[citation needed] During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, it was renamed as Taishō Kōen (大正公園, たいしょうこうえん).

[7] Many famous people have visited the park under the name of the Wildlife Fund, including Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (in 1983) and Princess Anne of England (in 1988).

][citation needed] A taxidermy specimen of Siu Fa, the female jaguar that lived in Hong Kong for nearly 20 years is on display at the Education and Exhibition Centre of HKZBG from 5 March 2009.

[11] A pigeon pair of Bornean orangutan twins were born in the HKZBG in July 2011, joining the big family of the gardens.

This is the first-ever successful breeding of Bornean orangutan twins in the HKZBG, bringing to five the total number of this primate in the gardens[12] To enhance public understanding and appreciation of all living creatures, the two female meerkats introduced to the HKZBG are aged 4 and 5, and are housed in the newly-decorated "Meerkat's Home".

To celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2021, a female Asian small-clawed otter and red necked wallaby were introduced to the HKZBG.

Over 100 avian species have successfully reared young, including the Japanese red-crowned crane, peacock pheasant and the Bali mynah, all of which are highly endangered in the wild.

Just outside the greenhouse are several large aviaries housing species of waterfowl, such as the wood duck, flamingo, blue crane and intensely-coloured scarlet ibis, perching atop a man-made waterfall.

This spoonbill, which was unable to fly after an operation, will be able to join the other waterfowl at HKZBG, and so will have excellent human-provided care as well as companions in captivity.

[14] The small brick buildings that house some of the smaller birds were once staff quarters, for Chinese workers at the park.

[18] SPCA deputy director Jane Grey criticised the gardens' facilities as being outdated, inadequate, and overcrowded, comparing it to a "menagerie from the turn of the last century".

[20] In 2024, 12 monkeys were found dead, reportedly due to melioidosis, a bacterial infection spread through contact with contaminated soil.