Harbin Northern Forest Zoo

Harbin Northern Forest Zoo

Harbin Northern Forest Zoo is located at the 46-kilometer mark on the Harbin-Mudanjiang Highway, part of Heilongjiang Province’s premier tourism route. Covering an area of 558 hectares, it is the largest forest zoo in China by land size. The park boasts an excellent ecological environment with rich vegetation and a forest coverage rate of over 95.8%. The landscape seamlessly blends gardens with natural scenery, creating a natural “oxygen bar.”

The zoo displays more than 2,000 animals from 150 rare species around the world, including snow leopards, white lions, giraffes, and flamingos, showcasing the remarkable diversity of its animal population. Popular animal performances such as the Joyful Grand Parade, animal shows, the spectacular bird release show "Birds Returning Home," and the Parrot Sports School have captivated audiences nationwide.

Modern and elegant animal exhibits, along with innovative “barrier-free” free-range enclosures, bring visitors closer to the animals than ever before. Thrilling amusement rides like the Flying Ring Coaster, Space Walk, and Carousel further enhance the experience, immersing you in the harmony between wildlife and nature. Harbin Northern Forest Zoo is an urban escape and an ideal place to relax. Surrounded by mountains, this animal kingdom offers humans and animals alike the chance to enjoy the beauty of nature together.

Park Attractions

Raptor Garden: The raptor enclosure covers approximately 2,280 m² and houses large birds of prey such as golden eagles, vultures, and owls, as well as rare crane species like demoiselle cranes and red-crowned cranes. The enclosure features artificial rockeries and a simulated natural habitat for the raptors.

Bird Forest: Covering around 8,000 m², the Bird Forest is built over the original terrain with a 30-meter-high net overhead, creating a fully authentic natural forest environment. It is home to over 500 birds of more than 20 species, including red-crowned cranes, white cranes, oriental white storks, demoiselle cranes, and peacocks.

Large Animal Performance Theater: With an area of 4,000 m², the theater can accommodate up to 1,400 spectators. It showcases captivating performances by dozens of renowned animals that have gained national fame.

Medium-sized Carnivore House: Covering approximately 4,050 m², this exhibit features seven species of medium-sized carnivores, including African cheetahs, American jaguars, jackals, and lynxes, totaling several dozen animals.

Wild Boar Woods: The Wild Boar Woods includes a windbreak shelter covering 278 m² and a free-range area spanning 5,000 m², home to over 60 wild boars.

Wolf Free-range Area: Covering 6,000 m², this area hosts the largest wolf population of any zoo in China. Designed along the mountain slope to mimic a natural habitat, it allows visitors to observe the wolves from an elevated walkway.

Bear Mountain & Specimen Hall: The bear enclosure has a building area of 838 m² and a free-range zone of 1,000 m², housing over ten bears of various species including black bears and brown bears. To accommodate their solitary nature, the free-range area is divided into three sections by isolation fences, and features a habitat tailored to the bears’ needs.

Animal Babies’ Park: Spanning 15,000 m², this area is home to gentle small animals such as Mongolian gazelles, miniature horses, and sika deer, as well as young animals. Visitors can get up close with these adorable creatures, making it a paradise for children.

Lion & Tiger House & Free-range Area: The lion and tiger free-range area spans 40,000 m² and is divided into seven zones, 24 inner enclosures, and 14 outer enclosures, featuring dozens of animals including white lions, African lions, white (snow) tigers, Siberian tigers, and cheetahs. A unique feature is the 800-meter-long winding enclosed walkway built along the mountain terrain, offering visitors a novel way to observe the animals in their naturalistic habitat.

Panda House & Amphibian & Reptile House: The panda house covers 549 m² and is home to over ten animals, including red pandas and raccoon dogs. The adjacent outdoor exercise yard spans 1,000 m² and features artificial hills, slides, and shaded areas to simulate a natural living environment.

Monkey Mountain: The monkey house has a building area of 493 m² and an exercise yard of 1,000 m², home to over 60 macaques. Both indoor and outdoor areas include artificial hills, waterfalls, perches, slides, and swings for the monkeys to play on.

Waterfowl Lake, Swan Lake & Lotus Lake: Adjacent to Waterfowl Lake, Swan Lake is home to over 30 geese and 200 ducks, which live freely in this ideal lakeside habitat.

Golden Snub-nosed Monkey House: Covering 893 m², this exhibit is home to the golden snub-nosed monkey, a first-class nationally protected species, as well as short-tailed monkeys. The enclosure features 12 pieces of play equipment, including swings, ladders, and perches, providing a suitable habitat for the animals.

Primate House: With a building area of 1,067 m² and an outdoor enclosure of 2,000 m², the primate house houses over ten species of primates, including chimpanzees, hamadryas baboons, green vervet monkeys, ring-tailed lemurs, squirrel monkeys, and spider monkeys, totaling several dozen animals.

Hippopotamus House: Covering 692 m², this exhibit is home to one hippopotamus from Africa. The facility includes three indoor and three outdoor pools, complete with water supply and drainage systems capable of handling 150 tons of water supply and replacement, and 200 tons of waste water daily to meet the hippo's needs.

Elephant House: The elephant house covers 1,091.76 m², with an outdoor exercise yard of 2,000 m². It uses isolation ditches and hedges to facilitate visitor viewing. It currently houses one African elephant.

Animal Breeding Base: Spanning 2,835 m², the base plays a crucial role in breeding rare bird species for the Northern Forest Zoo, with many endangered animals successfully reproducing here through artificial breeding efforts.

Flamingo House: Covering 494 m², this is one of the most distinctive modern facilities in the zoo. Built against the mountain, it features a color scheme of red and yellow that complements the surrounding green forest. The exterior includes an open-air pool, misting fountains, artificial hills, ponds, and a variety of plants, creating a suitable habitat that caters to the flamingos’ love for water. It is home to a group of beautiful Cuban flamingos.

Waterfowl Lake & Waterfowl House: The waterfowl house covers 631 m² and exhibits dozens of species, including bar-headed geese, swan geese, pintail ducks, scoters, pelicans, and mandarin ducks, totaling nearly 100 birds. The adjacent lake spans 20,000 m², providing ample space for the waterfowl to engage in their natural behaviors.

Rhino House: The rhino house has a building area of 594 m² and is home to three white rhinos from South Africa. The outdoor exercise yard covers 1,500 m² and includes two pools to provide a water-friendly environment for the rhinos.

Birds Returning Home Show & Argali Area: The argali area includes a windbreak shelter of 200 m² and a free-range zone of 3,000 m², home to cliff-dwelling sheep such as argali, blue sheep, Mongolian gazelles, and Tibetan gazelles. A rock wall has been carved out for the animals to climb, allowing visitors to observe them up close as they scale the cliffs.

African Animal House: Covering 2,100 m², the African Animal House is situated in a sheltered, sunny location. Its free-range area spans 20,000 m² and is home to a herd of African wildebeest.

Giraffe House: The giraffe house covers 2,208 m² and stands 11.7 m tall. It uses a combination of large glass paneling and rooftop skylights to ensure ample sunlight, helping the giraffes from Africa stay warm in winter. The free-range area spans about 20,000 m² and is also home to dozens of other African animals, including giraffes, elands, zebras, alpacas, and vicuñas.

Marine Mammal Performance Pavilion: The Marine Mammal Performance Pavilion covers an area of 789.95 square meters. Performances are currently suspended due to facility maintenance.

Northeast Animal Exhibition Area: The Northeast Specialty Pavilion occupies a site area of 3,757 m² and displays animal species unique to the northeast, such as raccoon dogs, silver foxes, blue foxes, hog badgers, and masked palm civets, as well as a group of adorable North American raccoons. Among them, the raccoon population is the largest in any zoo nationwide.

Deer Park: Covering an area of 10,174 m², the Deer Park is home to dozens of sika deer and Mongolian gazelles, offering visitors a serene, tree-shaded space where they can peacefully coexist with animals like sika deer.

Amusement Park: Located at the foot of Flower-Fruit Mountain, the amusement park offers a wide range of rides. Built in May 2008, it features popular attractions for children such as bumper cars and carousels, as well as thrilling rides like the flying ring coaster and pirate ship. Nestled against rolling mountains and surrounded by green trees and birdsong, it ensures a delightful and joyful ride experience.

Suggested Routes

Suggested Route: Raptor Park — Birdsong Forest — Large Animal Performance Pavilion — Medium-sized Raptor Pavilion — Wild Boar Woods — Wolf Free-Range Area — Bear Mountain Specimen Hall — Baby Animals Garden — Lion & Tiger Zone & Free-Range Area — Panda Pavilion & Amphibian & Reptile House — Monkey Hill — Swan Lake — Golden Monkey House — Primate House — Hippo House — Elephant House — Animal Breeding Base — Flamingo House — Flightless Bird Lake / Wetland Garden / Waterfowl Pavilion — Rhino House — Grand Bird Release Flight Show & Blue Sheep Area — African Animal Pavilion — Herbivore Free-Range Area — Giraffe House — Marine Mammal Performance — Northeast Animal Exhibition Area — Deer Park — Amusement Park.