Taipei Zoo Collared Anteater 'Hei Niu' Escapes, Estimated to Have Traveled Up to 9 km

(CNA, Taipei, May 21, by reporter Chen Yu-ting) Following the escape of 'Hsiao Hung' from her enclosure six years ago, another collared anteater has left its home at the Taipei Zoo. The zoo stated that the current escapee, 'Hei Niu,' is an elderly individual who is gentle and not very active, estimating that she has traveled a maximum of 9 kilometers in the past three days. On May 20, the Taipei Zoo issued a press release stating that 'Hei Niu,' an 11-year and 10-month-old female collared anteater, entered the outdoor activity area on the evening of the 18th. Shortly after, she used a broken banana tree branch to access an adjacent mock rock passage, then passed by the bromeliad garden near a visitor path, which was the last location captured by surveillance cameras. Zoo spokesman Tsao Hsien-shao, in a media interview this morning, began by apologizing to the public. He stated that 'Hei Niu's' escape highlights a clear need for improvement in the zoo's environment and animal care, especially after the 2020 incident where 'Hsiao Hung' escaped with her daughter 'Hung Tou.' Tsao noted that although the conditions were different, 'Hsiao Hung' and her daughter also escaped during warm weather. They were only discovered three months later by a hiker in a tree hollow in the Shenkeng mountains during a cold snap. Fecal analysis later revealed a natural food source was available nearby. Based on this experience, the zoo has deployed staff to expand the search, set up automated cameras, and placed capture cages. Tsao mentioned that 'Hei Niu' is an 'old lady' who is generally healthy but has bone spurs, so her movement is not expected to be extensive. He urged the public to contact the zoo if they see any animal that might be her, and not to chase or attempt to capture it themselves to avoid scaring the animal into climbing to a more hidden location. Regarding 'Hei Niu's' potential range, Wu Li-hsin, head of the zoo's animal section, pointed out that she has a gentle nature and her activity level is normal but not particularly high. He estimates her daily travel distance is about 1 to 3 kilometers, making it 6 to 9 kilometers over three days. However, considering this is her first time exploring the wild, she is likely moving mostly on flat ground and may still be near the zoo. As for improving the enclosure, Wu stated that climbing is a natural instinct for collared anteaters. The initial plan is to adjust the vegetation to restrict climbing routes, with further reviews to follow. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150521