History of Ragunan Zoo

In 1864, when Jakarta was still named as Batavia, the first zoo was open at Cikini area, Jakarta Pusat, which was named as “Planten En Dierentuin”. The zoo was managed by flora and fauna lovers association (Culturule Vereniging Planten en Dierentuin at Batavia).

The land where the zoo stood was granted by Raden Saleh, a famous Indonesian painting artist, which width was about 10 hectares. Since the zoo in Cikini considered as too small and not really adequate for animal exhibition so in 1964 DKI Jakarta’s government granted a land with 30 hectares width at the south suburb area of Jakarta, later named as Ragunan Zoo.

In 1966, Ragunan Zoo was officially opened by the governor of DKI Jakarta with a name of Ragunan Zoological Park. The first director of Ragunan Zoological Park was a fauna lover, named Benjamin Gaulstaun. Read more...