History
Hanoi Zoo is founded on 6 August 1976 by the Hanoi People's Committee. The Zoo is run by the Hanoi Zoological Gardens institution which is state owned and part of the Transportation and Urban Public Works Service of Hanoi city government. The Zoological Gardens institution takes care of several city gardens including Thu Le park where the Zoo is located.
Previously known as Bachthao Gardens, the name was changed when the zoological collection was relocated to Thu Le Park in 1976. The current site covers an area of 24 hectares, including the 6 ha lake. The lake is used for leisure activities such as pedal boats, while the park features several children playgrounds as well.
Due to the Voi Phuc (kneeling elephants) temple in the western part of the grounds Hanoi Zoo is regarded by some a pilgrim's destination. This temple is associated with the Ling Lang legend (a famous national Vietnamese legend), because it is allegedly built to worship Saint Ling Lang who defeated the Chinese enemy. Therefore Hanoi Zoo is also a Historic Heritage site.
When the animal collections was introduced in Thu Le Park it comprised around 300 specimens of just 35 species. Nowadays (2016) the collection has expanded to roughly 650 specimens of over 90 different species. In addition to expanding the zoological collection the Zoo has worked together with Hanoi city government to further develop the grounds and facilities over the years. Step by step they improved the enclosures to increase the welfare of the animals kept captive. Their ultimate goal was to get the facilities as well as the expertise of the people working in the Zoo up to modern standards, and bring it on par with other zoos worldwide. This also made them rethink about the animal collection, because conservation of endangered species became paramount.
This was reflected in the mission that was adopted, which included objectives that are common for every modern self-respecting zoo, such as (a) the conservation and breeding of rare and endangered species, both native and non-native; (b) provision of an environment where researchers can conduct studies; (c) education of the visitors about animals and conservation; and (d) the design and construction of modern enclosures. Odd as it may seem for western perspectives they also set a goal for themselves to reproduce some domestic animals and to sell ornamental plants. And of course a visit to Hanoi Zoo had to be a relaxed outing. So, the conservation and protection of wildlife and the provision of a beautiful zoological garden for the people to enjoy were considered the most important targets.
The latter, therefore, made entertainment an important issue. For people used to zoos in Europe and North America this kind of 'merry-go-round-entertainment' in zoos is totally out of character for modern western zoos. However, this is common practice in Asian zoos, with most of the time the entertainment being overwhelmingly present, sound included. In Hanoi they even had an animal circus on the premises, which of course is unacceptable from the animal's point of view as it impairs the animal's welfare. So, they had to rethink the issue of entertainment as well. 
Especially the animal circus, because this clearly introduced animal welfare problems in the Hanoi Zoo establishment, while their intention was to do the right thing for these animals - at least based on their mission statement. Fortunately, Hanoi Zoo took their mission serious and quietly shut down the animal circus in 2016. Not the least due to the agreement the Zoo signed with Animals Asia, an animal rights organisation, in 2014.
As the Zoo has been a member of SEAZA (South East Asian Zoo Association) since 1993, more and more emphasis was placed over time on conservation of endangered species ex-situ as well as in-situ. Quite a few species of the Zoo's animal collection are listed in the Red Data Book for Vietnam, including the Indochinese tiger, clouded leopard, Asian golden cat (Catopuma temminckii), Owston's palm civet, Vietnamese pheasant, Crested Argus (Rheinardia ocellata) and the Asian Elephant. Hanoi Zoo is involved in several captive-breeding programmes of these Red Data Book species, but for example also for the Tam Dao newt, which is only found in a few places in Vietnam and has become one of the most endangered species of the world. Many of those species have been bred successfully in Hanoi. As is the Edwards's pheasant, for which the Zoo established a long-time relationship with the World Pheasant Association and plays a significant role in its breeding programme.
Hanoi Zoo teamed up with several other non-governmental organisations including zoos to further improve the living conditions of the animals, the contribution to breeding programmes and its operational activities in general. As a result the Zoo's elephants were finally free to roam their enclosure in 2015, after years of being chained. In addition to assisting the unchaining of elephants, Animals Asia and its partners have also been informing zoo carers about the benefits of enrichment for their animals to help provide them with daily stimulation, and working with zoo staff to provide new enclosure furnishings. This included climbing platforms for bears and tigers that have helped reduce fighting. Beyond that the clouded leopards now have multiple structures, levels and pathways. Meanwhile the macaques have been given bamboo perches, hammocks, swings and puzzle feeders to keep minds and bodies active.
As creating a research environment was part of their mission statement, the Zoo has set up several projects to study animal behaviour, supporting the design of better enrichment features, as shown in the video, and animal diets. Other research projects aim at improved control of contagious diseases, together with the Veterinary faculty of the Hanoi university.
The Zoo is important in the governmental fight against illegal trade of endangered animals by providing shelter and care of confiscated animals.
Educational programmes to provide wildlife information and create awareness among the general public about the importance of wildlife conservation are under development [2018]. This includes designing new information panels at enclosures, while they envisage to start with lectures for school groups.
Apparently there are plans for building a new zoo in Hanoi, the Me Tri-Trung Van Animal Park. This zoo should show the difference between in-situ and ex-situ living conditions of animals, in other words it should represent a situation of how animals live in the wild. Although the original idea was to open the new wildlife park in 2010, the plans haven't materialised yet, in 2018.
(Source: Hanoi Zoo website; Animals Asia website, Hanoi Zoo closes its animal circus, 17.02.2016; Travelfish website, Vietnam forum, accessed 22.12.2018)
Visit(s)
27.05.2018
Although I haven't had the time to acclimatise to the hot and humid weather conditions in Hanoi, I decide to pay Hanoi Zoo a visit the day after my arrival. To avoid the most extreme heat of the day I get a taxi early in the morning. It brings me to the nondescript entrance near Nguyễn Văn Ngọc where I don't get a map of the zoo grounds nor any other explanatory folder or fact sheet. After making my way through the gate my first thoughts are that I didn't pay enough attention and that the taxi driver brought me to an entertainment park neighbouring the Zoo. 
Directly after the entrance a small amusement park appears, and as it turns out there are more to come. However, a few metres from the loud noise-making equipment and screaming children an animal enclosure is situated. So, I did arrive at the Zoo, no doubt about it.
I haven't visited many zoos in Asia yet, and forgot how Dusit Zoo in Bangkok had many children playgrounds on the premises as well, several of them with loud music. But as a mitigating circumstance in my favour, the only other Asian zoo I visited, Delhi Zoo, had almost no playgrounds available.
Although Hanoi Zoo strives for better living conditions for the animals and bring it on par with other zoos worldwide (see history) they definitely haven't succeeded yet with the row of enclosures that start at the merry-go-round where I begin my tour. The first exhibit lacks an information panel. Therefore, you must have some knowledge to recognise that the female bear with cubs are Asian black bear. As a zoo that wants to raise awareness among the general public about biodiversity and conservation the lack of an information panel is a bad performance of course. Fortunately, the next-door enclosure provides information on the clouded leopard that can be seen. What kind of information I do not know, because it is only in Vietnamese, except for the English and scientific name of the species. This is a shame, but understandable. Other species housed in this row of similar enclosures are two Amur tigers, two sun bears, an Indochinese tiger, more Asian black bear, and a single male African lion. Besides the size of the enclosures - or should I say large cages of concrete and metal bars - they are absolutely not fit for purpose taking into account the lack of vegetation and the constant exposure because there is no shelter whatsoever. Further to this, the number of enrichment features is low. Especially, the clouded leopard and African lion have nothing more at their disposal as a small elevated platform in one corner and a small pool. Keeping a clouded leopard as a single specimen is quite understandable, because this elusive animal roams the jungle on its own, and male clouded leopards are notorious for killing the female when brought together for mating. But the mere fact that this animal is considered a ghost and is hardly ever seen in the wild makes it heartbreaking to see it here in Hanoi Zoo lying on a concrete floor without any opportunity to hide. In addition to the lack of artificial enrichment, the male lion being housed on its own without lionesses is unacceptable, because in nature this species lives in a pride. Since 2014, improvements have been introduced when the Zoo signed an agreement with AnimalsAsia, an animal rights organisation, to help providing new enclosure furnishings for daily stimulation of the animals. This included feeding the tigers and lion with meat via a cable to be reached by jumping only, and wooden climbing platforms for bears and tigers that have helped reduce fighting. According to information on AnimalsAsia's website1 there should be multiple structures, levels and pathways for the clouded leopards. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any of these enrichments for the clouded leopard.
From this carnivore section, opposite the lion cage, I catch a glimpse of an elephant and while walking towards the lake I see they keep three Asian elephants, all three in a separate enclosure. These paddocks are worrisome small, and only one comprises a pool, but luckily the elephants may freely roam their paddock area nowadays. Until 2015 the elephants were chained at their ankles and could hardly move at all. At present, the Zoo's elephants are being rotated so that all three of them are receiving time in all areas of their enclosure. Enrichment items are present such as tyres on chains in hanging rows with food inside them and this, according to a visit report of Yorkshire Wildlife Park staff2, established new vitality among the pachyderms.
The elephants' neighbours, the black crested gibbons (Nomascus concolor), are housed in a large cage with a tiled floor that emphasises the unnatural environment of these primates. The bare cage contains some enrichment, several ropes and trunks, but this doesn't allow the gibbons to express their natural behaviour, not even close. Gibbons' natural habitat is in the canopy of the tropical rainforest, and unfortunately the only features of the rainforest available here are the hight temperature and humidity. Next-door, in an even worse exhibit, four of another critically endangered gibbon species - the northern white-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys) - spend their days in awful conditions. Meanwhile I am sweating like a pig in this heat with a 'feels like' temperature of about 40 °C.
Moving away from the lakeside again, I arrive at a carnivore facility with a design that is more inspired than the uniform row of concrete sections I've seen just after the entrance. This one is dedicated to Indochinese tigers (Panthera tigris ssp. Corbetti). Although the habitat that is provided is still not always very natural, because concrete trumps vegetation here as well, the six enclosure of this facility are asymmetric and more varied in design. Some of the enclosures that are situated around the indoor facilities, which are not accessible to the public, can even compete in size with those in more modern zoos. It is an effort of Hanoi Zoo to upgrade this exhibit to meet modern standards. 
And it seems that the tigers are rather comfortable with their situation, because the Zoo has seen at least 6 litters born since 2002 with a survival rate of 40%, while in nature the survival rate of Indochinese cubs is about 30%. The Zoo boasts this reproduction successes, and probably rightly so.
The hippopotamus or Hà mã in Vietnamese has a dedicated section with a hut erected in concrete and outdoor paddocks for 60% made of concrete, including the pools. These pools have either no water or just barely enough to allow a total submerge. Nevertheless two were underwater when I was watching the first time.
Another noise-making children's playground is neighbouring these hippo facilities. This playground has got electrical trains in all sorts of design together with a merry-go-round, pony riding, a candy shop and a souvenir shop. I am not able to identify any kind of educational information or educational tool whatsoever, which means the Zoo has plenty of effort to make to fulfil their mission educating the visitor about animals and conservation. And starting with the young visitors is a good approach.
Then a series of enclosures for hoofed animals follows. First I see two Przewalski horses in a terrible small sandy paddock. Two doesn't make a herd, while keeping such animals in a social structure is important to let them develop normal behaviour. The same counts for the two plains zebra (Equus quagga, or burchelli) in the adjacent paddock. Next a relatively large enclosure, compared to the previous ungulate enclosures, appears which houses domestic goat and Sika deer. So, this is the first mixed-species exhibit. Visitors do feed the animals, or at least try to do so, with whatever they brought or think is suitable, and to me this seem snot to be discouraged.
Back to the enclosures close to the lakeside. A few steps from the gibbons there's a row of cage-like exhibits for small predators with leopard cat, masked palm civet and common palm civet. These exhibits all have window panes on ground level to separate the animals from the public, although this seems redundant, because the public fence is at such a distance from the exhibit itself that physical contact is impossible, but history may have proved otherwise. In a separate enclosure there supposed to be an Asian golden cat (Catopuma temminckii), but I fail to see this beautiful felid. All these four species have trunks for enrichment and high level resting posts. In the next separate exhibit a binturong shows that I am not the only mammal suffering from the weather conditions - it is panting enormously.
Then I switch sides again to have a look at the enclosure a bit further away from the lakeside passed the restaurant with annoying loud music. In a straightforward paddock with sandy substrate the typical stone building reminds of the giraffe that was once kept in Hanoi Zoo. And although the giraffe is still depicted on the Zoo maps that can be found on the premises, the enclosure is now inhabited by greater kudu and gemsbok (Oryx gazella), while the building provides shade and serves as their night quarters. Their next-door neighbours, the sambar deer, have a larger paddock at their disposal and they enjoy a bit of shadow provided by trees. Leaving the ungulate section and walking to the square near the main entrance I am a bit ambiguous about the ring-tailed lemur enclosure I pass along the way. On the one hand I am pleased that the walk-through lemur exhibit has not arrived yet in Hanoi, because I am not in favour of close encounters between ignorant public and zoo animals in general, and I expect such encounters when applied in Vietnamese zoos would lead to destructive effects to both animal and visitor. On the other hand the enclosure for the lemurs is simply too small and simple for this species to express normal behaviour.
The part of the Zoo near the main entrance starting at the square with the fountain focusses on domestic and exotic birds with a variety of aviary design, some offering shelter for a mix of species, others for a single species. 
None of the aviaries are very pleasing to the eye, but that is of minor importance of course. More vital is whether or not the aviaries provide good living conditions for the birds. For that matter I believe the bird exhibits here in Hanoi Zoo are not worse than many other aviaries I have seen elsewhere in the world. Most of them are too small in my honest opinion, although there are exceptions like in Doué-la-Fontaine Zoo and San Diego Zoo for example. But the essential conditions are provided, including shade, although it sometimes just has a makeshift appearance. In addition to all these flying birds, there's a large paddock for four ostriches, and an open top reptile section with the critically endangered Siamese crocodile. And last but not least another almost full-size amusement park provides the necessary entertainment for when the Vietnamese children are getting bored ? - complete with carousels and bumper cars.
After the carnivores, the hoofed animals, the odd primate (gibbon and lemur) and the birds it is time to check out the other primates they keep. Therefore I enter the artificial island in the lake. The island could be regarded as a macaques island, because all the primates kept here belong to the Macaca genus, Rhesus monkey, stump-tailed macaque, pig-tailed macaque, crab-eating macaque and Assam macaque. It brings a bit of a relief, because the trees on the island provide the shade I need so badly. It is here that I am aware of the rubbish on the ground, such as potato chips packages, candy wrappers, plastic bottles and broken surgical masks, while there are plenty of rubbish bins available on the premises. Due to the 'free distribution' of rubbish it is also found in the primates enclosures, unfortunately, which led to footage I rather would not have shot (see video). All of the monkey exhibits - better call them cages because they are not much more than upgraded cages - have a similar construction with tiled floors, double wire mesh fences all around (including the roof), a night shelter and some enrichment features. 
The public fence is only about 70 centimetres away from the cage fence, which means that physical contact is possible. Despite the signs that say 'do not come close' the obvious happens of course. People hand feed to the monkeys, such as a banana, which is drawn into the cage by the primate with brute force.
It is very striking that I have seen only one non-Asian person while touring the Zoo grounds, all others are Vietnamese parents with their children. Why, I ask myself? But the answer is probably that this is by far the worst zoo I visited yet!
Hanoi Zoo is advertised as one of the progressive zoos in south-east Asia, and is a member of SEAZA (South East Asian Zoos Association). However, an amazing amount of fences are visible in the Zoo, and it is absolutely not on par with other zoos worldwide. The idea of barrier-free exhibits or immersion exhibits has not been introduced yet, and education of the general public needs to be enhanced. So, when one decides visiting zoological facilities in this region, it is important to bear in mind that even a progressive zoo like Hanoi Zoo lags behind. It can lead to quite a disappointment when your benchmark is focussed on zookeeping in Europe, USA or Canada.
1 - Hanoi Zoo closes its animal circus; AnimalsAsia website, 17.02.2016
2 - Staff visit to Hanoi Zoo, an update from Colin Northcott, november 2017; Yorkshire Wildlife Park Foundation
Gallery
Video
A macaque with a surgical mask
Here you see a macaque exploring the possible use of something that probably was handed to him by visitors through the fence of its enclosure, a broken surgical mask. You see those being used by people in public in East Asia. The background noise level is typical and even quite low at this part of Hanoi Zoo, because most of the kids entertainment facilities, such as electrical trains and merry-go-rounds are situated in other sections of the Zoo. You wonder where the elastic bands of the mask have gone.
More info
Edwards's pheasant breeding programme
In 1994, it was believed that the Edwards's pheasant (Lophura edwardsi) was extinct in the wild, although there was a sizeable captive population in captivity, descended mainly from a small group of birds brought to Europe in the 1920s. Currently the Edwards's pheasant is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The World Pheasant Association (WPA) had been working closely with Hanoi Zoo and providing a lot of training and support for their pheasant breeding programmes. WPA in the UK decided to offer 4 pairs of captive Edwards's pheasants to Hanoi Zoo so that the species could at least be seen in its homeland. The birds survived well and bred regularly, enabling interesting comparisons to be made between the recently discovered Vietnamese Pheasant (Lophura hatinhensis) and the Edwards's. More importantly, when a male Edwards was captured in the wild and eventually taken to Hanoi Zoo, there were females available for him to breed with.
The DNA from this male and his progeny form an extremely important part of WPA's current DNA research into this species, which has again been suggested may be extinct in the wild. This DNA research will determine which birds within the captive population are the most useful for any reintroduction or reinforcement programme.
Since the Zoo is involved with multiple breeding programmes for endangered, endemic species of pheasants it has a good relation with the World Pheasant Association. Together with Birdlife International and the IUCN Species Survival Commission the World Pheasant Association established the Pheasant Specialist Group to conserve the species of pheasants all over the world. The Hanoi Zoo plays a significant role in this matter.
(Source: website World Pheasant Association, Vietnam, accessed 22.12.2018; Wikipedia)
Zoo details
Some additional information, such as contact details and involvement in breeding programmes.
Location
Directions
directions to Hanoi Zoo
Hanoi Zoo is located in Thu Le Park. There are several parks with animal facilities in Hanoi. So, when asking for directions or when asked for directions by for instance your taxi driver, make sure there's full understanding about the exact location. Thu Le Park is very easy to get to following Kim Ma Road until the end, right beside the renowned Hanoi Daewoo Hotel. The park can be approached by both of its gates, the main entrance on Buoi Road (Đường Bưởi) and the other one to be reached from Nguyễn Văn Ngọc. In addition, just around the corner from the main entrance there's another brand new entrance situated at Đường Cầu Giấy. This is a modern entrance with turnstiles, but not in use yet due to ongoing road maintenance at time of visit (May 2018).
Address:
Thu Le
Ba Dinh district
Hanoi
Viet Nam
public transport
by bus
The easiest way by bus is catching Hanoi Bus No. 9 (read more about Hanoi Bus here), especially when you stay around Hoan Kiem Lake. A good way to sort out your bus route, including changes, is by using the MOOVIT website, which apparently is also available as an app for Android and iOS systems.
by taxi
Taxi is probably the best types of transportation for tourists, but as mentioned above, make sure there's full understanding about the exact location the taxi driver should take you.
by bicycle or moped
When you want to blend in you hire a moped or catch a moped driver to take you to the Zoo. And if you like a good challenge you try to hire a bicycle and hope for the best. Anyway, your respiratory system might suffer a little damage when you go out in the open among all those polluting mopeds and other transport vehicles on Hanoi roads.
There's no bike rack available, but for either your bicycle or moped you will see where to park it as soon as you arrive ?, especially at the main entrance.
by car
I wouldn't recommend to go to the Zoo by (rental) car, unless you have previous experience driving in a major Asian city and feel confident doing so again.
There is no car park.
