Thiruvananthapuram Zoo


Zoological Garden, Thiruvananthapuram




TheThiruvananthapuram Zoo is the oldest zoo in India continuing to existing its original location in the heart of the temple cityThiruvananthapuram. Similarly the Museum and Botanical Gardens are also the oldest of their kind in the country. Swathi ThirunalMaharaja (1816-1846), illustrious King and Music composer who had ruled Travancore during 1830-1846 is said to be the visionary behind the establishment of the Thiruvananthapuram Museum and Zoo. He had a good collection of animals including elephants in his horse breeding center. To the Trivandrum stables he incorporated a menagerie and kept tigers, panthers cheetahs, deer, bears and a lioness there. It was however left to his brother Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma and the then British Resident General Cullen which resulted in the establishment of Museum and Zoo in Thiruvananthapuram. A committee was formed in 1855 with the Maharaja of Travancore as Patron, GeneralCullen as President, The Elaya Raja as Vice President and Mr. AllenBrown as Secretary of the Committee and the Director of Museum. the museum was thrown open to the Public in September 1857. But the museum by itself could not attract the people much, and therefore a zoo and a park were started in 1859.




Location: Attingal, Kerala, India

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