1890-1920

1892

The wealthy banker Lluís Martí Codolar offers his collection of exotic and native animals to the city of Barcelona. 

The mayor of Barcelona at the time, Manuel Porca i Tió, approves the acquisition of the animals and their exhibition at a publicly-owned site, Park of the Ciutadella, location of the Universal Exhibition of 1888. 

To care for the animals, the naturalist, taxidermist and renowned animal-lover Francesc Darder is appointed director of the Barcelona Zoo. 

Darder understood the Zoo as a leader in animal conservation to help introduce new breeds of productive animals in the region of Catalonia, as was the case of the breeding and reintroduction of 45,000 specimens of fish in Catalan rivers.

1893

The Zoo is conceived as a public urban space whose mission is the conservation of wildlife. Therefore, the Technical Board of the Natural Science Museum and Zoological and Botanical Gardens of Barcelona establishes that its main objective is to ensure the scientific nature of the institution in addition to ensuring goals of entertainment and leisure.

1897

The first catalogue of the Zoo is published with the prices of the animals, since there was a surplus of animals and some are auctioned in order to maintain the Zoo.

1899

An organisational report is created which explains the need to adapt municipal museums and parks to ensure knowledge of Catalan diversity and the various economic uses that man can carry out with living beings. 

On this same date, the Zoo is divided into 3 sections: primates, water animals and large quadrupeds as well as birds like ducks and chickens, which were the main source of funding with the sale of their eggs, feathers...