Ueno Zoo

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Ueno Zoo (gate)

The Ueno Zoo (恩賜上野動物園, Onshi Ueno Dōbutsuen^?) is a zoo, owned by the government of Tokyo, and located in Taito Ward, Tokyo, Japan. Japan's first and now most famous zoo, it opened on March 20, 1882. Its location, a five-minute walk from the Park Exit of Ueno Station, makes access from Tokyo's public-transportation network convenient. The Ueno Zoo Monorail, the first monorail in the country, connects the eastern and western parts of the grounds.

Ueno Zoo's saddest time came during World War II. The Japanese Army ordered that all "wild and dangerous animals" at the zoo be killed, claiming that bombs could hit the zoo and escaping wild animals would wreak havoc in the streets of Tokyo. Requests by the staff at the zoo for a reprieve, or to evacuate the animals elsewhere, were refused. Ueno Zoo's three elephants at the time, John, Tonky, and Wanly (or Wang Lee) were too clever to eat the poisoned food, and thus were slowly starved to death. The fate of Ueno's animals, particularly the elephants, has often been used in Japan as an example of the evils of war.

The giant panda, Sumatran tiger, and western lowland gorilla head the list of the zoo's population of 422 species (as of March, 2003). Ueno has more variety than any other zoo in the nation.

Within the limits in which it operates, the Ueno Zoo attempts to provide the animals an environment similar to the natural habitat. In recent years, the dreary, old-fashioned cages of the past have been replaced with modern habitats, such as the "Gorilla Woods".

Redistribution of the animals among Tokyo's other zoos (including Tama Zoo and Inokashira Nature Park) left Ueno without a lion. However, in response to public demand, Ueno borrowed a female from the Yokohama Municipal Zoo.

The Ueno Zoo is located within Ueno Park, a large urban park that is home to several museums, a small amusement park, and other attractions.

Principal animals

Here are some of the animals at the Ueno Zoo:

• Giant panda
• Sumatran tiger
• Western lowland gorilla
• Asiatic lion
• Polar bear
• Lesser panda (also known as the Red Panda)
• Asian elephant
• Reticulated Giraffe
• White rhinoceros
• Zebra
• Japanese macaque
• Red-crowned crane
• White-tailed eagle
• Goat
• Sheep
• Pig
• Ostrich
• Rabbit

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Ueno Zoo.")