Kaohsiung City Shoushan Zoo 壽山動物園
Kaohsiung City Shoushan Zoo
◎English written by Lin Yi-chun
◎Photos courtesy of Shoushan Zoo, Yang Chan-hua, Hou Ya-ting
Every day Shoushan Zoo opens at 9 am to multiple groups of excited kindergarten children on field trips. Shoushan Zoo was founded in 1978 and was recently renovated in 2009. It is the largest zoo in Southern Taiwan. Zoo spokesman, Mr. Chang Po-yu describes the great diversity of the animal species, the zoo's new layout and how it extenuates the distinctive landscape of Chai Shan. The most popular new feature is the new petting zoo which features docile farm animals such as Boer goats and miniature horses. Visitors can touch and feed the animals through a specially designed fence without health and safety concerns.
Shoushan Zoo is now participating in various breeding programs. The Shoushan Zoo boasts the only Formosan black bear breeding program in Taiwan. Another breading success was Sim and Ba, the popular African lion cubs. Born on February 21, 2010, they have been reared by hand by six specially trained keepers that were entrusted with only looking after them. They have an incredible sense of smell and move their ears as a sign of happiness when they recognize their keepers coming to see them. When Sim and Ba were first born, keepers worked in 24 hour shifts. Every three hours they would feed them powdered milk for cats. At three months, Sim and Ba weighed 1.5 kilograms and at nine months they were 50 kilograms. They now consume 1 kilogram of raw New Zealand beef and CAS certified raw chicken twice a day. At meal times Sim and Ba like to play around and keepers have to use various tricks to keep them focused on eating. Their diet and food portions are constantly changing as they get bigger or get sick. Sim and Ba are being moved to a new enclosure when they turn a year old. Mr. Chang Po-yu says facilities are adjusted as the animals grow and behaviour changes. The zoo also endeavours to simulate the animals' natural environment.
Shoushan zoo houses approximately 80 species. The areas include: The Petting Zoo, African Animals, Taiwanese Animals, Primates, Asian Animals and American Animals. It is well worth a visit.
壽山動物園
◎文／侯雅婷 ◎照片提供／壽山動物園、楊蟬華、侯雅婷
壽山動物園早上9點開園後就陸陸續續有幼稚園的小朋友前來教學觀摩，興奮之情溢於言表。成立於1978年的壽山動物園也是南台灣最大的公立動物園，2009年經大規模整修後重新開園，展現了煥然一新的新氣象。
動物園張博宇主任表示，園區內動物種類豐富，甚至柴山特殊的地貌也被完整保存。而新闢的場域「兒童牧場」，透過穿透式圍籬讓遊客能親近動物，堪稱最受歡迎的新區域。張主任表示，經過縝密規劃，選定波爾羊和迷你馬等家畜類動物，讓遊客在衛生及安全無虞的狀況下，接觸與餵食動物，享受牧場氛圍。
壽山動物園是個「人丁興旺」的大家庭，喜訊不斷，也創造、傳承許多寶貴的經驗。比如壽山動物園擁有全台唯一黑熊繁育經驗，還有備受矚目的非洲獅─小辛與小巴。小辛和小巴在2010年2月21日出生，以自然繁育、人工哺育的方式長大。
園方安排了6位保育員專責照顧小辛與小巴，張鈞盛就是其中之一，當他出現在圍籬外，敏銳的小辛與小巴就嗅出是『保姆大人』來了，動了動耳朵，一副開心的樣子。小辛、小巴剛出生時，保育員們採24小時輪班制，每3小時就餵一次貓奶粉。3個月時，小辛和小巴體重約為1.5公斤，到了9個月時，則約重達50公斤。這時候的牠們，早晚各吃一公斤紐西蘭生牛肉和經CAS認證的生雞肉。和小朋友一樣，小辛和小巴也會在吃飯時跑來跑去，遇到這種情況，保育員們也得想辦法哄著小獅子們吃飯囉。和人類一樣，小辛和小巴也會經歷換食和生病的情況，這中間每個階段都靠保育員團隊們細心地照顧，藉由觀察牠們的飲食情況調整食物的配方或用量。園方會在小辛和小巴1歲時將他們移到另一個園區。張主任表示，動物園藉由改變園區內的設施來調整動物的行為，儘可能模擬野外，讓動物的行為更豐富化。
壽山動物園約有80餘種珍禽異獸，有兒童牧場、非洲區、台灣原生動物區、靈長動物區、亞洲區和美洲區6個區域，可說是相當有看頭，找一天，到壽山動物園走走吧！