Taipei Zoo offers nocturnal elephant encounters for World Elephant Day

Taipei Zoo is extending its Saturday hours throughout August for a special "Night Safari" series, with elephants taking center stage on August 15th as part of the "Night Migration" theme.

Visitors attending the evening event can explore the zoo's main pathway to observe large herbivores, including African elephants and Asian elephants temporarily housed in the African Animal Area. The zoo highlights that elephants, like other large animals such as giraffes, hippos, and zebras, remain active during the night. African elephants, in particular, often increase their nocturnal activity to avoid daytime heat, continuing to feed and seek water sources.

“

In the wild, they [African elephants] will still be active intermittently at night. African elephants take advantage of the evening to avoid the high temperatures during the day. They need to eat a lot of plants and will continue to feed after dark, and will also look for water sources, migrate, and interact socially.

The zoo emphasizes that elephants also engage in social interactions and may even shift their activity patterns to nighttime to minimize conflict with expanding human populations. The "Night Migration" event offers a unique opportunity to witness these behaviors firsthand and learn about elephant care from the keepers.

Beyond observing the elephants, the zoo encourages visitors to support conservation efforts. This includes rejecting elephant performances, choosing ethical tourism, and supporting sustainable products like palm oil and forest goods that help protect the elephants' rainforest habitats. Additionally, a special exhibition, "Living with Elephants, Welcoming the Future," is available at the former Asian elephant enclosure on weekends, detailing the zoo's 40-year journey in improving animal welfare.

“

As human activity expands, wild African elephant herds may even increase the proportion of nighttime activity to avoid human interference and conflict.