Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens - Characteristics and Values

Characteristics and Values

Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden has diverse fauna and flora. There are 590 animals of 125 species, 1830 trees and plants of 260 species, some of which are over 100 years old, including 20 species of orchid, 32 species of cactus, and 34 species of bonsai. Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden is divided into an animal conservation area, a plant conservation area, an orchid garden, and an amusement area.

In the botanical garden, rare and valuable plants of many species are grown, some of which are not native to Vietnam. Some species of cacti, ferns and various other plants are imported from Africa and America. In the zoo, there are many kinds of mammals, reptiles, and birds, such as monkeys, tigers, leopards, lions, gibbons, deer, elephants, turtles, and snakes. Besides native species, there are also many exotic species that have appeared in Vietnam for the first time, such as Hippopotamus amphibious, Chorepsis liberiensis, Panthera onca, Struthio camelus, Phoenicopterus ruber ruber. It also contains lakes with lotuses and a myriad of fish species.

The Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden contains two noteworthy buildings: the monument for the Vietnamese people who were killed in World War I, and the Saigon National Museum. The Museum houses many valuable exhibits and documents. The museum is split into two sections; one area has 15 rooms displaying things from the beginning of Vietnam to 1930, the other area has 6 rooms displaying things about culture and history of South Vietnam. Outside of the museum is a large yard that displays the weapons of France and Vietnam which were used during Vietnam's French colonial era. Additionally, the museum contains approximately 25000 documents of history, culture and ethnography.