National Zoo & Aquarium

National Zoo and Aquarium is a privately owned 19-hectare zoo and aquarium situated in Yarralumla at the western end of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. Home to over 1,200 animals from more than 200 species, the zoo features an exceptional collection that includes Australia's largest assembly of big cats, as well as primates, giraffes, zebras, reptiles, birds, and native Australian species such as kangaroos, wallabies, and wombats. The aquarium component offers an additional dimension to the visitor experience, rounding out a truly comprehensive animal encounter. A twelve-hectare open-range exhibit expansion, which opened in 2017, gives many animals more naturalistic spaces to roam. The zoo runs school tours, family programs, and weekend educational activities for children aged eight to sixteen, and is home to Jamala Wildlife Lodge, where guests can stay overnight in immersive themed accommodation surrounded by the zoo's animals. Receiving no government funding, the National Zoo and Aquarium relies entirely on visitor support to sustain its operations and conservation activities.