It was Sunday, my second day in Taiwan. I attended a personal activity in the morning before I started my adventure in Taipei. Because I only had half day left, instead of walking somewhere in the city like what I did in my first day, I planned to visit Taipei Zoo and Maokong for the rest of the day. But unfortunately, I wasn’t able to visit Maokong because the rest of my half day was spent in Taipei Zoo or Muzha Zoo. I thought that my visit in zoological garden will be a quick one, but I was wrong because I did not expect that I will be enjoying my visit in the zoo. My heart for biology beats again and my interest in science triggered again after I saw the animal diversity that Taipei Zoo is currently taking care of.
Taipei Main Station
Taipei Zoo Station
From Taipei Main Station, I took Bannan Line and transfered in Zhongxiao Fuxing Station for Wenhu Line to reach Taipei Zoo Station. From the station, I walked towards the entrance of the zoo. When I entered the park, I saw a lot of people, a surprising thing for me to see because I did not expect huge crowd of visitors in a zoo, I just thought that it will be fewer people, that being said, zoo can have a lot of visitors because there’s something on it that people eager to see.
Entrance and Ticket Booth
Taipei Zoo
Taipei Zoo Stage and Open Ground
I had lunch in one of the food chain inside the park before I started my adventure in the zoo. I checked the map that was handed to me when I bought my ticket. While I was looking at the map, I was wondering how I will plan to roam the park as quick as possible because I still wanted to go to Maokong. But, while walking around it and as many unique and interesting animals that I found in the zoo, I gave up the idea of visiting Maokong.
In this post I will just emphasize some of the animals that were unique for me and some that was first time that I saw for real, I will still put the different photos of animals that I captured in one of the largest zoo in Asia. I honestly enjoy seeing and discovering the animals while I was wandering in the park. But because the zoo is so huge for me, there are other animals that I haven’t seen as the park was about to close.
And here were the different kinds of animals that I got a chance to see inside the zoo.
Giant Panda – Tuan Tuan or Yuan Yuan?
The first thing that I saw when I was inside the zoo was the Giant Panda. Maybe because it’s popular and it’s the nearest animals to me when I started to wander the park while I was looking at the map in my hand. When I reached Giant Panda House, I saw a bearable number of people outside the glass wall of its house, watching the panda. I approached its house and found one huge panda lazily lying at the wooden floor attached to the tree branches. Unfortunately, I just saw one panda. Taipei Zoo is taking care of two giant pandas named as Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan. Since I haven’t able to book a ticket for a more up close visit to the panda, there is no way for me to identify if the panda that I saw is Tuan Tuan or Yuan Yuan and with that, I leave it thinking it’s one of the two.
After I was satisfied looking a bit of Panda, I passed the Solar Energy Clock before I walked towards Asian Tropical Rainforest Area.
Asian Tropical Rainforest Area
Pygmy Hippopotamus
Siamang
Malayan Tapir
On the spot that I saw these Malayan Tapir, I also found a note on it, that it’s the school of the said animals, which means that their weight are being measure and being trained to follow the keeper. At the same time, its the opportunity to know if the female Malayan Tapir is pregnant.
Malayan Sun Bear
Malayan Sun Bear are known as good tree climbers.
Asian Elephant
Bengal Tiger
Black Swan
Desert Area
Bactrian Camel
Besides living in deserts and grasslands, most Bactrian camels live in Asian mountain wastelands and can endure the intense summer heat and the cold winter.
Dromedary Camel
Dromedary camels are social animals, led by a male camel. Although they can adjust to dry environments, they cannot live in the mountains like the Bactrian camels.
Australian Area
Emu
There are more than 600 locales and towns in Australia named after the emu. The general public considers this bird its national bird.
Aboriginal mythologies
1. wearing sandals made from emu feathers can hide one’s footprints
2. The sun is said to have been created by an emu egg being thrown into the skyThe emu is curious by nature. It would peck anything that reflects light. This animal would come to close to humans; even follow man around, just to find out what he is doing.
African Area
Chapman’s Zebra
Common Eland
Common elands are the largest antelopes who move in groups through savannas or open wooded areas. Although they appear to walk slowly, these animals are alert at all times. They rest in shady cool places during the day and come out to feed at twilight or a night
Hippopotamus
Spotted Hyena
While I was exploring Taipei Zoo, one of the animals that I saw was Spotted Hyena. This animal is said to be a great hunter on land and a great swimmer. They can control their buoyancy and discontinue their breathing to walk under water.
Grevy’s Zebra
Grevy’s zebra is the largest zebra, with black and white stripes ditributed on the body and legs. They stay in herds and live in dry grassland, shrub grassland and semi-desert areas.
White Rhinoceros
Western Gorilla
Auodad
The photos above of Auodad reflects its notes that I found near wherein they form a group in rock formations.
The beard of the male Aoudad droops from the throat, chest area all the way to its forelegs. During the fight for females, the males use its horns to hit their opponents. They form groups in rock formations and dessert areas. Vegetation is scarce and water is obtained from plants and dew.
Chimpanzee
Bongo
An interesting facts that I read about Bongo
The bongo is difficult to find in the African forest due to its rare coat hues and stripes. When running, the bongo move its horns backwards to the back to avoid being entangled by vines, plants and tree branches.
Patas Monkey
A discovery learned about Patas Monkey
The patas monkey is the fastest running primate moving on the ground during the day. When one observes, one will see the monkey using its hind legs to stand up to see more clearly. They climb trees when danger approaches. At night, they rest spread out in trees, hoping to avoid being attacked simultaneously.
Temperate Zone Area
Przewalski’s Horse
American Bison
Black Prairie Dog
Black prairie dogs live with approximately 170 types of animals; for instance, ants, beetles, crickets, mice, rabbits, salamanders live in the tunnels that prairie dogs dig; spiders net at cave entrances, they are also the food for eagles, bobcats, foxes, and weasels
Mountain Lion
Puma
Asian Black Bear
Red Panda
Another interesting animals that I found in Taipei Zoo was Red Panda which came from Hino Japan. Honestly, I had a hard time to see this one in close proximity from the viewing deck of its natural cage because it used to walk from behind of some plants and branches almost not visible except for its back. I waited for few more minutes, the other visitors just left without seeing it and to my surprise it shows itself and I captured snapshot as I can. Though it’s not that clear in my iPhone, but I felt relieve that I saw the Red Panda with my own eyes.
Penguin House
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