ZOO OPENING TIMES
We are open every day of the year, including Christmas Day, from 9am until:
| 6.00pm | April - September |
| 5.00pm | October & March |
| 4.30pm | November - February |
2009 Events
Find out what's happening
at the Zoo in 2009.
Events include owl flights,
wildlife lectures, quiz nights and
a wine tasting.
Zoo News
RZSS Response to Earthquake
A giant panda reserve in the Sichuan Province in China was left devastated following the earthquake on May 12. The Wolong Nature Reserve is the largest giant panda reserve in China, caring for over 60 pandas. It holds around 10% of the total giant panda population and 50% of the total population in captivity. The most recent reports state that five members of staff died, with many others injured. Two of the giant pandas are missing but the remaining population at Wolong remains under severe threat from aftershocks and landslides. The extent to which the earthquake affected the giant panda population in the wild is still unknown.
The Wolong Nature Reserve works in partnership with conservation organisations and charities across the world to help sustain and expand the giant panda population. Recently, two members of staff from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) visited the reserve and signed a Letter of Intent with Chinese officials, which paves the way for joint collaboration on a range of giant panda conservation projects. RZSS, who were the first international zoological society to respond to the crisis, is currently looking at ways to assist those in Wolong and have already taken steps to help.
Iain Valentine, Head of Animals, Conservation & Education for RZSS, which owns Edinburgh Zoo said:
“The Wolong Nature Reserve has been left absolutely devastated. We’re very concerned for our friends and colleagues in Wolong as the area is still unstable. The National Park, as well as housing the Panda Conservation and Research Centre, is home to many people who live and work within the area. We are concerned for the welfare of the people, of the pandas kept in the centre and the wild panda population living within the reserve.
As an initial response we have donated £10,000 to help with the immediate needs of the area and will form part of the disaster relief fund set up by the China Wildlife Conservation Association, who look after all of the Panda reserves and centres in Sichuan Province. I have also contacted other zoos across the world, who currently have giant pandas on loan, to try and co-ordinate our efforts so that as much help reaches Wolong as possible. We have also sent out communication equipment such as satellite phones and we are investigating other possibilities such as offering to send people over to China to help."
Other Giant Panda Press Releases: