The oldest zoo in Nepal, the Central Zoo was established in 1932 by late Prime Minister Juddha Sumsher JBR as his private collection of animals. The zoo is located at Jawalakhel, Lalitpur with an area of 6 hectares. After the political changes in 1951, the ownership of the zoo came under the Government of Nepal & was opened to the public in 1956. At the beginning, the zoo remained under the management of the various Departments of the Government.