Taipei Zoo Ticket

What it is

Founded in 1914 and relocated to its current Muzha site in 1986, Taipei Zoo is Taiwan's most celebrated public zoo and a leading institution in conservation and wildlife education. The grounds cover 165 hectares with over 90 hectares open to the public, organized into themed zones: the Formosan Animal Area showcasing Taiwan's endemic species, the African Savanna covering 6 hectares with giraffes and white rhinos, the Tropical Rainforest Area with Asian elephants and Bornean orangutans, the Penguin House with African and king penguins, the Insectarium and butterfly garden, the Desert Animal Area, the Children's Zoo with hands-on animal interactions, and the landmark Pangolin Dome — a 24-meter-tall pavilion completed in 2019 dedicated to wildlife conservation. The zoo is also famous for housing giant pandas, including Yuan Zai, the first panda born in Taiwan. The main gate sits steps from MRT Taipei Zoo Station (Wenhu Line) and is the starting point of the Maokong Gondola.

Highlights

• Giant Panda House — home to the beloved pandas including Yuan Zai, Taiwan's first panda cub born in 2013; consistently the zoo's most popular exhibit
• Formosan Animal Area — spotlights Taiwan's endemic wildlife: Formosan black bears, clouded leopards, Taiwan serows, Taiwanese pangolins, and Formosan rock macaques near the main entrance
• African Savanna Zone — a sprawling 6-hectare exhibit simulating East African grasslands, featuring giraffes, African bush elephants, lions, hippos, zebras, western lowland gorillas, and white rhinos
• Pangolin Dome — an architecturally striking 24-meter dome (2019) inspired by pangolin scales, housing tropical rainforest species and raising awareness about the global pangolin trade
• Penguin House — displays both African penguins and king penguins in climate-controlled habitats in the Temperate Zone, alongside red pandas and brown bears
• Insectarium and Butterfly Garden — a stag-beetle-guarded hall housing hundreds of insect and arachnid species, with a butterfly garden behind it featuring more than 125 butterfly species

Good to know

• Plan for at least 3–5 hours to cover the main zones comfortably; a full day is recommended if you want to see every area including the Pangolin Dome and Children's Zoo
• Getting there is easy: take the Taipei Metro Wenhu Line (brown line) to Taipei Zoo Station — the main entrance is about a 5-minute walk from Exit 2; the Maokong Gondola also departs from just outside the zoo for a scenic cable car ride up to Maokong