With the two-month-old panda cub nicknamed Yuan Zai (圓仔) having become the new media darling and drawing lots of public attention, a netizen has accused the Taipei Zoo of creating an “M-shaped” society — a term describing deep inequality — among its creatures and leaving the nation’s Formosan black bears in the cold.
The netizen, who identified herself as Peng Shu-chen (彭淑禎), recently took to Facebook to vent her frustration over what she said was the zoo’s different treatment of pandas and the Formosan black bears, both of which are endangered species.
“While the zoo’s four Formosan black bears have to crowd together in a 165 ping [544.5m2] ‘slum,’ Yuan Zai’s parents, Tuan Tuan (團團) and Yuan Yuan (圓圓), are given the privilege of living in a 438 ping air-conditioned ‘lavish mansion,’” Peng wrote.
Photo: CNA, courtesy of the Taiwan Black Bear Conservation Association
Formosan black bears are much rarer than giant pandas, Peng wrote, adding that while there are about 1,590 wild giant pandas in the world, there are only about 200 wild Formosan black bears.
Yuan Zai, which was born on July 6, is the first giant panda born in Taiwan.
The parents were donated to the zoo by China in late 2008.
Shrugging off the criticism, zoo spokesman Chao Ming-chieh (趙明杰) said the zoo has never cut back on its efforts to facilitate the preservation of Formosan black bears.
“We have signed a declaration on the preservation and revival of endangered species with 16 animal conservation organizations, while assisting animal experts nationwide in helping the black bears mate and procreate,” he said.
Chao said the exhibition hall housing the three pandas was built using a NT$300 million (US$9.9 million) donation from the Shin Kong Group, adding that the hall might run out of space because the zoo plans to add more giant pandas after the cub grows up.
“It is natural that most of the public attention is being directed at Yuan Zai, since it is the first panda born in this country. Nevertheless, the zoo is endeavoring to introduce more species endemic to Taiwan to the public through the cub,” Chao said.
Chao was referring to a video featuring Yuan Yuan and Yuan Zai that the the zoo released on Friday last week. The video features an imaginary conversation between the pandas about Formosan black bears.
Meanwhile, catering to the public craze for information about Yuan Zai, a free mobile application chronicling the cub’s daily activities has drawn a lot of interest since it was launched on Aug. 20, said the developer, who prefers to be known as “mip.”
It has been downloaded more than 10,000 times, the developer said.
The app provides real-time updates on Yuan Zai, including the latest pictures and articles about the cub and some basic information on pandas, the developer said.
The app has not been approved by Taipei Zoo, but the zoo said it would not take any legal action against the developer at the moment, as the app is not for profit.
It did say, however, that it was considering applying for a trademark for the name “Yuan Zai.”
Additional reporting by CNA
The inspection equipment and data transmission system for new robotic dogs that Taipei is planning to use for sidewalk patrols were developed by a Taiwanese company, the city’s New Construction Office said today, dismissing concerns that the China-made robots could pose a security risk. The city is bringing in smart robotic dogs to help with sidewalk inspections, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan (李四川) said on Facebook. Equipped with a panoramic surveillance system, the robots would be able to automatically flag problems and easily navigate narrow sidewalks, making inspections faster and more accurate, Lee said. By collecting more accurate data, they would help Taipei
STATS: Taiwan’s average life expectancy of 80.77 years was lower than that of Japan, Singapore and South Korea, but higher than in China, Malaysia and Indonesia Taiwan’s average life expectancy last year increased to 80.77 years, but was still not back to its pre-COVID-19 pandemic peak of 81.32 years in 2020, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. The average life expectancy last year increased the 0.54 years from 2023, the ministry said in a statement. For men and women, the average life expectancy last year was 77.42 years and 84.30 years respectively, up 0.48 years and 0.56 years from the previous year. Taiwan’s average life expectancy peaked at 81.32 years in 2020, as the nation was relatively unaffected by the pandemic that year. The metric
TAKING STOCK: The USMC is rebuilding a once-abandoned airfield in Palau to support large-scale ground operations as China’s missile range grows, Naval News reported The US Marine Corps (USMC) is considering new sites for stockpiling equipment in the West Pacific to harden military supply chains and enhance mobility across the Indo-Pacific region, US-based Naval News reported on Saturday. The proposed sites in Palau — one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — and Australia would enable a “rapid standup of stored equipment within a year” of the program’s approval, the report said, citing documents published by the USMC last month. In Palau, the service is rebuilding a formerly abandoned World War II-era airfield and establishing ancillary structures to support large-scale ground operations “as China’s missile range and magazine
Passengers on Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) will be required to use headphones and make phone calls in gangways under new “quiet travel” rules starting Sept. 22. THSR Chairman Shih Che (史哲) told media that THSR will run a three-month promotional campaign to ensure widespread adoption of the new rules. Those repeatedly ignoring the guidance face the potential termination of their transport contract, which can result in them getting escorted off the train, according to THSR. Shih shared his hope to cultivate an environment conducive to rest and reading for the train’s passengers, stating that these changes aim to “promote self-discipline” among passengers
RSS