[6] Schönbrunn Zoo was the brainchild of Francis Stephen of Lorraine, the husband of Maria Theresa, the empress of the Habsburg monarchy at the time.

In 1745, Francis Stephen commissioned the architect Jean Nicolas Jadot de Ville-Issey to design a menagerie in the park at the Habsburg-Lorraine's summer residence in Schönbrunn.

Twelve enclosures were created in the park, each with equally sized structures for the animals, as well as an administration building with a front garden.

By this time, the zoo had begun welcoming visitors on a daily basis, attracting not only locals from Vienna and the surrounding areas but also international guests.

Alois Kraus, who served as director from 1879 to early 1919,[6] reorganized the historic grounds to better accommodate the animals and improve the visitor experience.

The zoo was able to endure thanks to the residents of Vienna, who organized a relief campaign and donated animals and materials to sustain the institution.

Antonius introduced the concept of breeding endangered species for conservation and worked to raise public awareness about nature preservation.

Julius Brachetka, director from 1945 to 1958,[6] revived public interest through entertaining media appearances often featuring animals from the zoo.

Under the leadership of Walter Fiedler from 1967 to 1987,[6] the zoo's original area was doubled to 12 hectares with the conversion of the Kleinen Fasangarten (Little Pheasant Garden) to the east.

Additional expansions included a section of the Vienna Woods to the south, the Tirolerhof (Tyrolean Farmyard), a modern elephant park, enclosures for big cats and giant pandas, an insectarium, and one of Europe's largest rhino enclosures, which housed two Indian rhinos, gifted in 2006 by Nepal's former royal family.

During her tenure, the zoo received five awards recognizing it as the best in Europe, celebrated the birth of five giant panda cubs, and achieved a record 2.6 million visitors in 2008.

For the king and rockhopper penguins, the seasonal light and climate conditions of their native habitats are simulated: approximately 10°C indoors and 8°C in the water.

This area houses rare species such as the northern river terrapin, Asian small-clawed otters, various birds, flying foxes, and Fiji banded iguanas.

Now called the ORANG.erie, the first Palm House, which was built in the 19th century under Emperor Franz Joseph I and used as a film studio from 1920, was revitalised in 2009 and has been home to the orangutans since then.

Species kept in the aquarium include piranhas, lionfish, moray eels, jellyfish, and rays, as well as a large coral reef with hundreds of Indo-Pacific fish.

A tunnel aquarium with arapaimas leads to the terrarium building where snakes, iguanas, Aldabra giant tortoises, and other reptiles reside.

A new building is necessary as the existing structure has reached the end of its service life, and refurbishment was considered impractical for both operational and economic reasons.

The Haidachhof, a two-storey Lower Inn Valley farmhouse dating back to 1722, is a listed building that was dismantled at its original location in Brandenberg, Tyrol, and rebuilt at the zoo.

Endangered breeds of farm animals such as Tux-Zillertal, Pustertaler Sprinzen, Noriker horses, Carinthian sheep, Original Braunvieh, Tauernsheck goats and Sulmtaler chickens have been kept here in the stables since then.

The Nature Discovery Trail is a path leading from the Tirolerhof up to 10 metres into the tree canopy, allowing visitors to observe native bird species.

Each species enjoys a large landscaped outdoor area adjacent to the building, including raised platforms, ponds, and shrubs for concealment.

The Birdhouse features two halls presenting different landscapes and their native wildlife: the African savannah and the South American tropics with dozens of birds in a lush jungle of plants.

Special lighting technology has been installed to adapt the rhythms of the day and night so that visitors may observe the nocturnal rodents climbing, bathing and burrowing.

It is responsible here within the scope of the EAZA Ex-situ Programme for maintaining the studbook for the southern and northern rockhopper penguins as well as the Fiji banded iguana.

Joint research activities, conservation breeding, regular training courses, the establishment of panda reserves and the reforestation of bamboo forests are regarded as some of the most important pillars of the project.

Schönbrunn Zoo is a partner to the team that is working within a European Life+ project to reintroduce the northern bald ibis, which is a highly endangered species, to central Europe.

[17] As part of a research project in the Pantanal in South America, collar transmitters provide information about what tapirs need to survive.

Living conditions have improved again and so a decision was made to launch a reintroduction project, which Schönbrunn Zoo is supporting with, among other things, chicks from its breeding programmes.

First conservation breeding successes in the world Zoologist Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck has been the zoo's sole managing director since 1 January 2020, Ana Haschka is the company officer with statutory authority.

has been registered in the commercial register under the number 47954x since 30 December 1991, the capital contribution amounts to €600,000.00 and is solely owned by the Republic of Austria, represented by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs.The company further operates the Desert House at the gates of the zoo in conjunction with the Österreichische Bundesgärten (Austrian Federal Gardens) in the form of the ‘ARGE Sonnenuhrhaus’ (‘Joint Venture Sundial House’).