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The Zoological Society of London (sometimes known by the abbreviation ZSL) is a learned society founded in London in April 1826 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Lord Auckland, Sir Humphry Davy, Joseph Sabine, Nicholas Aylward Vigors and other eminent naturalists. Raffles was also the first President, but died shortly after assuming this office in July 1826. He was succeeded by the Marquess of Lansdowne, who obtained a parcel of land in Regent's Park from the Crown at a nominal rent, and who supervised the building of the first animal houses. It received a Royal Charter from George IV on 27 March 1829.

The purpose of the society was to study animals in comparative freedom. In April 1828 the Zoological Gardens were opened to members. In 1831 William IV presented the royal menagerie to the Zoological Society, and in 1847 the public were admitted to aid funding, and Londoners soon christened the Zoological Gardens the "Zoo". London Zoo soon had the most extensive collection of animals in the world.

As the twentieth century began, the need to maintain and research large animals in a more natural environment became clear. Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell (ZSL Secretary 1903–35) conceived the vision of a new park no more than 70 miles away from London and thus accessible to the public, and at least 200 acres in extent. In 1926, profiting from the agricultural depression, the ideal place was found: Hall Farm, near Whipsnade village, was derelict, and held almost 600 acres (2.4 km²) on the Chiltern Hills. ZSL bought the farm in December 1926 for £13,480 12s 10d. In 1928 the first animals arrived at the new Whipsnade Park — two Amherst pheasants, a golden pheasant and five red jungle fowl. Others soon followed, including muntjac deer, llamas, wombats and skunks. In 1931 Whipsnade Park was opened to the public as the world's first open zoological park.

In 1960–61, Lord Zuckerman, then Secretary of ZSL, raised funds from two medical foundations to found laboratories as an Institute of Zoology where scientists would be employed by ZSL and undertake research.

In 1962, 'Caroline', an Arabian oryx, was lent to the herd in Phoenix, Arizona. This started the first international co-operative breeding programme.

Today ZSL is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity. Its key role is the conservation of animals and their habitats. ZSL runs ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, carries out scientific research in the Institute of Zoology and is actively involved in field conservation in other countries worldwide. The society published the Zoological Record (ZR) from 1864 to 1980, when the ZR was transferred to BIOSIS. It has also published the Journal of Zoology since 1830.

The society's fellows use the post-nominal initials FZS.

See: Category:Fellows of the Zoological Society of London

Council is the governing body of The Zoological Society of London.

There are 21 Council members, led by the President and served by the Secretary and Treasurer. Council members are the Trustees of the Society

From 21 June 2006

• President: Professor Sir Patrick Bateson FRS
• Secretary: Professor Paul H Harvey BA, MA, DPhil, DSc, FRS
• Treasurer: Paul Rutteman CBE, BSc (Econ), FCA
• Vice President: Dr Alison Cook
• Vice President: Sheila Anderson
• Richard Melville Ballerand FRUSI
• Professor John Beddington FRS
• Dr Brian Bertram MA CBiol FIBiol
• Dr Jonathan Boyce DM, MA, MSc, FRCP, FFPH
• Dr David Dixon FIBiol
• John Edwards
• Andrew Greenwood MA, VetMB, DipECAMS, FIBiol, FRCVS
• Professor David Houston BSc, DPhil
• Nick Jackson MBE (co-opted 17 February 2005)
• Professor James Kirkwood BVSc, PhD, FIBiol, MRCVS
• Dr Andrew Kitchener BSc(Hons)
• Dr Azra Meadows BSc, MSc, CBiol, MIBiol, FLS
• Mark Ridgway BSc, PGCE
• Sean Rovai DCA, MTSI
• Robert Wingate MSc
• Professor Roger Wotton PhD

• Living Planet Index
• Red List Index
• Regional Red List
• EDGE of Existence Programme
• EDGE Species

• ZSL website
• Institute of Zoology website