Taipei Zoo has found a way to increase the number of hatchlings that survive from a batch of eggs laid by an endangered turtle species by repairing the shells, zoo officials said.
The zoo collects the eggs from laying grounds and incubates them, sealing any cracked eggs it finds to prevent fluids from leaking out or contaminants from entering, the officials said, adding that the damaged eggs are classified according to a three-level scale.
The first level describes eggs which only have slight fractures; the second those in which at least the inner membrane is still fully intact and the third for eggs in which the membrane has been torn and there has been loss of fluid, officials said.
Photo courtesy of Taipei Zoo
Most first-grade damage is repaired by painting over fractures with non-toxic clear nail polish, while those with second or third-grade damage can be fixed using other methods, officials said.
One technique involves fixing pieces of sanitized shell taken from already hatched eggs or those that the zoo was unable to save over damaged areas; another involves covering such areas in a plastic paraffin film and sealing it by applying heat; the third involves using Tegaderm transparent film dressing, which the zoo said is more expensive, but is waterproof and airtight.
After staff repair the eggs, they take turns watching over them until they hatch, the zoo said.
Photo courtesy of Taipei Zoo
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu, front, grabs the pennant in a dragon boat race hosted by Qu Yuan Temple in the Shuanghsi River in Taipei’s Beitou District yesterday.
RSS