Welcome to Kings Langley Public School's tour of Taronga Zoo. Taronga is an Aboriginal word meaning "water view". The Zoo is set in natural bushland on the foreshores of the world's most beautiful harbour.

On October 7, 1916, Taronga Zoo was declared officially open and the first visitors passed through the impressive domed entrance.

The zoo was an instant success attracting 420 000 people in its first year. This number was well over half of Sydney's population at the time.

Since its opening, Taronga Zoo has been seen as a leader in 'modern' zoo display. Iron bars had been dispensed with and fences were made inconspicuous. Enclosures for the large cats, bears and monkeys were seen as revolutionary, using moats to separate them from the public. The native features of the site were preserved as far as possible with the zoo being well covered with native trees.

Modern zoo philosophy has changed significantly since Taronga's beginnings. Where once the goal was to exhibit as many different species as possible regardless of sometimes cramped conditions, modern zoo management takes a different view.

Taronga's aim is to provide its animals with comfortable conditions in an environment that is close to their natural habitat as possible.