The proposal to set up a poultry park and supplement it with additional show enclosures for mammals was taken up and pursued in 1864.

[1] The Grand Duke, Friedrich I of Baden complied with a request for funding and had the southern part of the Sallenwäldchen provided together with Lake Ludwig for an annual rent of three guilders for the construction of a zoo.

The owners of these bonds formed the Tiergartengesellschaft, which was to operate the newly founded Tiergarten together with the poultry breeding association.

[3] Once the private founders could no longer bear the costs, on 30 November 1868, a newly founded zoo association took over the park and applied for financial support from the city.

In 1869, 50,000 people visited the zoo, whose livestock could be continuously expanded through the foundations of the Grand Duke and donations from the population.

Under the direction of the garden director Friedrich Ries, the park developed into a well-known and popular excursion destination.

In 1965, the Oberwald Zoo was therefore built in the nearby city forest in order to create space for garden areas by outsourcing animals.

Just in time for the opening of the garden show, which was attended by over six million guests, a new facility for polar bears was inaugurated.

The largest bear bit an employee's leg when it was loaded into a box and was then shot by a police officer.

[15] In May 2019, the expanded outdoor area of the elephant facility was opened, which is also used by the hippos at night in summer at appropriate temperatures.

One facility to which the zoo attaches particular importance is the facility for polar bears opened in 2000: The replica of the Arctic and tundra habitat is divided into three enclosure sections in order to be able to separate polar bear mothers with children from the adult animals.

During the construction of the enclosure, the four polar bears were lost, who were outsourced to Nuremberg for the duration of the measure and were able to escape there after an act of sabotage and were shot.

In continuation of the concept of habitat water, the new enclosures for seals and penguins were handed over to their destination in August 2009 after one and a half years of construction.

€4.4 million was raised for the modernization of the enclosures, which is reflected in the enlargement of pools and outdoor areas, but above all also increased the observation possibilities for the audience.

The enclosures for Bennett kangaroos and emus in the wildlife area of Australia are designated as other animal paddocks.

Located on the southern slope of the Lauterberg, the redesigned facility for Persian goiter cells is presented afterwards.

On the northwest edge of the Lauterberg there are various small enclosures that offer space for dwarf otters and several kinds of meerkat.

In the northeast of the city garden, the exotic house was built in the summer of 2015 after two and a half years of conversion of a former indoor pool, the Tullabades.

The largest community is formed by the animals living freely in the large hall – over 30 species of birds, liss monkeys and white-faced sakis.

In 2018, the two-toed sloths moved into a large aviary in socialization with spring tamarins, Azara's agutis and golden parakeets.

Areas for kindergartens, classrooms for schools are set up, there is a seminar room for lecture series, workshops or even holiday courses.

Another enclosure for flamingos and facilities for Asian elephants and hippos can be found in the zoo's pachyderm house.