A total of 1,603 animals have died in five years at the Taipei City Zoo, which only provided limited space for its animals and failed to find mates for them, Taipei City councilors alleged yesterday.
Besides being responsible for the deaths of more than 1,000 animals, the zoo also failed to breed 66 kinds of endangered animals, including the Nile crocodile and the Asian elephant, and not grouping males and females in cages, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor Chuan Jui-hsiung (
"The zoo carries the responsibility of being a place for animal conservation and ecological protection, but it has become a graveyard for animals," Chuan said yesterday at the Taipei City Council.
In response, Taipei Zoo director Chen Pao-chung (
"The life expectancy of some animals is only about 10 years, and we should not judge the death rate of animals according to the standards of human beings," Chen said.
Chen acknowledged a gender imbalance among the animals, but added that it was difficult for the zoo to find mates for endangered species.
The zoo will seek to establish a better environment for the animals through birth control, healthcare and by expanding the variety of species, Chen added.
Statistics provided by Chao Ming-chieh (
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