Taipei Zoo Reopens with Malayan Tapir Bintang and Red Panda Xixi Welcoming Visitors

(CNA) Taipei Zoo announced that after a 10-day maintenance period, it has reopened and visitors may have the chance to see the Malayan tapir Bintang from the Singapore Zoo and the red panda Xixi from the Asahiyama Zoo.

Taipei Zoo issued a press release stating that during the 10-day maintenance, the exterior walls and recreational facilities of various buildings were cleaned, along with summer tree pruning for typhoon prevention, landscape planting maintenance, pavement cleaning, and drainage ditch desilting. The zoo has now reopened.

The zoo pointed out that on May 20th of this year, Taipei Zoo participated in the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria's Ex-situ Programme (EEP) and welcomed the male Malayan tapir Bintang from the Singapore Zoo. After a one-month quarantine period, Bintang has moved to the rainforest exhibit to adapt to its new environment, and children and adults will have the opportunity to meet "Star Bintang."

The zoo also stated that through inter-zoo conservation exchanges this year, the female red panda "Xixi" from the Asahiyama Zoo was arranged to come to the park. After moving into the temperate zone exhibit to familiarize herself with the new environment and build a relationship with the keepers, she has begun appearing in the red panda activity area next to the eucalyptus grove. Visitors are reminded to speak softly when passing by to see if they can catch a glimpse of "Xixi."

The zoo noted that the Formosan clouded leopard in the Taiwan animal area and the orangutan exhibit in the rainforest area (at the pangolin exhibit exit) have been updated with fallen logs or artificial wood perches for climbing, providing arboreal animals in the tropical forest with a more complex and varied vertical activity space.

To beat the summer heat, the zoo stated that the fountain at the main entrance plaza will operate for 30 minutes every hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in July and August. On Saturday evenings, a special "FUN Rain Shower" in the African animal area will be added during extended evening hours from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with sprinklers operating for 3 minutes every 15 minutes. Water mist will also be sprayed at regular intervals along the visitor pathways.

Additionally, the zoo mentioned that during the summer vacation period in July and August, the reading room on the first basement floor of the Education Center will feature books selected from the Taipei Public Library's "Good Books for Everyone to Read" list of excellent children's literature, including environmental picture books, wildlife science popularization, and nature literature. Animal picture book reading sessions will be held every Saturday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Admission is required, and each session is limited to 30 participants. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150702

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