Yageer Zoo

Yageer Zoo

Yageer Zoo is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Also known as Yageer Wildlife Park. Originally the Ningbo Dongqian Lake Wildlife Park, it is located in the Dongqian Lake Tourist Resort, known for its "charm of West Lake and grandeur of Taihu Lake." It is the "wildlife park with the largest water area in China." In 2004, it was taken over by the Ningbo Yageer Group, which invested nearly 200 million yuan to renovate the zoo, developing it into an "East China top three zoo" covering more than 1,900 acres, home to over 200 species and nearly 10,000 animals.

With brand-new design concepts and stunning water town scenery, the park features the first-ever water-based animal viewing route in China, allowing visitors to feast their eyes on rare animals from around the world and enjoy exciting animal and ethnic performances. Stroll through green forests, wander among flower fields, play on the sandy beach, and explore caves. Every experience here will be brand new.

Starting in 1996, the Ningbo municipal government began planning to build a wildlife park. In 1998, a mountain valley near Guojiazhicun by Dongqian Lake came into view. At the same time, a Shanghai investment company took interest in the project and, together with two tourism development companies from Yinxian, invested in building the Dongqian Lake Wildlife Park, which opened in 2001.

However, what the operators didn’t expect was that just 22 months after opening, the wildlife park was thrown into chaos by six escaped wolves. On the night of October 24, 2002, six wolves from the Dongqian Lake Wildlife Park escaped. Within two months, except for one wolf that was captured alive and returned, the other five died under various circumstances. This incident brought sudden fame to the park but ultimately ended on a somber note due to factors such as limited investment, remote location, and insufficient area—the "Dongqian Lake Wolf Escape Incident." Entrusted by the government, the Yageer Group took over the management, operating it as a privately invested enterprise with the financially strong and reputable Yageer Group solely running the park, hence its name.

The zoo is now home to many rare Chinese animals such as golden snub-nosed monkeys and golden takins. In addition, there are rhinos and zebras from Africa, kangaroos and ostriches from Australia, flamingos, ring-tailed lemurs, and alpacas from the Americas, as well as white lions from Asia. Nearly 10,000 animals have their own uniquely cozy “homes”—the tricolor dogs from Africa will reside in a native-style exhibit, crocodiles swim in the water corridor, and peacocks live in a Dai-style bamboo house.

The zoo makes full use of its geographical advantage of vast water areas and crisscrossing water systems by creating the first water-based animal viewing route in China. Visitors can take a paddle boat to cruise the clear lake, observing free-range herbivores along the shores and primates on the islands—offering a truly unique experience.

The park also features a man-made cave spanning over 3,000 square meters—Wolong Cave. Using artificial mimicry landscapes and high-tech audiovisual effects, it recreates the "prehistoric python forest" of the dinosaur era, featuring the thrilling "volcanic eruption," polar bears playing in "ice and snow," the suspenseful "long dark night," and the nature-filled "birds singing and flowers blooming."

The zoo also offers a variety of recreational activities, including animal performances, animal competitions, animal photography, beach games, and farm fun. Elephants, tigers, monkeys, lions, and others take turns performing, while dazzling acrobatics and ethnic shows delight the eye. Highly interactive events like cockfighting and dog racing bring out the wild side. Additionally, a full range of amusement facilities are available, and thrill-seeking children can enjoy modern rides like Ferris wheels, bumper cars, space balls, and rock climbing.

To comprehensively improve service quality and better serve visitors, Ningbo Yageer Zoo has recently begun working toward becoming a 4A-level tourist attraction, building on its existing 3A rating.

The tourist attraction quality rating system has four levels, with 4A being the highest. Evaluation criteria include service, environment, landscape quality, and visitor satisfaction. Since its opening, Yageer Zoo has attracted nearly 400,000 visitors, becoming a major highlight of Ningbo’s tourism and a rising star in China’s zoo industry. To prepare for the upgrade, the zoo has established a leading group for the project, developed an action plan, and organized two inspection teams to visit Shanghai, Hangzhou, and other places for learning. Work has also begun on obtaining dual certifications for the ISO9000 quality assurance system and the ISO14000 environmental management system, both closely tied to the upgrade.

Attraction Address:

Opposite Meihu Village, Dongqian Lake Town, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province

Business Hours:

8:00–16:30 (opening hours from May to October)

Adult Ticket Gate Price: ¥130

Child & Senior Ticket Gate Price: ¥70