The old zoo in Poznan is the third oldest zoo in the country after the zoos in Wroclaw and Torun. The zoo was founded in 1871 under interesting circumstances. One restaurant owner on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, received an unusual gift from friends. For three days they collected all encountered animals on the street. Birthday friends organized a small zoo on site restaurant, where they brought pigs, goats, sheep, cat, rabbit, squirrel, goose, duck, peacock and the bear. A whole menagerie was placed in the backyard. The animals quickly became the attraction of the restaurant, especially for children, but for their maintenance require a lot of tools. For this reason, may 15, 1875 was registered joint-stock company "the Zoological garden in poznań". In 1891, the zoo occupies an area of 5, 24 hectares of land. During this period, contact was arranged with the Berlin zoo, the construction of modern enclosures for animals. The pavilion was built for large carnivores in the Moorish style and grotto, made in the image of the Blue grotto on Capri. In 1910, died zoo Director Robert yakel, then the zoo began a period of stagnation.

After the First world war, the zoo was in a deplorable condition. In June of 1919 in his collection was only 243 animals. In 1922 the Director was appointed Kazimierz Szarkowski, who made an enormous contribution to the development of the Zoological garden. In 1935 he co-founded the International Union of Directors of zoos. During his tenure as head of the new enclosures were built, some of which are in the shape of a dome size 14 x 20 meters. Kazimierz Szarkowski was in a leadership position until April 3, 1940.

In 50-ies it became clear that the zoo has no direction, so it was decided the need for a new zoo. Opened in 1974 on the White Mountain. The old zoo survived the division of tropical and domestic animals.