Wuhan Zoo

Wuhan Zoo

Wuhan Zoo is situated by Moshui Lake in Hanyang District, Wuhan. It was formerly the zoo of Wuhan Zhongshan Park and was constructed on the foundation of the former Hanyang District nursery. The zoo now spans 42 hectares of land and 26.7 hectares of inland lake area (Machang Lake). With water on three sides, it forms a peninsula and boasts natural scenery of shimmering waters, lush hills, birdsong, and floral aromas. It is a comprehensive, semi-natural zoo that integrates landscapes, animals, plants, and recreational activities.

Wuhan Zoo is divided into three zones: front, middle, and rear. The front zone is a water and land amusement area; the middle zone features wildlife exhibition areas complemented by landscaped gardens; the rear zone is designated for future development, planned to include an animal breeding center and logistics base. Wuhan Zoo is a comprehensive, garden-style zoo that blends animals, landscapes, plants, architecture, and recreation. It also serves as a venue for exhibiting wildlife, promoting and researching wild animals, and providing leisure activities. The zoo houses bird enclosures, a crane island, medium-sized carnivore exhibits, a panda house, a hippo enclosure, a golden monkey pavilion, an elephant house, Lion-Tiger Mountain, a deer park, and other major exhibition areas with 20 animal houses covering 24,123 square meters. It also includes logistical facilities such as a veterinary hospital, feed storage, and a thermal power center, spanning 7,081 square meters. There are 25 landscaped attractions including “Yingqu Garden,” “Lakeview Pavilion,” “Camphor Tree Grove,” and “Nine-Arch Bridge,” as well as 22 commercial amusement facilities such as “Water World,” “Mirror Sky Tower,” and “Children’s Amusement Zoo,” covering 18,281 square meters.

Located within Wuhan Zoo, the Wuhan Bonsai Garden covers an area of 10 mu. It was established in June 1997 under the leadership of Comrade Wang Jie, a former senior Wuhan official, and with the support of the Wuhan Municipal Construction Commission.

Across the lake from the main entrance of Wuhan Zoo lies a complex of ancient-style buildings featuring white walls and yellow tiles, stretching from north to south. With dragon-patterned walls and scenic windows, the reflections on the lake create a delightful scene, forming another beautiful highlight of Wuhan’s efforts to build itself into a garden city with integrated landscape and water features. It is currently one of the province’s larger comprehensive bonsai gardens, combining bonsai, exotic stones, and root carvings. The garden boasts a pleasant environment, with its indoor exhibition hall centered around the main structure, “Lakeview Tower,” which includes seven exhibition rooms and two meeting rooms. The outdoor section features earthen mounds adorned with rocks, pine and plum trees braving the cold, fragrant grasses and bamboo, and singing birds in spring, all accented by carefully placed bonsai and stones—creating a truly serene and picturesque destination.

The grand entrance of Wuhan Zoo stretches impressively for 150 meters. It features exquisite animal science education display windows, a stainless steel transparent electrically operated east gate, and the most advanced computerized ticketing, validation, and complimentary commemorative card issuance system in China. The deep red entrance is supported by six gate pillars of varying heights, some square and others flat. On the eastern side of the plaza in front of the gate is a beautifully designed flower bed, part of Wuhan’s “Hundred Flowers Garden” project. Among them, a set of four life-like panda sculptures of different sizes and poses is the highlight of the zoo. After purchasing tickets at the booth, whether you’re an individual, family, group, or school, you’ll receive a namecard-sized ticket printed with details such as the number of people, unit price, total amount, date and time of purchase, notes, and a scannable barcode. Upon entry, simply insert the card into the computerized card reader—regardless of orientation—and the system will allow entry for the appropriate number of people based on height. For every person admitted, the machine automatically dispenses a commemorative card as a gift. However, be sure no outsiders sneak into your group, or some members may be denied entry due to substitution—the system doesn’t make “exceptions” or handle things “flexibly.” The commemorative cards feature randomly changing patterns. Frequent visitors who collect a full set of a particular series may be eligible for rewards—be sure to check the game rules posted at the entrance.

Upon entering, to the left is a large, high-quality bilingual (Chinese-English) map offering a general sense of the zoo’s layout, complete with representative animal images. Particularly eye-catching is the slogan “Protect Wild Animals, Maintain Ecological Balance” prominently displayed on the flora and fauna-themed background map above, reflecting the social responsibility of the zoo staff and echoing the sentiments of visitors. To the east of the map is the Children’s Amusement Zoo: a fairy-tale castle; seven dwarfs; a pigeon square where kids can feed the birds; sheep-drawn carts; feeding rabbits, sheep, and guinea pigs; followed by rides like bumper cars, magic carpets, airplanes, Ferris wheels, crazy mice, luxury carousel, and Baby Fun...

The zoo focuses on animal viewing, with a specialty in primates—especially the Shennongjia subspecies of golden monkeys. It is home to over 110 species and 764 individuals, including giant pandas, red pandas, golden monkeys, polar bears, red-crowned cranes, black storks, zebras, hippos, elephants, lions, tigers, and seals. The plant life is anchored by evergreen species native to Hubei, highlighted by camphor trees, camellias, and bamboo. There are approximately 80,000 trees and flowers across 167 species, along with vast lawns, achieving a green coverage rate of 73%.

The zoo centers on animal viewing, particularly primates, with a focus on the Shennongjia subspecies of golden monkeys. It hosts over 200 species and more than 2,000 individuals of rare animals, including giant pandas, golden monkeys, polar bears, and red-crowned cranes. The vegetation is dominated by evergreen trees, with camphor trees, pond cypress, metasequoia, and bamboo as highlights. There are nearly 80,000 trees and flowers across 180 species, plus extensive pure lawns and natural vegetation.

The green coverage rate reaches 81.3%. In July 1987, after evaluation by the National Construction Commission, Wuhan Zoo was included among China’s top eight zoos. From 1975 to 1984, it was in its planning and development phase. In February 1982, the construction of Wuhan Zoo was listed in the “Sixth Five-Year Plan” and designated as one of Wuhan’s ten major projects. In October 1984, the Wuhan Municipal Party Committee and municipal government mobilized over 12,500 People’s Liberation Army Air Force personnel and staff from the city’s landscaping system for a large-scale joint civilian-military construction campaign. Leading officials then serving in Wuhan, including [names omitted], along with other relevant municipal leaders, participated in the voluntary labor. Over 100 days, eight projects were completed, including roads, embankments, the main gate, parking lots, and lakeside paths in the front and middle zones. On February 20, 1985 (Lunar New Year’s Day), Wuhan Zoo officially opened to the public. Following the initial plan, it continued opening, constructing, and improving simultaneously. The zoo has maintained extensive exchanges with domestic and international zoos, establishing sister relationships with Japan’s Inuyama Zoo, the Cleveland Zoo in Ohio (USA), and the Duisburg Zoo in Germany, facilitating numerous animal exchanges. In 1986, Cleveland Zoo gifted four species totaling eight animals, including chimpanzees, ring-tailed lemurs, macaws, and raccoons. In 1990, it donated ten animals of four species, including macaws, squirrel monkeys, white-headed capuchins, and golden snub-nosed monkeys. In 1989, Duisburg Zoo gave a pair of zebras and one hippo, followed by two giraffes in 1994. These “animal ambassadors” have enhanced the quality of the zoo’s exhibitions.

Wuhan Zoo is a comprehensive, garden-style zoo integrating the translocation, breeding, conservation, and research of wildlife, as well as animal rescue, science education, performances, and entertainment. It features over 30 animal exhibition areas, including the Bird Paradise, Crane Island, Swan Lake, Medium-sized Carnivore House, Panda House, Zebra House, Giraffe House, Amphibian and Reptile House, Elephant House, Golden Monkey House, Orangutan House, Lion-Tiger Mountain, Bear Mountain, Peacock Garden, Deer Park, Children’s Amusement Zoo, Animal Training Show Arena, and Natural Free-Range Area. It also has logistical facilities such as a veterinary hospital, breeding center, feed storage, and heating center. The zoo includes over 30 landscaped attractions like “Yingqu Garden,” “Lakeview Pavilion,” “Nine-Arch Bridge,” “Baiji Dolphin Green Plaza,” rhinoceros and panda group sculptures, a children’s amusement castle, and over 20 amusement and dining service facilities. It is home to over 300 species and 3,000 individuals of rare animals, including giant pandas, golden monkeys, brown bears, red-crowned cranes, black storks, black swans, zebras, giraffes, hippos, elephants, lions, tigers, and leopards. Wuhan Zoo is the only zoo in the world to exhibit the Shennongjia white bear. The plant collection is dominated by evergreens, with camphor trees, pond cypress, metasequoia, and bamboo as highlights. There are 80,000 trees and flowers across 180 species, plus large areas of pure lawns and natural vegetation. The green coverage rate is 81.3%. In July 1987, after assessment by the Ministry of Construction, Wuhan Zoo was named one of China’s top eight zoos.

In 1999, with strong commitment from the Wuhan Municipal Government as a top-tier government objective, the zoo invested 8 million yuan to acquire the water usage rights for Machang Lake (26.7 hectares), formerly used for aquaculture by the Hanyang Fishery Farm. This transfer integrated the lake into the city’s public green space, creating conditions for harmonious displays of aquatic wildlife and water recreation. The zoo has achieved remarkable success in breeding rare animals, with over 10 species and 200 individuals bred annually, making outstanding contributions to the rescue of endangered wildlife.

Address: No. 60, Zoo Road, Hanyang District, Wuhan

Type: Zoo

Recommended Visit Duration: 2–3 hours

Phone: 027-84844610

Opening Hours:

8:00–17:00 (Park closure at 20:00)

Ticket Information:

Gate Price: 20.0 yuan

Adult ticket: 20 yuan. Ages 6–18 (inclusive) with ID or student card: half-price. Seniors aged 60–64 with ID or senior card: half-price. Children under 1.2 meters and seniors 65+ (inclusive): free. Retired cadres with valid credentials: free admission.