when was the first zoo created? who came up with the idea?

Answer 1

They came from personal animal collections of royalty and aristocrats. They would have people collect animals to keep as exotic pets for them and they would store them together for their viewing. It was a symbol of power to collect rare, alive specimens because they would be expensive to maintain. These were called "Menageries".

The oldest zoo is the Vienna Zoo in Austria (1752) but was not for scientific purposes just simply for public entertainment.

At about this time they started having traveling menageries that would follow along a circus traveling side show (turn of the eighteenth century). Some were called

The first zoo founded primarily for scientific and educational reasons was the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes in Paris (1794).

As for who's idea this was it is not known. London had a menagerie by 1235 under the reign of Henry III; but he did not start the idea.

Answer 2

You may find this article interesting.....
History of Zoos of the World....The Vienna Zoo (Schonbrunn Palace) is considered the oldest zoo in the world. The Vienna Zoo opened to visitors in 1752
http://www.museumstuff.com/articles/ar2218.html