Animal kingdom! Shanghai Zoo marks 70th anniversary
A statue of Banna, an Asian elephant that arrived at the then Shanghai Xijiao Park in 1972, was unveiled at Shanghai Zoo on Thursday.
Shanghai Zoo in Changning District kicked off a series of exhibitions on Thursday to mark the 70th anniversary of its establishment.
A photo exhibition features works solicited from the public, which reflect the changes at the zoo over the past decades and the development of its display areas.
Another exhibition features bird print works of famed ornithologist John Gould, unfolding a magical animal world with brilliant colors and a delicate approach.
There is a stamp exhibition featuring stamps on a wide range of topics such as wildlife and nature.
A retrospective exhibition looking back at the history of the zoo and telling stories of its development is also being held.
People learn the story of Asian elephants.
The park, formerly known as Shanghai Xijiao Park, opened to the pubic on May 25, 1954, and was renamed Shanghai Zoo in 1980.
So far, it has received over 230 million visits and holds dear memories for generations of Shanghainese.
It is now home to more than 5,000 animals of nearly 470 species compared to 40-plus of some 30 species at the very beginning. Among them, nearly 70 are national first-class protected species.
An exhibition takes people into the world of animals.
The park has also successfully bred and reproduced more than 240 species of wild animals with nearly 50 creatures, such as oriental white storks and Chinese alligators, the first to be bred domestically.
In 1972, Banna, an Asian elephant, arrived at the zoo and became an instant celebrity. She was known to all through the 1970s documentary "Elephant Hunting Diary".
The documentary, shot in 1971, showed how wild elephants were captured deep in the forests of Xishuangbanna in southwest China's Yunnan Province. Banna was one of those caught during the filming.
Thousands of people came to Shanghai just to see her. Two years later she fell in love with Bamo, who had come from Beijing Zoo. Together they had eight calves. Bamo remained with Banna after she collapsed, refusing to leave her side even after his beloved died in late 2018 at age 54.
Postcards commemorating the 70th anniversary of Shanghai Zoo.
Banna brought a lot of laughter and joy to Shanghai during her 46-year stay at the zoo.
On Thursday, a bronze statue of Banna and her children was unveiled at the zoo as a mark of commemoration.
At the same time, a zoo alliance of the Yangtze River Delta Region was established, whereby 12 zoos in the region will deepen cooperation and exchanges on the preservation of wildlife, research and public education based on the alliance convention.
Some retired staff of the zoo revisited their former place of work on Thursday.
Yang Tinghui, a giant panda keeper, could not hide her emotions on her return to the zoo.
"I bred giant pandas at the zoo for 23 years," she recalled. "I felt big pressure when undertaking the task as Shanghai only had one giant panda at that time."
"I feel honored as well and every animal I raised is just like a family member," Yang said. "When they were sick, I was very worried, just like my own child.
"I hope the zoo will develop better and better."
One of the ongoing exhibitions at the zoo.
If you go
Opening hours: 8am-5pm
Venue: Shanghai Zoo 上海动物园
Address: 2381 Hongqiao Road, Changning District 上海市长宁区虹桥路2381号
Admission: 40 yuan
Postcards are distributed at the zoo.
