中国科学院动物研究所历史悠久，其前身是1928年成立的静生生物调查所、1929年成立的中央研究院动物研究所和1929年成立的北平研究院动物研究所。1950年，中国科学院接收了上述三个研究所的部分资料、标本和设备，成立了中国科学院昆虫研究室和动物标本整理委员会。二者分别于1953年和1957年进一步发展为昆虫研究所和动物研究所，之后1962年两所合并成为现在的动物研究所。动物研究所曾产生过16位中国科学院学部委员（院士），在国家自然资源调查、自然保护区设立、虫鼠害防治、珍稀濒危动物保护、生殖避孕等领域做出过重要历史贡献。

动物研究所是以动物科学基础研究为主的社会公益型国家级科研机构。以野生动物和模式动物为研究对象，开展现代动物学研究，服务于人口健康、农业和生物多样性保护等国家重大需求。在细胞编程与重编程的机制、生殖与发育调控、生物灾害爆发机制与控制、物种濒危机制与保护等领域发挥引领作用；在动物分类与进化、农业虫鼠害防控和濒危动物保护中发挥不可替代的作用。动物研究所“一三五”战略规划目标包括三个重大突破和六个重点培育方向：三个重大突破：（一）干细胞与再生医学；（二）害虫害鼠行为调控；（三）动物进化与保护。六个重点培育方向：（一）生育力维持与生殖健康；（二）膜生物学与重大疾病；（三）有害生物成灾机制与防控；（四）物种的濒危机制与保护；（五）动物多样性格局形成与演化机制；（六）人类疾病动物模型的创制。

The Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has a long history. Its predecessor was the Institute of Static Biology in 1928, the Institute of Zoology of the Academia Sinica in 1929, and the Institute of Zoology of the Beiping Research Institute in 1929. In 1950, the Chinese Academy of Sciences received part of the data, specimens and equipment from the three institutes, and set up the Entomological Laboratory and the Committee of Animal Specimen Arrangement of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The two were further developed into the Institute of Entomology in 1953 and the Institute of Zoology in 1957, before being merged into the current Institute of Zoology in 1962. The Institute of Zoology has produced 16 members of the Faculty of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who have made important historical contributions to the investigation of national natural resources, the establishment of nature reserves, pest control, the protection of rare and endangered animals, reproductive contraception and other fields.

The Institute of Zoology is a public welfare state-level scientific research institution focusing on basic research of animal science. It conducts modern zoological research on wild animals and model animals to serve important national needs such as population health, agriculture and biodiversity conservation. It plays a leading role in the mechanism of cell programming and reprogramming, regulation of reproduction and development, mechanism and control of biological disaster outbreak, mechanism and protection of species endangerment, etc. It plays an irreplaceable role in the classification and evolution of animals, the prevention and control of agricultural pests and rodents and the protection of endangered animals. The "135-Year Plan" of the Institute of Zoology includes three major breakthroughs and six key cultivation directions: three major breakthroughs: (1) stem cell and regenerative medicine; (2) Control of rodent behaviors of pests; (3) Animal evolution and protection. Six key cultivation directions: (1) fertility maintenance and reproductive health; (II) Membrane biology and major diseases; (3) pest disaster mechanism, prevention and control; (4) endangered species mechanism and protection; (5) Formation and evolution mechanism of animal diversity pattern; (6) Creation of animal models of human diseases.