Shoushan Zoo 壽山動物園

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The Shoushan Zoo (aka Kaohsiung City Shoushan Zoo) is the second largest zoo in Taiwan, and at the same time has an extremely affordable price of only 40 NT per adult. If you have time you should definitely stop by and visit this zoo, if not for anything else but to see popular animals including Formosan black bear,, African elephants, Bengal tigers, Siberian tigers, mini horses, African lions, and orangutans. 

Background:
The Shoushan Zoo was originally established in 1978 near the Xiziwan, and was known as the Xiziwan Zoo. Due to the construction of Chungshan University in Xiziwan, the Zoo was relocated to Shoushan and opened again in 1986.  In 2009, the zoo underwent a major renovation which expanded the park and made it more child friendly. Also two Siberian Tigers were added. 
 
The current zoo includes a Taiwan indigenous animal exhibit, children's petting zoo, American Asian animal exhibits, American animal exhibit, African animal exhibits, primate exhibit, and bird exhibit. Popular animals here include African elephants, Formosan black bear, Bengal tigers, Siberian tigers, mini horses, African lions, and orangutans. 

Hours:
9 AM to 5 PM, tickets are not sold after 4:00 PM. 
Closed Mondays.

Price:
40 NT per person
Train: 50 NT per person

How to get there:
By MRT/Bus: From MRT Formosa Boulevard Station, take bus 52 to the Shoushan Zoo. The trip takes about 30 minutes. 
By Car/Scooter: Drive to Xiziwan and take Xinglong Road up the mountain to the zoo. The parking lot is about 500 meters from the zoo entrance. Parking is 30 NT per day for cars.

Map:
Please see below:

Our Journey:

I have been to the Shoushan Zoo twice. It is definitely worth a stop in Kaohsiung, and it is the only zoo in Taiwan that has Siberian Tigers. 
​There is a train that goes around the zoo, but considering the zoo is not very big, and the price for the train is more than the price of entrance, we gave it a pass. 

The parking lot is a bit of a walk from the entrance, about 500 meters. The bus goes pretty much all the way to the entrance though.

However there is a nice path from the parking lot that goes slightly uphill. 

No feeding monkeys and no dogs allowed.

View of the 85 from the zoo entrance. 

Walk up the the entrance. You can pay via Yikatong Card here. 

At the front of the park there is a big play area for kids with a water fountain. In winter though it is too cold to play in that. 

Kangaroos.

Giant Tourtieses.

A full map of the zoo.

The children's water fountain play area, which is only really useful in the summer when it is super hot.

Bison.

Mini hippo.

Another view of the mini hippos.

Another view of the hippos. 

Monekys.

Closer view of the monkey. It tried to talk us into letting him out. But we were on to his tricks. 

A Gorilla telling us not to smoke.

Formosan black bear cage, with no black bear that day :(.

Formosan wild boar.

Barking deer, native to Taiwan.

Reese's Muntjac, native to Taiwan.

Llamas.

Zebras.

More Zebras.

African Lion.

Peacock. 

Stork.

Another view of the lions.

Siberean Tiger. This is my favorite animal in the zoo. My friend once took a photo of one of them swimming but I don't have it.

The best I have is one of them resting on this bridge.

Another one hiding in the grass.

Bengal Tiger, this guy is huge. 

Another lion in a hut.

I'm pretty sure this is not a zoo animal, but rather a wild Formosan Macaque running loose in the zoo. 

Elephant.

Another view.

Closer view.

Rhino.

Those Rhinos got super close to us.

One started moving a log with its horn, that was a highlight. 

If you have time, you should also go hiking around Shoushan aka Monkey Mountain and get some nice views of Kaohsiung. 

​Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more of our blogs on Kaohsiung to come!

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