The Taipei Zoo, sometimes referred to as the "Muzha Zoo", 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. After World War II, the Republic of China came 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" because of its location and to be distinguished from the former "Yuan-shan Zoo". The current site encloses 165 hectares, including 90 hectares open to the public.
The current director of the zoo is Chen Pao-Chung.
The Taipei Zoo displays animals from Taiwan, Australia, Africa, the Asian tropical rainforest, the desert, and the temperate zones. The zoo also displays domestic animals in its Children's Zoo, as well as over 12000 birds of over 130 species in an aviary. Other exhibitions in the zoo include an insectarium, amphibian and reptile house, penguin habitat, koala habitat, nocturnal animals display, and a panda exhibition (currently under construction). |
