Monday, May 22, 2023

Taipei Zoo

Taipei Zoo

I visited Taipei Zoo in  April 2023.

The zoo is located in front of a station called Taipei Zoo Station, which is very easy to get to even for foreign tourists visiting for the first time.






I received pamphlets in three languages ; Chinese, Japanese and English. 



English Zoo map.



My primary purpose of visiting the zoo was to see the rhinos.

The Taipei Zoo has five white rhinos.



I arrived in front of the white rhino enclosure, but・・

It is very large and covered with trees,  we can't find the rhinos from here !



After a short walk along the fence,

I found two rhinos.






They were sleeping comfortably on the ground surrounded by trees and grass.







There are some panels explaining the species of rhino, their decline due to poaching, and  superstitions about their horn and its composition.













Taking advantage, I visited the zoo two days in a row.
On the second day, in another open area of the same enclosure, two rhinos were grazing .








At Taipei zoo,  there is one more enclosure for the rhinos.

this enclosure is not as large as the first one.


Two white rhinos were napping.











This panel explains the Rhino Orphanae in South Africa. It's effective in letting  visitors know the problem of rhino poaching.




In front of the panel,  there are three baby rhino  life-sized statues. They are so cute that the kids like to touch them.









I have the impression that rhinos are kept in very favorable conditions at the Taipei Zoo.

The encloosure is spacious, allowing them to move relatively freely, and the many trees provide shelter from the sun on hot summer days.


The QR code for rhino conservation organizations on the panel is a good way for zoo visitors to quickly check out the rhino conservaatio





Uh, a black rhino getting off the elevator?
No, it's a Black Rhino on the elevator door in the zoo!



The piciture book which I bought at the zoo shop.
It's a story about a  rhino calf whose Mom was killed by a poacher.

I don't speak Chinese, but I almost completely understand the story through the  pictures.





Sunday, May 14, 2023

King Kong Rhino in Taipei

 I was able to see the huge rhino sculpture called King Kong Rhino in Taipei, in early April. I was so excited there !!

It is about 5 meters long, 3 meters high, and weighs 5 tons.











When you are too close to King Kong Rhino, you can’t tell what it is !



Taiwanese financial tycoon, Mr.Chen Wugan, head of the Kelti Group has erected this giant rhino statue as public art in front of their building, in the middle of the financial district.


Manhattan's Wall Street in the U.S has a famous statue of a large male bull.

Photo(C)Christian Hondros

Mr.Chen Wugan hopes that Taipei's financial district will also prosper like Wall Street with " King Kong Rhino"

.

King Kong Rhino is the work of Taiwanese sculptor Shih Li-Jen.

With this work, he wants to tell people about the endangered rhinoceros.


It is evident from his following words.


I’ve always considered the rhino as a creature which is close to me. 

It’s always been sorrowful to me to follow the news about the endangered life of rhinos in the world 

and therefore I decided to create a work aimed at witnessing its beauty and make people aware about the concrete risk of extinction that rhinos run.

https://www.forevermark.com/en/now-forever/protecting-forever/world-rhino-day/


Unfortunately, the caption board says nothing about the rhino extinction crisis.

I think that's disappointing.



This wide open plaza with the huge rhino sculpture would be the perfect place for an event where many people could gather and think about the future of the endangered rhinos.


I hope that one day such an event will be held at this place.


And if I have the chance to visit Taipei again, I would like to see King Kong Rhino in the dark of night.




After my trip to Taiwan, I highly suggest that everyone go see King Kong Rhino if they have a chance to visit Taipei. I hope that King Kong Rhino will become as popular a tourist attraction as the nearby Taipei 101.


Related article : (J) 台北の巨大サイ彫刻 、King Kong RHINO https://sainomimy.exblog.jp/30312177/