Scotland
Scotland's most visited wildlife attraction, home to the UK's only giant pandas.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is inviting the public to share their fondest memories of Edinburgh Zoo as part of its 110th anniversary celebrations, with Memories Week running from 13–21 June. The initiative aims to preserve personal stories, photographs, and memorabilia that document the zoo's history since its opening in 1913.
Karen Stiven has retired from her role as Experienced Keeper at Edinburgh Zoo after dedicating 45 years to caring for animals across the collection, joining the zoo in 1981. Among her most treasured memories is hand-rearing a young hippopotamus named Cleo, an experience that involved round-the-clock care and remains a highlight of her career.
FeaturedEdinburgh Zoo's baby capybara has been named Bru after a public vote on social media, chosen from four Scottish-themed options. The youngster, born last month, has gained viral fame for its clumsy antics and captured the imagination of social media users worldwide.
Edinburgh Zoo is opening its archive to the public during a special Memories Week from 13–21 June 2026, featuring unseen material from over 100 years of the zoo's history. The exhibition showcases children's letters, photographs, memorabilia from community events, and early records from the zoo's opening on 22 July 1913, highlighting founder Thomas Haining Gillespie's revolutionary 'open-air zoo' concept.
FeaturedA male capybara calf born at Edinburgh Zoo earlier in May has passed his first veterinary health check and is now ready to be named by the public. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is inviting fans to vote for one of four Scottish-inspired names—Bru, Tunnock, Toddy, or Tablet—with voting closing on 3 June and the winner announced on 4 June.
FeaturedSialang, a nine-year-old male Sumatran tiger, has arrived at Edinburgh Zoo from Twycross Zoo as part of a European breeding programme for this Critically Endangered subspecies. Keepers plan to introduce him to resident female Dharma with the hope of producing cubs.
Edinburgh Zoo will display newly digitised archives from the University of Edinburgh's Heritage Collections from 13–21 June 2026 at Lemur Lodge, offering rare insight into over a century of the zoo's history. The exhibition features never-before-seen photographs, videos, and documents tracing the zoo's journey from its founding in 1909 through to the present day, and invites visitors to share their own memories and personal connections.
FeaturedA male Linné's two-toed sloth has been born at Edinburgh Zoo to first-time parents Feira and Nico, marking a historic milestone for Scotland. The baby, named Atty in honour of Sir David Attenborough, will cling to his mother for the first six months and can be viewed by visitors from 2pm on Wednesday 13 May.