Since it was first opened to the public in 1847, the London Zoo (zsl.org) has come to house more than 8,000 animals -- many of them extremely rare. This is one of the few zoos in the world where you can spy nocturnal creatures and watch a handler pull out a massive, hairy tarantula for intimate viewing. While fascinating animals like lions and flamingos are bound to astound, it's the rarer creatures that make London Zoo such a special place to explore.
