Tama Zoo

The nihongo|Tama Zoo|多摩動物公園|Tama Dōbutsukōen is a zoo, owned by the government of Tokyo, and located in Hino, Tokyo, Japan. Tama Zoo was opened on May 5th, 1958, originally as part of Ueno Zoo. The zoo aims to use its large site (52 ha, compared to the 14.3 ha of Ueno Zoo) to show its animals moving in a more free and natural environment.

Major Attractions of Tama Zoo

Asiatic Garden

; Orangutan Skywalk: Connects orangutan enclosures with towers and wire ropes. Total length of 150 metres.; Raptor Enclosure: A giant dome enclosure that enables birds of prey such as the white-tailed eagle and golden eagle to be viewed flying about freely.; Malayan Tapir Enclosure: Enables visitors to view a Malayan tapir swimming via a glass window.; Mole House: A man-made mole burrow comprised of glass-covered earth and metal tunnels. Also exhibits the "sorex minutissimus hawkeri", the smallest mammal found in Japan.; Asian Swampland (Due to be completed in 2008): Reproduces the habitats of the Indian rhinoceros, water buffalo, and various waterbirds.

African Garden

; Lion Bus: Enables visitors to view the Lion in a safari atmosphere.; Savannah: A large enclosure featuring the Giraffe, Grevy's Zebra, Scimitar Oryx, Ostrich, and Pelican together.; Chimpanzee Forest: Includes a 15 metre high tower and vending machine, to showcase the athletic and mental abilities of the Chimpanzee.

Australian Garden

; Koala House: Exhibits marsupials such as the Sugar Glider, Ringtail Possum, in addition to the Koala.

Insectarium

; Main Building: A building modeled after a dragonfly, which contains exhibits relating to the life of insects.; Butterfly House: A large greenhouse that visitors can enter to observe various kinds of butterflies and grasshoppers all year round.

Other Animals Exhibited at Tama Zoo

Some of the other animals at Tama Zoo:
*Red Kangaroo
*Asian Elephant
*Lesser Panda
*Oriental Stork
*Japanese Macaque
*Sun Bear
*Flamingo
* [http://www001.upp.so-net.ne.jp/womland/ Chewbacca] , a Common Wombat

External links

* [http://www.tokyo-zoo.net/english/tama/main.html Official site (English)]
* [http://www.tokyo-zoo.net/zoo/tama/index.html Official site (Japanese)]