Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Zoo | Gardens | Historic Site

The Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia, PA, first opened its doors way back in 1874, and to this day is still housed on the same 42 acres of Victorian garden. The mission then, and now, is still the same, to engage in conservation for the protection of endangered species worldwide. Philadelphia Zoo is not only an attractive, family-friendly park housing 1300 animals, it is also a revered Historic Site. Among the popular exhibits are the Big Cat Falls, home to lions, tigers and jaguars, and the Rare Animal Conservation Center. First Niagara Big Cat Falls with its stunning landscape of waterfalls and lush, naturalistic habitats, gives visitors a face to face encounter with endangered big cats, including snow leopards, amur leopards, pumas, lions and a sleek black jaguar. There is an overhead tunnel system that allows cats to move from one exhibit to another, and visitors, beware, there could be a Amur leopard above the walkway, keeping its eye on you. With rock outcroppings and fallen trees, our big cats have abundant space to play and also enables visitors to watch their skills and agility, close up. When visiting the Philadelphia Zoo, you need to arrive early because there is so much to see and experience.