What Zoo Has the Most Animals?

Zoos fascinate millions of people each year with the variety of exotic animals in their collections. In fact, the facilities are the only places in the world that people can view animals from each and every continent. The zoo that currently claims the largest number of species in the world is the Berlin Zoological Garden.

The Berlin Zoological Garden is located in Berlin, Germany, and houses a total of approximately 17,000 animals and more than 1,500 species. The animals featured in the Berlin Zoological Garden are grouped as follows:

Mammals

The zoo's collection includes 174 species of mammals. Notable mammals that have lived in the Berlin Zoological Garden include Bao Bao, who is the oldest known Giant Panda in the world, and Knut, the polar bear that garnered international attention following its birth in captivity in 2006.

Birds

There are more than 300 species of birds in the Berlin Zoological Garden, including the burrowing owl, the king vulture, the black-winged red bishop, and the African Penguin.

Reptiles

The Berlin Zoological Garden is home to 73 species of reptiles. A total of 435 snakes, lizards, and crocodilia are included in the selection.

Amphibians

The zoo's amphibian collection is comprised of many salamanders, frogs, toads, newts, and caecilians. The Berlin Zoological garden is home to 500 amphibians from more than 50 different species.

Invertebrates

A huge variety of invertebrates are found in the Berlin Zoological garden. The animals range from worms to jellyfish, and 586 species are represented.

Fish

A total of 511 species of fish are housed by the zoo. The collection includes both freshwater and saltwater fish, some of which are the shark, ray, and clownfish.