The , also known as the Fukuoka City Zoological Garden, is a zoo

Zoo

A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....

 and botanical garden

Botanical garden

A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...

 established in 1953 and located within Minami-koen park at 1-1, Minami-Koen, Chūō-ku

Chuo-ku, Fukuoka

is one of the seven wards of Fukuoka city in Japan. The ward is located in the center of the city.It includes Tenjin and Daimyō which are among the largest downtown areas in Kyūshū, Nagahama, which is known for its fish market, and Ōhori Park.-Main facilities:...

, Fukuoka, Fukuoka

Fukuoka, Fukuoka

is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

.

The garden contains about 1,300 types of outdoor garden plants, mostly common. Its greenhouse contains over 1,200 plant species including orchids, fern

Fern

A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...

s, and cacti

Cactus

A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...

.

History

The gardens were originally established near the city's East park in 1933 as part of the celebration of the coronation of Emperor Hirohito

Hirohito

, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...

. This small 5096 tsubos (1.7 ha) zoo and botanical garden included about 500 animals and 100 species of plants. The zoo was closed to the public on 20 May 1944 due to the deteriorating state of World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

for the country. Large animals were subsequently euthanized. Pillars from the old zoo gate are still standing near one of the elementary schools in the city.

In 1949 the city approved the establishment of a zoo in the city's South park. The Fukuoka City Zoological Society was established in 1952, and 28 million was raised for the new zoo.

The zoo opened in its current location on 22 August 1953, with 143 animals representing 69 species. It included a play area with a miniature train and a Ferris wheel. When it opened, the zoo was home to one elephant, who was still living at the zoo in 2011.

In 1954 the zoo was expanded to the North by about 6500 tsubos (21,487.6 m²), and the animal collection expanded to include 353 individuals representing 110 species. In 1955 the zoo was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Tourism Division, Fukuoka. An additional 6 hectares (14.8 acre) was added to the zoo in 1956, and the animal collection again expanded to include 400 individuals of 120 species.

By 2003 (the fiftieth anniversary of opening in its current location), the zoo had hosted more than 40 million visitors, and was home to 706 animals representing 168 species, including 57 species of mammals, 88 species of birds, and 23 species of reptiles.

External links

(Japanese)