Taipei Zoo

In June 2026, "Guo Bao," a male Chinese Pangolin from Taipei Zoo, successfully relocated from Prague Zoo in the Czech Republic to Zoo Frankfurt in Germany. This move expands the ex-situ conservation population of the Chinese Pangolin into a new location.

In 2022, Taipei Zoo loaned the male pangolin "Guo Bao" and the female pangolin "Run Hou Tang" to Prague Zoo as part of a breeding loan program. Soon afterward, the pair produced two offspring: the female pangolin "Šiška" (Pinecone) in 2023 and another female, "Connie," in 2024, successfully planting the seeds of a European satellite population. In 2026, under the coordination of the EAZA Pangolin Ex-situ Programme (Pangolin EEP), Guo Bao was transferred to Frankfurt Zoo in Germany. Through coordinated population management, the program aims to diversify species survival risks and strengthen the overseas satellite population.

The Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Wild populations continue to decline because of poaching, making pangolins the most heavily trafficked mammals in the illegal wildlife trade. As a participating institution in the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Program administered by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, Taipei Zoo has accumulated decades of experience in rescuing and caring for pangolins since the 1990s. Over the years, the zoo has developed specialized expertise in husbandry, veterinary care, reproductive physiology research, and hand-rearing. As a result, Taipei Zoo has become one of the very few institutions in the world capable of consistently caring for and breeding Chinese Pangolins. Through partnerships with international zoos, Taipei Zoo continues to promote pangolin conservation while raising global awareness of illegal wildlife trade.

In 2022, Taipei Zoo loaned the male pangolin "Guo Bao" and the female pangolin "Run Hou Tang" to Prague Zoo. Supported by close collaboration and technical exchanges between the two zoos, the pair soon produced offspring. In February 2023, the birth of the female pangolin "Šiška" (Pinecone) marked the first successful pangolin birth at Prague Zoo and in any European zoo. In July 2024, another female pangolin, "Connie," was born. These consecutive breeding successes significantly increased the attention given to pangolin conservation among European zoos. With Taipei Zoo's support, the EAZA Pangolin Ex-situ Programme (Pangolin EEP) was established, bringing together greater resources and collaboration opportunities for pangolin conservation.

Under the coordination of the conservation programme, Guo Bao relocated to Frankfurt Zoo in early June 2026. His new home, Grzimek House, is one of the largest nocturnal animal houses in Europe. Because pangolins are highly sensitive animals with specialized dietary requirements, the animal care team at Frankfurt Zoo made thorough preparations with support and experience shared by the teams from Prague Zoo and Taipei Zoo. Keepers from Prague Zoo also accompanied Guo Bao during the transfer to help him adjust to his new surroundings. The conservation program will continue evaluating suitable female candidates for future breeding in order to establish a sustainable ex-situ population in Germany. More importantly, as a conservation ambassador, Guo Bao will help raise public awareness in Europe of pangolin conservation and the challenges facing wild pangolins.