According to recent reports, parts of the 110-year-old Beijing Zoo could be relocated away from the city centre to both improve living conditions for the zoo’s animals and to help ease traffic congestion for its visitors.

The zoo’s central location has meant some of its residents have suffered from both noise and pollution caused by Beijing’s heavy traffic.

Speaking to China Daily Huang Yan, director of Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning and a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said that the zoo was “working on the possibility of the partial relocation of Beijing Zoo.”

The zoo, which opened in 1906, is very crowded at peak times of year and welcomes more than five million visitors annually. Heavy traffic jams often restrict visitor access at a nearby subway station.

Previous attempts to relocate the zoo have failed, with plans rejected following objections in 2004. The idea was reintroduced in January, but the latest plans lean towards a partial relocation, with animals still fit to continue living under current conditions staying at the current location.

“This would reduce the number of tourists, and also be beneficial to the animals,” said Huang. “The remaining animals would still fulfil the basic needs of the tourists, as well as give the local residents some memories to hold on to.”