Shanghai Wild Animal Park
China’s first national-level wildlife park
Shanghai Wild Animal Park is China’s first national-level wildlife park. It has over 200 rare animals from around the world, like giant pandas, golden monkeys, South China tigers, Asian elephants, and endangered species like the crested ibis. You’ll also find giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and white rhinos.
The park has two main areas: a driving zone and a walking zone. In the driving zone, visitors can use special vehicles to get close to the animals. The walking zone features themed areas like the Asian forest, African savanna, and Australian animal section. Visitors can stroll through different habitats and get up close with rare animals.
Table of Contents
Highlights
Flamingo Section (Chinese name: 火烈鸟区)
Shanghai Wild Animal Park showcases over 200 flamingos. The flamingo area is right in front of the main entrance, giving visitors a great chance to see these beautiful birds up close. Flamingos are large, striking birds known for their long legs, curved necks, and bright pink feathers. Their pink color comes from the “red pigment” in the algae and plankton they eat.
They love to live in groups, are gentle by nature, but quite shy and alert. If they sense danger, they squawk and take to the skies. Once one takes off, the rest follow closely, flying and calling out together.
Parrot Section (鹦鹉区)
Shanghai Wild Animal Park features several types of parrots, including the hyacinth macaw. They’re one of the most colorful and largest parrots, found in the tropical regions of the Americas. These parrots have a gentle nature and love being around people, with lifespans of 70 to 80 years. Hyacinth macaws are social birds and use vocalizations to communicate, mark territory, and recognize each other.
Big Cats Section (猛兽区)
The Big Cats Section is a mysterious and wild place where visitors can get a close look at the nighttime lives of cheetahs, African lions, and Siberian tigers. The animals here are much more active at night, so you can watch their natural behaviors like climbing, playing, and hunting. Summer is also breeding season, giving guests a chance to see courtship displays. The park features mounds and varied terrain, with big trees like camphor and sycamore, along with climbing plants, creating a rich natural environment for the animals.
Swan Lake (天鹅湖)
Swan Lake is a well-maintained artificial lake with clear waters. Every fall, it becomes a gathering spot for many migratory birds, especially the environmentally sensitive American coot, which flies south for the winter and leaves behind beautiful sights at the lake. Around Swan Lake, there are boat services, so visitors can take a close look at the animals in the water or choose to stroll along the shore to enjoy the natural scenery.
Panda Section (大熊猫馆)
The Giant Panda Exhibit is open daily from 9 AM to 5:30 PM for visitors. The exhibit has both indoor and outdoor areas; the indoor space is great for rainy days, while the outdoor area lets guests see pandas in a more natural setting. The pandas attract visitors with their unique behaviors, like eating bamboo, climbing trees, and rolling around.
Kangaroo Section (袋鼠区)
This area showcases various types of kangaroos, including red kangaroos, gray kangaroos, and white kangaroos. In the kangaroo section, visitors can experience the lively and friendly nature of these animals. However, since kangaroos have a strong sense of territory and specific behaviors, getting too close can lead to aggressive reactions. Therefore, the park has strict guidelines and safety measures in place to ensure visitor safety.
Capybara Park (卡皮巴拉乐园)
Capybara Paradise is a unique park dedicated to capybaras, officially opening to visitors in April 2024. It offers a suitable living environment for these animals, featuring lush grass, tall trees, babbling brooks, and specially designed hot springs. These facilities not only meet the capybaras’ needs but also provide fun viewing and interaction opportunities for guests. Capybaras are the largest rodents in the world, known for their gentle nature, stable moods, and love of bathing, grazing, and sleeping.
Monkey Section (猴子区)
The Monkey Section is home to various primate species, including golden lion tamarins, cotton-top tamarins, baboons, Sichuan golden monkeys, red howler monkeys, red-faced spider monkeys, black-handed spider monkeys, white-faced capuchins, Arabian baboons, and macaques. Among these, the Sichuan golden monkeys, black-handed spider monkeys, and white-faced capuchins make up the largest groups in this area. These animals roam freely in the exhibit, allowing visitors to observe them in their natural state.
Attraction Surprises
Sea Lion Theater (海狮剧场)
Visitors can enjoy a variety of exciting sea lion performances here, including jumps, flips, and ball catching. These shows are usually guided by trainers, and the sea lions are smart and adorable. Each performance lasts about twenty minutes, with two shows daily at 10 AM and 3 PM. The theater features a stage and seating area, with a 500-square-meter pool at the center.
Beast Mountain Theater (百兽山剧场)
The theater features amazing displays of rare animals, including the golden monkey’s “high wire act,” chimpanzees in a funny “musical chairs” skit, macaques in a “climbing competition,” and Asian elephants performing “human-animal acrobatics.” There are usually two shows at Beast Mountain Theater, held at 2:15 PM and 3:15 PM. In addition to daily animal performances, the venue has hosted classic themed events like the “Animal Olympics,” “Animal Fashion Show,” “Animal Talent Competition,” and “African Animal Festival.”
Practical Travel Tips
- The park opens at 9 AM, so make sure to arrive early! The animals are most active in the morning, while many are napping in the afternoon.
- You can interact and feed kangaroos, flamingos, giraffes, zebras, and elephants for a fee of 30 yuan per person.
- It’s best to head straight to the Big Cats Section’s sightseeing bus after watching the flamingos; if you watch the sea lion show first, the bus line can get really long afterward.
- You can bring your own snacks and drinks, and feel free to bring a picnic mat. It’s a good idea to pack extra water, especially in summer when it gets hot—you’ll need to stay hydrated to enjoy your visit!
- Try to arrive at the theater 10-15 minutes early for better seating. Sometimes seats fill up, and you might not get in, so it’s best to wait in line ahead of time.
Hours and Fees
Hours
- March 1 to June 30: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- July 1 to August 31: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- September 1 to November 30: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- December 1 to February 28: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Admission
- Adult Ticket: For visitors over 1.5 meters tall, the price is CNY 165 (USD 24).
- Child Ticket: For children between 1.3 meters and 1.5 meters tall, the price is CNY 80 (USD 12).
- Free Ticket: Children under 6 years old or shorter than 1.3 meters can enter for free but must be accompanied by an adult. Each adult can bring one free child.
luggage Storage
The storage point is located between the main entrance and the visitor service center, operating daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The storage service charges by the day, and you can access your items at any time.
There are three locker sizes available:
- Small Locker: Fits a backpack or a few small items, priced at CNY 10 (USD 1.50) per day.
- Medium Locker: Fits two backpacks or more small items, priced at CNY 20 (USD 3) per day.
- Large Locker: Fits two small suitcases or one large suitcase, priced at CNY 40 (USD 6) per day.
How to Get to Shanghai Wild Animal Park
By Bus
- You can take Bus Pudong 125 to Shanghai Wild Animal Park Station.
By Subway
- Take Metro Line 16 to Wild Animal Park Station. Exit from Gate 2 and walk 99 meters to reach the main entrance of Shanghai Wild Animal Park.
How Visitors Rate the Shanghai Wild Animal Park
International tourists
Local tourists from China
Finally, we went to the safari area, where some nocturnal animals were out. We spent 100 yuan to ride the VIP feeding vehicle, which allowed us to feed the animals ourselves. It was thrilling to see black bears surrounding the vehicle in the dark, waiting for food. Each person got only a small piece of meat, so you have to plan whether to feed the lions or tigers first, or else the lions might get all the food and there won’t be any left for the tigers!
There were so many fascinating animals! I was particularly impressed by the anteater, porcupine, tiger cubs, and baby orangutans—so cute! Nature is truly amazing with all these different animals.
Many areas offered animal interactions, where we could feed elephants, zebras, tigers, and more. That was really fun! For the safari bus area, there’s an extra charge. We bought the VIP bus for 100 yuan, and it was surrounded by iron mesh, so we could safely view tigers, lions, and bears from inside. What a thrilling experience! Haha!
You can explore the park in a clockwise direction, with plenty of theater performances along the way. The show schedule corresponds to your route, which is really convenient. For parents with little ones, it's best to visit during the off-season because there are fewer people, so you won’t have to wait in line, and you can take photos and interact with the animals right away. (Try to avoid going during holidays or extreme heat, as the animals tend to stay in the shade.)
After leaving the Big Cats Section, we found the boat ride point right next door. It was 60 yuan per person, and while the boat didn’t have air conditioning, there were electric fans, so it wasn’t too hot or sunny while riding. After the boat ride, we dined at the Tiger Restaurant, which had a lovely atmosphere. The first floor has glass walls, allowing us to watch the tigers as they strolled around while we ate. These tigers were much more lively and adorable than the ones in the Big Cats Section.
After the Tiger Restaurant, we went to Sun Plaza and caught a performance at 1:15 PM. The afternoon was spent casually exploring the park. The biggest advantage is that it wasn't tiring at all since most of the animal viewing was done from the bus or the boat, and the restaurant and theaters were all close together, making it a relaxing visit!
