The Shanghai zoo has over 6,000 animals with more than 620 rare species that you can enjoy. As hard as it is to believe, the 184 acres of the Shanghai Zoo are snuggled safely away in this busy and ever-expanding city.
I was not sure what to expect as the zoo is directly off of Subway line 10. I was taken aback as soon as I entered the zoo. I was astounded by the brilliant parks that took over every inch of the zoo grounds. This was by far the most gorgeous zoo I have ever seen when it came to the greenery.
Shortly after you enter the zoo, you run into the large poster of “The Rare Animals of China”. I stood here for nearly half an hour just admiring the variety of rare animals found throughout China and the huge range of regions this country has to offer. Use this map to learn about all of that China has to offer when it comes to unique animals.
The zoo has over 100,000 trees of 600 different types along with 25 acres of open green area where you can bring your family and friends to enjoy a nice picnic or relax in your own tent for the day.
If you are a fan of birds you will love the mass variety of species you can see at this zoo. They even have a large walk through aviary so you can get up close and personal with a lot of different species who are all very excited to see you walk through the door.
One of the negatives of this zoo was that you would wish some of the thought that went into the beautiful scenery was captured in the animal exhibits. The Shanghai Zoo is constantly upgrading their exhibits, but they have a long way to go to try and be equivalent to the rest of their park.
Throughout the zoo you will see the “foreign animals” such as giraffes, kangaroos, horses, and chimpanzees which are huge hits for those from China. Of course, the fun starts for tourists when you see those rare animals only Asia has to offer – the Golden Monkeys and the Giant Pandas.
It is definitely a culture shock to those visiting China. You will see visitors constantly feeding the animals (even though there are signs forbidding this). This was hard for me to handle, but it did prove how intelligent, and even persuasive, the animals could be. You would see the Golden Monkeys looking out for little children and then maneuvering as close as possible to them to have full access to their snacks.
The Golden Monkey catching a cherry tomato after reaching through the cage and pointing directly at the little girl who was eating her lunch.
Overall, the Shanghai Zoo is a beautiful place to get away from the hectic city. The scenery and parks are breathtaking and a nice place to relax along or with your family and friends. You are allowed to bring in your own food, drinks, blankets or even tents if you want to stay all day. There are some negatives, but it is definitely a stop to make on your trip in Shanghai. 