The predecessor of the zoological garden is the menagerie, which has a long history from the ancient world to modern times. The oldest known zoological collection was revealed during excavations at Hierakonpolis, Egypt in 2009, of a ca. 3500 BCE menagerie. The exotic animals included hippopotami, hartebeest, elephants, baboons and wildcats.
Also, there was a permanent exhibition of elephants at elephant house in Darolkhalafeh and the Indian elephants were used in especial occasions. In Qajari era, the first zoo was not established until Naser al-Din Shah Qajar established it at Lakhti Street (Sadi). It was small and few people were visiting it.
Later, when Naser al-Din Shah Qajar traveled to Europe he was inspired by the modern zoological gardens. He established the capital Zoological Garden at Doshan Tappeh, where there was already a mansion established from 1853 containing a lake using qanat as the water source.
