Melaka Night Zoo at day...

Welcome to Day & Night Zoo.
Date : 23 June 2005

Melaka Zoo

Zoo Melaka with an area of 21.2 ha is situated in Ayer Keroh, which is a well known tourism destination in Melaka. The zoo was established in 1963 and originally under the Melaka State Government but its management was taken over by The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) in 1979. The zoo total annual operating expenditure is about RM2 million. The zoo employ 66 employees in four major divisions, namely Administration, Veterinary, Curatory and Zoo Extensions.

Zoo Melaka has progressed rapidly to be the second biggest zoo in the country. The number of exhibits have increased five-fold since 1979. At present, there are a total of over 1200 specimen made up of 215 species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians in the zoo. The total annual visitation is about 400 000 people and more than half are people from Melaka and the neighbouring states. The major attractions of Zoo Melaka are the Sumatran Rhinoceros, Malayan Gaur, Serow and the Indochinese Tiger. In line with the current zoo development, Zoo Melaka adopted an Open Concept and maintains the natural green environment.


Open Hour: 9.00 am- 6.00 pm everyday
Entrance Fee: Adult - RM7.00 / Children - RM4.00

NIGHT ZOO:
Friday, Saturday and Sunday -8.00 pm - 11.30 pm
Entrance Fee (NIGHT ZOO) Adult : RM 10.00 Children : RM 5.00

Trip to Malacca

Trip to Melaka on June 2005.

Melaka is located on the Western Coast of Peninsular Malaysia facing the Straits of Melaka, about 147 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur and 245 kilometers from Singpore. Melaka is actually found sandwiched between the states of Negeri Sembilan and Johor. It can be reached by excellent roads from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Internally it is serviced by a very good network of roads leading to all the historical places of interest. It covers and area of 658 square kilometers and is divided into three districts namely Alor Gajah, Melaka Tengah and Jasin.

Melaka was founded by Parameswara (or Raja Iskandar) the last Malay ruler of Temasik (ancient Singapore) in 1396 when he and his followers retreated up the straits to Muar, then to Sungai Ujung before settling at Bertam near the estuary of Melaka River.Finding the place of strategic location, he decided to make a permanent settlement there, naming it "Melaka" after the name of the tree he leaned against.

The Melaka Sultanate occupies a special position in the history of Malaysia. Its inauguration marked the beginning of the emergence of a new Malay empire. The birthplace of the Malay Sultanates and Malaysia's historic city, Melaka provided the stage on which the Portuguese, Dutch and English played out their roles in shaping the history.

Melaka emerged as a strong maritime trading state under the industrious Parameswara and his chiefs. Melaka also began to be noticed by Muslim traders from West Asia and India, who until that period, had been concentrating their activities in Aru, Pedir and Pasai en-route to the East, especially China. Because of its strategic location straddling the Straits of Melaka, it thrived as a port-of-call and a centre of entrepot trade with ships and merchants from China, Japan, India, Arab and South Africa.

In 1511, it fell to the hands of the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch in 1641 after a fierce battle. In 1795, Melaka was given to the British to prevent it falling to the French when the Netherlands was captured during the Napoleonic Wars. It was returned to the Dutch in 1818 under the treaty of Vienna but was later exchanged by the British for Bangkahulu, Sumatra. From 1826 onwards, the British East India Company along with Singapore and Penang governed it, under the Straits Settlement administration in Calcutta.

The Dutch, who held Melaka for over a century, left many fine buildings marking their heritage. The most imposing relic of the Dutch period is the Stadthuys, a strikingly pink town hall which is today the oldest Dutch building in the Far East. Right next to it stands the bright red Christ Church, constructed with pink bricks imported from Holland and covered with local red lacerite. Today, these buildings together with the ruins of the Portuguese built A Famosa and St. Paul's Church are the most prominent reminders of the Europeans' presence in Melaka.

After World War II, anti-colonial sentiment bred in the country among the nationalists, the result of which was the proclamation of Independence by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, Malaysia's first Prime Minister, at the Padang Pahlawan (Warrior's Field) at Bandar Hilir, Melaka on 20 February 1956.