Manila Zoo and Botanical Garden opened in 1959, covers an area of 5, 5 ha. today it is the largest and the oldest zoo in the Philippines. Every year it is visited by millions of tourists, especially crowded here on weekends and public holidays.

The zoo is home to over 600 animals, including 150 reptiles, 299 birds and 159 mammals. Here you can see the water Buffalo, the rare Asian deer (the smallest in the world), polanskogo pheasant, iguanas, crocodiles, owls, tigers, turtles and other animals. But the most popular resident is Mali, an Asian elephant, who, left an orphan in infancy, and was moved here from Sri Lanka. At the zoo runs a wildlife rescue Centre, which serves as a temporary home for sick and injured wild animals, and for animals seized by customs officials from poachers.

As for the Botanical garden, there are a lot of species of plants and trees from the Philippine Islands and the South Pacific region – a total of about 500 species. In addition to the Botanical garden with a variety of floral collections, there is also a tree nursery.

Today, the zoo hosts a variety of shows involving animals, organized playgrounds, arranged picnic areas, pergolas, souvenir shops. Inside is a petting Zoo, where young visitors can personally interact with Pets and trained animals, to learn a lot about their life and habitat.

Despite huge popularity in the people, the zoo has been the target of criticism because of debris on site and mismatched conditions for the animals. It is worth noting that the administration is making efforts to change the status quo – regularly planting new plants and expanding animal enclosures. Was upgraded reptile house, and in the near future will be expanded enclosure for small mammals. It is also planned to purchase the giraffes and zebras.