Taipei Zoo

Taipei Zoo develops and adjusts animal diets through a gradual and traceable process that integrates keepers' daily records of food intake and fecal output, body weight and body condition assessments, veterinary health examinations, and nutritional analyses of feed ingredients. On August 13, 2026, the zoo convened an Animal Nutrition Expert Panel to discuss how the diets of species that attract particular public interest—including giant pandas, giraffes, and white rhinos—can be dynamically adjusted according to the principles of precision nutrition, taking into account each animal's individual needs, age, health status, and seasonal changes in available food items. Going forward, the zoo will continue to refine animal diets through scientific data, long-term observations, and interdisciplinary collaboration so that they more closely meet the needs of every individual animal. The zoo also aims to present this professional knowledge in a way that is easy for visitors to understand, helping them learn not only what the animals eat, but also why they eat that way.

To support the health of the zoo's well-loved and aging animals, Taipei Zoo invited experts in veterinary medicine and animal science from National Taiwan University, together with the zoo's nutritionists and veterinarians, to participate in an Animal Nutrition Expert Panel on August 13, 2026. The meeting focused on the nutritional management and health care of giant pandas, white rhinos, and giraffes. Drawing on long-term records—including body weight, food intake, fecal output, activity levels, and health examination results—the participants reviewed the current diets and explored ways to further develop individualized precision nutrition plans.

The three giant pandas currently cared for at Taipei Zoo are at different life stages and each has its own health condition and digestive characteristics. As they age, it is not appropriate to apply the same fixed proportions of bamboo shoots, bamboo leaves, and formulated feed to every individual. Instead, each diet should be adjusted according to the animal's age, health status, activity level, seasonal conditions, and previous digestive responses—an approach that reflects the core concept of precision nutrition.

Many visitors ask, "How much bamboo shoots, bamboo leaves, and bamboo culms should giant pandas eat?" In the wild, the composition of a giant panda's diet naturally changes with the seasons. During the bamboo shoot season, pandas consume more shoots, while bamboo leaves and culms make up a larger proportion of their diet at other times. Therefore, there is no single diet ratio that applies throughout the year. The moisture content, fiber, energy, and digestibility of bamboo shoots, leaves, and culms are not the same for every giant panda. As a result, evaluating a panda's diet involves much more than simply comparing how many kilograms it eats. Nutrition must be assessed together with the bamboo species and plant parts provided, body weight, actual food intake, fecal output, and overall health. For example, the recent decrease in appetite among the zoo's giant pandas during pseudopregnancy has led some fans to worry that the pandas are hungry. In addition, the zoo's three giant pandas have shown individual differences in digestive conditions, including the occurrence of mucus stools. In the future, gut microbiome analyses will provide additional scientific evidence to support further dietary adjustments.

Regarding the nutritional management of aging herbivores, experts noted that advancing age may affect dental condition, digestion and nutrient absorption, muscle metabolism, joint health, and mobility. As a result, even when animals consume the same diet, they may no longer absorb nutrients as efficiently as before. For elderly white rhinos, weight management involves more than monitoring body weight alone. Body Condition Score (BCS), muscle mass, dental and oral health, gait, and mobility are all evaluated to determine whether changes in body weight are part of the normal aging process or are associated with underlying health issues before any dietary adjustments are made. Likewise, dietary management is not simply a matter of increasing protein when an animal loses weight; energy, protein, fiber, and nutrient digestibility must all be considered together. For giraffes experiencing watery stools, keepers also evaluate the balance between concentrate feed and roughage, digestive responses to different forage types, and conditions within the gastrointestinal fermentation system, while first ruling out any underlying disease before gradually adjusting the diet.

Animal care is a complex discipline that combines professional expertise with practical experience. It involves many factors, including each animal's physical condition, behavior, health, environment, and daily management. All care practices and adjustments at Taipei Zoo are carefully determined by interdisciplinary teams based on scientific evaluation, each animal's health status, and established husbandry protocols. We appreciate the public's trust and continued support for our science-based animal care.

Taipei Zoo respects the public's concern for animal welfare and for the work of our animal keepers. We also understand and appreciate the public's care and expectations for the animals living at the zoo. Visitors' observations and suggestions will continue to be collected and incorporated into ongoing reviews so that husbandry practices, health care, habitat management, and operational procedures can be continuously improved based on each animal's condition and professional recommendations. The zoo also reminds everyone to respect personal privacy when interacting online. Please do not photograph, publish, or repost images or personal information of staff members without their permission, and avoid placing inappropriate pressure on frontline staff through online comments or images.

Taipei Zoo appreciates the public's continued concern for the animals and sincerely thanks everyone for their long-standing support of wildlife conservation. The zoo will remain committed to animal welfare and professional care while safeguarding the right of all staff to carry out their work in a respectful, supportive, and interference-free environment. Together, we hope to create a zoo where both animals and people are treated with care and respect.