Overview
Ouchiyama Zoo is a privately run zoo located in Ouchiyama, Taiki Town, Watarai District, Mie Prefecture. It opened in 1970, and a striking feature is that, despite being individually operated, it keeps big cats such as lions and tigers.
Highlights
- ●Its rare status as a private zoo still keeping lions and tigers
- ●A history of big-cat keeping dating back to 1973
- ●A collection of roughly 400 animals in total
- ●A zoo character defined by rescued animals making up half its residents
History
The big cats kept at the zoo trace back to individuals whose care began in 1973 under the zoo's director at the time. Because licensing standards for keeping big cats have since become much stricter, it is now considered nearly impossible for a privately run zoo to keep animals like lions and tigers — making this zoo an unusually rare case.
Access
The zoo is located in Ouchiyama within Taiki Town, in a mountainous area of southern Mie Prefecture. Since it is a privately operated facility, it is worth checking its current opening status before visiting.
Best season
As a zoo, it can generally be visited year-round, though a season with comfortable weather is well suited to observing the animals outdoors.
Map
34.2753, 136.3694 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1View the areas where lions and tigers are kept
- 2Learn about the history behind this privately run zoo's animal keeping
- 3Tour the roughly 400 animals housed at the zoo
- 4Hear the stories behind the zoo's rescued animals
Did you know?
💡 The zoo keeps roughly 400 animals, and about half of them are said to be animals that were rescued after being injured in the wild or left without a home when other zoos closed.
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