An exhibition aimed at raising public awareness of the conservation of the endangered leopard cats was launched yesterday at Taipei Zoo to coincide with the debut of Chi Pao (集寶), a female leopard cat cub that was sheltered by the Endemic Species Research Institute and later transferred to the zoo after being injured in a placement project.
The institute said Chi Pao was born in March last year, thanks to the institute’s former Situ Conservation Research Project, which breeds leopard cats at its facility before placing them in suitable environments in the wilderness, adding that there are no more than 500 leopard cats remaining.
Endemic Species Research Institute assistant researcher Lin Yu-hsiu (林育秀) said the institute tried to use food to entice her back to its facility after a camera caught the cub limping on the eighth day after she was placed in a mountainous area in Nantou County’s Jiji Township (集集). However, she moved toward Jhuoshuei River (濁水溪), where a gravel excavation project cut off the radio signal transmission.
Photo courtesy of the Endemic Species Research Institute
It was not until the 20th day that Chi Pao, covered with wounds, found her way back to the institute, where she was immediately medicated and sheltered, she said.
Despite making a successful recovery, an injury to Chi Pao’s left front paw would hinder her ability to survive in the wild. After consulting placement assessment standards and careful deliberation, the institute decided to transfer her to Taipei Zoo, where she is to serve as an ambassador for leopard cat conservation and help raise awareness about the endangered species.
To coincide with this special occasion, the Forestry Bureau has launched an exhibition at the zoo showcasing artworks featuring leopard cats.
The exhibition features paintings, sculptures and paper sculptures of the species and is to continue until Sept. 7.
Forestry Bureau Director-General Lee Tao-sheng (李桃生) said that the leopard cat bears a special meaning for conservation as it is an important indicator of the well-being of the nation’s lowland forest ecology.
Once a prolific species in low-altitude mountainous areas across the nation, leopard cats can now be seen only in mountains between Miaoli County and Greater Tainan as a result of loss of habitat caused by development, as well as poaching and road accidents.
Lee said the exhibition features 106 lepard cat-themed artworks, as well as large paintings by kindergarten students, adding that while education disseminates knowledge about ecological conservation, art provides visual enjoyment and spiritual fulfillment — the exhibition, conveying each artist’s concerns and hopes about the conservation of the leopard cat’s habitats, is a mixture of both.
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