Tennoji Zoo opened in 1915 and will celebrate its 110th anniversary on January 1, 2025. The approximately 11-hectare zoo is home to approximately 1,000 animals from 170 species, including lions, chimpanzees, and polar bears, as well as drill reptiles with distinctive jet-black faces, a species found only at Tennoji Zoo in Japan. The zoo recreates the animals' natural habitats as closely as possible and offers ecological exhibits that introduce the animals' behavior. Visitors can encounter a variety of animals right in the heart of the city, including the Reptile Ecology House (IFAR), home to the near-threatened Japanese pond turtle; the Penguin Park & Sea Lion Wharf, where visitors can see penguins and sea lions swimming freely in the ocean; and the Bird World, where visitors can get up close and personal with birds that have adapted to a variety of environments.