construction of infrastructure started; upon completion at the end of December that year, the park was renamed "Xiqu Park" and opened to the public on January 24, 1955. In 1958, in accordance with relevant instructions, Xiqu Park began to be transformed into a zoo. After multiple expansions and adjustments, it was officially renamed "Chongqing Zoo" in October 1960. By 1966, it had developed into a medium-sized zoo with both scale and complete functions.
Since then, the zoo has continuously explored its operation mode. For example, in 1979, it organized off-site animal exhibitions and carried out cultural and entertainment activities, which significantly increased its operating income and the number of visitors. In 2009, it was awarded the titles of "National Key Park" and "National AAAA-Level Tourist Attraction" by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. It also became the Aquatic Animal Rescue Center and Terrestrial Animal Rescue Center of Chongqing's main urban area, a National Science Popularization Education Base, and a Chongqing Study Travel Demonstration Base, among other designations.
Major Attractions
Giant Panda House
The Giant Panda House is a star venue of Chongqing Zoo. The lovely giant pandas live here, and the venue is carefully designed to simulate the natural habitat of giant pandas, providing them with a suitable temperature, abundant food, and sufficient activity space. Visitors can watch the giant pandas' cute behaviors such as eating bamboo, playing, and resting up close through the transparent glass, and gain a deep understanding of the living habits and conservation significance of giant pandas.
Golden Monkey House
Located in the northeastern part of the park, adjacent to the bird area, the Golden Monkey House covers a total area of 1,500 square meters. It consists of 3 independent exhibition areas (each with an area of 500 square meters) and mainly houses and exhibits Sichuan golden monkeys and Guizhou golden monkeys.
Goldfish House
The Goldfish House displays a wide variety of goldfish species. It collects precious goldfish varieties from home and abroad, including Dragon Eye, Bubble Eye, Butterfly Tail, and others. The fish tanks in the Goldfish House are exquisitely arranged with clear water, and appropriate lighting and landscaping are used to create a suitable living environment for goldfish. Visitors can enjoy the sight of colorful and variously shaped goldfish swimming gracefully in the water and experience the unique charm of goldfish culture.
Bird Language Forest
The Bird Language Forest of Chongqing Zoo is the largest ecological open bird exhibition area in China. It breaks the traditional pattern where birds are kept in cages and visitors watch from outside the cages, allowing people and birds to interact seamlessly in the same environment. More than 20 species of birds are exhibited here; some of them even allow visitors to touch them and accept food from visitors' hands. Every day, interesting and exciting bird shows are performed in a regular cycle here for visitors to watch for free.
Red Pandas
Red pandas look like cats, with reddish-brown fur all over their bodies. They have short and thick limbs, and a long, thick, and fluffy tail. They mainly live in coniferous-broadleaf mixed forests or evergreen broad-leaved forests with bamboo thickets at an altitude of less than 3,000 meters. They have a large activity range: in summer, they mostly move in river valleys with streams on the shady slopes; in winter, they move to river valley basins on the sunny slopes.
Cute Animal Area
The Cute Animal Area is a newly built ecological venue opened in September 2008, covering an area of 4,679 square meters. It houses and exhibits small animals such as meerkats, raccoons, marmots, rabbits, and lambs. Visitors can observe these cute animal babies up close, see what they eat, and watch their lovely playing and frolicking scenes.
Tiger Hill
Tiger Hill houses South China tigers, Bengal tigers, and Siberian tigers. Tigers are well-known animals; they are a symbol of kingship, representing courage, strength, and the determination to move forward. Therefore, the tiger's head portrait is used as the emblem of Chongqing Zoo.
Tour Route
Enter through the main gate of the zoo. First, you can go to the Giant Panda House to see the lovely giant pandas. Then head to the Goldfish House to admire the colorful goldfish. Next, visit the Bird and Poultry Area to enjoy the charm of various birds. After that, you can go to the Beast Area to watch ferocious animals such as tigers and lions. Later, proceed to the Herbivore Area to see gentle animals like giraffes and zebras. Then visit the Amphibian and Reptile House to learn about various amphibians and reptiles. Finally, you can take a break in the rest area of the park, taste some local snacks, and then leave the park through the main gate.
Tour Suggestions
- It is recommended to buy tickets online in advance to avoid waiting in line at the scenic spot entrance.
- You can bring some drinking water and snacks with you. There are also catering and shopping facilities in the park, but the prices may be relatively higher.
- Wear comfortable shoes, as the park covers a large area and you need to walk for a long time during the tour.
- If you are traveling with children, you can learn some animal science knowledge in advance to better introduce it to your children.
- When watching animals, please abide by the park's regulations, do not feed the animals, and avoid dangerous behaviors.
Precautions
- Please cooperate with the staff for security checks when entering the park, and do not bring prohibited items into the park.
- Please take good care of the public facilities and environmental hygiene in the park. Do not spit or litter anywhere.
- Keep a safe distance when watching animals, and do not make loud noises or behave in a way that disturbs the animals.
- If you encounter an emergency in the park, you can ask the staff for help or call the park's emergency hotline.
- Pay attention to the weather changes and bring appropriate clothes and rain gear according to the weather conditions.
Transportation
- Bus: You can take bus routes such as No. 404, No. 411, No. 416, No. 421, No. 426, No. 428, No. 207, No. 223, No. 224, No. 225, No. 233, No. 234, and No. 235, and get off at the Zoo Station.
- Metro: Take Rail Transit Line 2, get off at Zoo Station, and exit from Exit 1 to reach the main gate of the zoo.
- Self-driving: Navigate to "Chongqing Zoo". There are parking lots around the park for parking, but parking spaces may be tight during holidays and peak hours.
Opening Hours
Chongqing Zoo is open daily from 9:00 to 17:00, with entry ceased at 16:30. It operates year-round (except under special circumstances). The specific opening hours may be adjusted based on seasons and the zoo's arrangements. Visitors are advised to pay attention to the official announcements of the scenic spot in advance.
Tickets
The ticket price for Chongqing Zoo is 25 yuan per adult. The specific ticket policy shall be subject to the official announcement of the scenic spot.
You can search for the official WeChat public account of the scenic spot - "重庆动物园" - on WeChat to obtain the latest updates or purchase tickets online.