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The Taipei' City Zoo (Chinese: 台北市立动物园), sometimes referred to as the "Muzha Zoo" (木栅动物园), is a public institution affiliated to Taipei City in Taiwan. It is the most famous and a leading zoological garden in Taiwan in terms of the efforts on recreation, conservation, research and education; it's also the present largest zoo in Asia.
Taipei zoo was founded in 1914, when Taiwan was under Japanese Sovereignty, in Yuanshan on the northern suburb of Taipei City. It was originally a private zoological garden owned by a Japanese citizen, Mr. Oe. The Japanese government in Taiwan bought the property the following year and opened it as a public park.
The entrance of the Taipei Zoo
After WWII, the Republic of China retreated to Taiwan and the ownership of the park was passed to the Taipei city government of ROC. Due to a need for expansion and for better raising conditions for the animals, the zoo was moved to its current site in Muzha on the southeastern suburb of Taipei City in 1986. It is, therefore, sometimes referred to as the "Muzha Zoo" (木栅动物园) because of its location and to be distinguished from the former "Yuan-shan Zoo".
The giant pandas Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan at Taipei Zoo
The current site encloses 165 hectares, including 90 hectares open to the public. There are six main buildings (Education Center, Nocturnal Animal House, Penguin House, Koala House, Amphibian and Reptile House, Insectarium), eight exhibition areas (Formosan Animal Area, Children's Zoo, Asian Tropical Rainforests Animal Area, Desert Animal Area, Australian Animal Area, African Animal Area, Bird World, Temperate Zone Animal Area). There are also outdoor nature observation area, wetland Ecological park, and special exhibit house. Of course, among the most popular is the new panda exhibition first opened to public since the 2009 Lunar Chinese New Year.
Children lined up for viewing the giant pandas at Taipei Zoo
The two giant pandas in the zoo were the gifts to Taiwan by the Mainland China during KMT party Chairman Lien Chan's "Journey of Peace" to Beijing in 2005. The names of the pair, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, meaning "reunion" in Chinese, as a gesture of unity between the mainland China and the island Taiwan. However, the pairs were initially blocked from entering Taiwan by then President Chen Shui-bian. But the newly elected President Ma Ying-jeou from KMT party, has forged stronger economic and diplomatic relations with the mainland under his presidency, and accepted the pair of pandas.
Ma Ying-jeou viewing the giant pandas with children in the zoo on Jan 24, 2009, two days prior to the pair's official public debut.
Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan arrived at the zoo on December 23, 2008, and made their official first appearance on Jan. 26, 2009, the first day of the Chinese New Year after a one-month quarantine. The Panda Hall has become the biggest attraction at the zoo ever since. Within a month, the number of visitors to the zoo reached 500,000, and in mid-April, Taipei Zoo welcomed its one-millionth visitor to the Panda Hall.
More Information on visiting Taipei Zoo:
台北市立动物园 台北市11656 新光路二段30号
Taipei Zoo No.30 Sec.2 Xinguang Rd., Taipei City 11656, Taiwan
游客服务专线 Visitors Service Phone: 886-2-2938-2300
Official Website:
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