Taipei Zoo readies centennial celebrations

2014-10-14

Taipei Zoo is marking its 100th anniversary Oct. 25 with a series of activities highlighting the facility’s storied past and efforts to raise awareness of ecological conservation.

“We invite people across Taiwan to celebrate this special event with us,” zoo Director Jason Chin said. “Such organizations as Animal Planet channel, Hsinchu Zoo and Wetlands Taiwan are also taking part in our centennial party.”

According to Chin, one of the biggest events in the history of the zoo was the arrival of Asian elephants Ma Lan and Lin Wang in 1952 and 1954, respectively. The latter served with the Chinese Expeditionary Force in Southeast Asia during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) and became the world’s oldest-living Asian elephant in captivity.

Another highlight was the facility’s 1986 relocation from a six-hectare site on Yuanshan to the present 165-hectare facility in Wenshan District. The 11-hour project involving hundreds of staffers transported 1,300-plus animals to their new home without incident.

Equally noteworthy was the arrival last year of Yuanzai, the first panda born and bred in Taiwan. The cub attracted a record 68,000 visits for the zoo during the 2014 Chinese Lunar New Year holiday.

“We are confident the facility will continue expanding so as to enhance public understanding of the animal kingdom and boost conservation worldwide,” Chin said.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=222750&CtNode=413)