Pingtung Rescue Center, Tainan, Taiwan | Liger Zoos

Taiwan also has a Liger Zoo which is operating with a name of Pingtung Rescue Center for Endangered Wild Animals. This Liger Zoo is located at the Tainan city of China, which is believed to be the oldest most city of Taiwan. If you are in Taiwan, and you are keenly interested in watching liger, then your best chance to see the liger is to visit the Tainan city and proceed to Pingtung Rescue Center. The exact address of this liger zoo is “Pingtung Rescue Center for Endangered Wild Animals, 912, Taiwan, Pingtung County, Neipu Township”. This Liger Zoo is not that much big and it is just a Rescue facility operating as an animal sanctuary. There are hundreds of other animals at this zoo, and it is publically funded by the Taiwanese individuals.

A Liger Zoo having 1 male liger exists at the Tainan city of Taiwan. Photo Courtesy of WAZAN

Ligers became part of this Liger Zoo during the year 2010, when 3 liger cubs were accidentally produced by a female tiger; which was living with a Male African Lion. These liger cubs were born at World Snake King Education farm, which is an animal sanctuary mostly containing snakes, but it also offers lions and tigers for display as well. Out of those 3 liger cubs, only 1 liger cub survived who is currently at Pingtung Rescue Center for Endangered Wild Animals. Currently as of 2014, this liger will be nearly 4 years old. This only surviving liger is a male liger and its name is believed to A-Piao. This liger is believed to be physically disabled as one of its back leg does not bend properly. It is also suffering from abnormal rib bones as well, which cause one of its back legs to be very stiff. The liger cannot walk properly. Currently this fully grown male liger is around 400 pounds in weight.

Picture of a Liger cub that was born during the year 2010. At least 3 liger cubs were born during 2010. Breeding Ligers in Taiwan is illegal. Photo Courtesy of Wazan

Breeding lions and tigers to produce ligers is a declared illegal throughout Taiwan. Therefore; when the liger cubs were born at the liger zoo (World Snake King Education Farm) in Tainan city, there was a huge negative criticism about the birth of the liger cubs. Animal Rights activists were in full swing to criticize the cross-breeding of the rare species. The Zoo owner Mr. Huang was fined thousands of dollars for illegally breeding lions and tigers. Globally the news spread like a huge buzz as soon as the liger cubs were born at the zoo, and the zoo owner was of the opinion that he never realized what was happening in between his lion and the tigress, as he kept them together because of the shortage of space.

Pingtung Rescue Center in Tainan city is also classified as a Liger Zoo that is located in Taiwan. Photo Courtesy of www.ligerworld.com

Currently this only surviving liger is living at a reasonable sized enclosure at Pingtung Rescue Center for Endangered Wild Animals. According to the Rescue Authorities, the monthly cost of this liger is around 7000 US Dollars and the zoo authorities are of the opinion that millions of Taiwanese dollars will be required to raise this liger. A-Piao the Liger is provided with all the best facilities at the zoo, but according to the zoo authorities, the biggest challenge is related to the medical fitness of the ligers. They say that this liger has a lot of disabilities and because of that, most of the spending being spent on this liger is usually on maintaining the normal fitness level of the liger.

A Liger at its enclosure at Pingtung Rescue Center Liger Zoo in Tainan Taiwan. Photo Courtesy of www.liger-hercules.com

The biggest liger related event at this liger zoo was during 2010, when the Pingtung Rescue Center brought two liger cubs from World Snake King Education Farm. At that time, they tried to save both the liger cubs, but only one liger cub survived, while the other liger cub died because its immune system wasn’t strong enough. Secondly during the year 2012, another biggest event took place at this liger zoo, when the authorities publically displayed the Liger and also revealed its name as A-Piao the liger. This was a significant event and people really lauded the efforts of the zoo authorities to save the life of this liger.

APiao the Liger in Taiwan Liger Zoo is believed to be a bit disabled from hind leg. But this liger is very courageous and it is living its life to the maximum despite the presence of a disabled leg. Photo Courtesy of Wazan

If you are looking for a liger, then this zoo in Taiwan will be your best option. However at this zoo; there aren’t that much animals as you might expect. Still there are a lot of endangered animals and you will be very surprised to watch them while visiting there. Tripadvisor.com and yelp.com do not have enough information and feedback reviews about Pingtung Rescue Center for Endangered Wild Animals. Therefore; this liger zoo needs to build a lot of online presence, especially on the social media platform websites.

The presence of the liger still makes this Liger Zoo (Pingtung Rescue Center) as a popular destination in Taiwan and even in China as well. Photo Courtesy of Wazan

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