Allen Forest Zoo (Hindi: कानपुर चिड़ियाघर / कानपुर प्राणी उद्यान, also called the Kanpur Zoo) is a zoo in Kanpur, the industrial hub of Uttar Pradesh in North India. It is the largest open green space in Kanpur. Originally a natural habitat for fauna, it is one of the few zoos in India which were created in a natural forest.

The Allen Forest Zoo is located about two kilometers from the city’s center. In earlier colonial records it is mentioned as being close to Nawabganj, some distance away from Bithoor. The zoo is an oasis of green, a natural lake, and ancient trees, and encompasses the largest land area of any zoological garden in Asia.

The Zoological Park in Kanpur, (Cawnpore, Manchester of Asia, in British colonial period) was the brainchild of one Botanist Sir Allen, a member of the British Indian Civil Service. Sir Allen wanted to open the zoo in a natural forest, but his plans were stuck in bureaucratic red-tape and did not materialize. When the zoo was opened in 1971 by the government of independent India, it was named after him.

Kanpur /ˈkɑːnpʊər/ (Hindi: कानपुर, Urdu: کان پور  pronunciation (help·info)), spelled Cawnpore before 1948, is the Industrial Capital of Uttar Pradesh and is the administrative headquarters of Kanpur Nagar district, Kanpur Dehat district and Kanpur division. It is the eleventh-most populous city in India and the major industrial hub with in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

It is one of the oldest industrial townships of North India. It has a metropolitan area of over 1,640 square kilometres (630 sq mi) and a city area of around 829 km² with an approximate population of 3 million inhabitants in its area. It is administratively divided into 6 zones and 110 wards with an average ward population range of 19000 to 26000.

City Development Plan for Kanpur city is both a perspective and vision for the future development. Kanpur City Development Plan (CDP) is the culmination of a study which was commenced about three months ago^[when?] by JPS Associates. This report is based on invaluable inputs the consultants received from the various stakeholders and the officers associated with the development of the city. This CDP, therefore, truly reflects the vision of the citizens, the poor and the slum dwellers and the officers who are determined to make Kanpur a futuristic city in the next few years.