Lin Wang (林旺), Taipei City Zoo's star elephant, decorated World War II veteran and the world's oldest Asian elephant in captivity, died early yesterday morning at the zoo at the grand old age of 86.
"Lin Wang was found dead by his pool at 2:30am yesterday. He died with dignity from extreme weakness due to old age," said Lin Hua-ching (林華慶), a city zoo section chief.
An autopsy later determined that he died from cardiopulmonary failure.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Lin Wang showed signs of frailty after the Lunar New Year holiday early this month, moving slowly and eating less.
The zookeeper said the elephant had been observed spending unusually long periods of time in the pool by his enclosure, known as the White House, since last Friday.
"Though we knew his health was deteriorating, we're still surprised that he has died so soon. But we take solace from the dignified way in which he died -- the fact that he didn't experience a lot of pain," Lin said.
The zoo plans to have the body of the pachyderm stuffed and displayed at the zoo, together with a reconstruction of his skeleton, an undertaking that will require around NT$5 million.
"We hope local businesses will donate the necessary funds for the project," Lin said.
The octogenarian had lived in Taiwan for more than five decades. Known as "Granddaddy Lin Wang," the elephant was an icon to many Taiwanese, young and old.
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday sent wreathes to the zoo yesterday, bearing the inscription, "For Lin Wang, a friend forever."
Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said: "The average life expectancy of Asian elephants is 50 years. Lin Wang had exceeded that period by so long that he had become an icon to four generations of people in Taiwan. When I was a child, my parents took me to see Lin Wang at the zoo. When I became a father, I took my daughters to see him. We watched him grow old, but he also accompanied us as we grew up."
Ma said the city government had originally planned to allow the nation's students and children to visit the zoo for free to wish the elephant well for three days starting Friday, knowing that he was weakening.
The activity will still proceed as planned, but for the purposes of conveying condolences.
"We didn't expect him to die so soon. But the activity will go ahead as scheduled," Ma said.
Lin Wang's extraordinary story began in 1943 when the ROC military acquired the elephant from Japanese prisoners of war in Burma during World War II. At the time, Lin Wang was about 26 years old.
He was used for carrying military supplies during the war and was honored later for his contributions to the war effort.
In 1947, he was transported to Kaohsiung and was transferred to Taipei City Zoo in 1954, where he lived with his long-term companion Malan.
Malan died last October at the age of 54 due to a malignant tumor on her foot.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday said that the Chinese Communist Party was planning and implementing “major” reforms, ahead of a political conclave that is expected to put economic recovery high on the agenda. Chinese policymakers have struggled to reignite growth since late 2022, when restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted. The world’s second-largest economy is beset by a debt crisis in the property sector, persistently low consumption and high unemployment among young people. Policymakers “are planning and implementing major measures to further deepen reform in a comprehensive manner,” Xi said in a speech at the Great Hall
CIVIL DEFENSE: More reservists in alternative service would help establish a sound civil defense system for use in wartime and during natural disasters, Kuma Academy’s CEO said While a total of 120,000 reservists are expected to be called up for alternative reserve drills this year, compared with the 6,505 drilled last year, the number has been revised to 58,000 due to a postponed training date, Deputy Minster of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) said. In principle, the ministry still aims to call up 120,000 reservists for alternative reserve drills next year, he said, but the actual number would not be decided later until after this year’s evaluation. The increase follows a Legislative Yuan request that the Ministry of the Interior address low recruitment rates, which it made while reviewing
DETERRENCE: Along with US$500 million in military aid and up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees, the bill would allocate US$400 million to countering PRC influence The US House of Representatives on Friday approved an appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025 that includes US$500 million in military aid for Taiwan. The legislation, which authorizes funding for the US Department of State, US foreign operations and related programs for next year, passed 212-200 in the Republican-led House. The bill stipulates that the US would provide no less than US$500 million in foreign military financing for Taiwan to enhance deterrence across the Taiwan Strait, and offer Taipei up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees for the same purpose. The funding would be made available under the US’ Foreign Military
WARNING: China has stepped up harassment of foreign vessels after its new regulation took effect last month, an official said, citing an incident in the Diaoyutai Islands The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday linked China’s seizure of a Taiwanese fishing vessel illegally operating in its territorial waters to Beijing’s new regulation authorizing the China Coast Guard to seize boats in waters it claims. Chinese officials boarded and then seized a Taiwanese fishing vessel operating near China’s coast close to Kinmen County late on Tuesday and took it to a Chinese port, the CGA said. The Penghu-registered squid fishing vessel Da Jin Man No. 88 (大進滿88) was boarded and seized by China Coast Guard east-northeast of Liaoluo Bay (料羅灣), 17.5 nautical miles (32.4km) from Taiwan’s restricted waters off Kinmen,