TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In the first week of September, Taipei Zoo bid farewell to three of its oldest mammals.
In a press release, the zoo announced the passing of an elderly American Bison, a white rhinoceros, and a Bengal tiger. Both the rhino and the tiger passed away on Monday (Sept. 2), while the American buffalo passed two days later on Wednesday (Sept. 4).
The white rhino, a 44-year-old female named Hsi Min (犀敏), was one of the oldest animals from Africa housed at the zoo. She began developing respiratory problems and experiencing rapid weight loss in 2023.
Over the past eight months, Hsi lost nearly 300 kilograms. Despite increased attention and nutritional supplements, Hsi Min passed away due to respiratory failure on Monday morning.
Later the same day, news came from the zoo’s tropical rainforest section after the female Bengal tiger, Hsin Chun (新春), also died. Hsin Chun was 23 years old, and was suffering from chronic kidney disease. The average lifespan of a Bengal tiger in captivity is between 10 and 15 years, with only a small number reaching the age of 20 like Hsin Chun.
Two days later came an announcement that one of the oldest American bison ever housed at the zoo, a 24-year-old female named Chiao Wa (角娃), had also passed away. Over the past several years, Chiao Wa developed eyesight and digestion problems along with deterioration of her teeth and muscles.
Since January, she was receiving special attention with a care program designed to keep her comfortable in an open and familiar environment. Chiao Wa was born at Taipei Zoo in 1999, and was the last remaining member of the Taipei Zoo’s family of American Bison.
