[4] The zoo opened its doors on June 27, 1925, at the initiative of engineer Mijo Filipović, and with the support of the then mayor of Zagreb, architect Vjekoslav Heinzel.

When it opened, the zoo had only five animals – three foxes and two tawny owls, and today, together with the lake, it covers an area of seven hectares.

The Zoological Garden (the name remained until 1927) and today's zoo has grown to include 383 species of animals and over 7,000 individuals.

Three key periods in the development were marked by the garden's landscaping undertaken in the 1930s and 1950s, and by a third phase that began in the 1990s and continues today.

Some of the other protected buildings that should definitely be highlighted are the magnificent Egyptians, statues about 5 meters tall, and the Neapolitan Fisherman who fishes along the shore of the lake.