Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

An overwhelming number of voters have determined the name of the baby Formosan black bear at Taipei Zoo! Among the votes casted, 747 votes went to the name Hei-tang (“Black Sugar”). Mayor Hau Lung-bin presented the award to two lucky winners chosen from those who cast their votes for the winning name on July 18.
The naming of the baby cub officially kicked off in June with a round of voting by zoo visitors; a second round of online voting at the zoo’s website took place in July, attracting over 2,000 votes. Hei-tang defeated the second place name Oh-mi-ma, which attracted 380 votes.
The mayor also reminded the audience that 2009 is the “Year of the Gorilla” and invited the public to support conservation efforts. He hoped that the audience will show their concern for endangered animals such as the gorilla, the panda, the king penguin, the Formosan black bear, and the Formosan sika deer.
During the event, the mayor also took part in an interactive quiz with the audience. The questions centered on the Year of the Gorilla, including “What color is the back of an adult gorilla?” and “In which country did zoologist Dian Fossey conduct her 18-year-long research on gorillas?”
Hau announced that Taipei Zoo will be extending its hours to 9PM on the Saturdays between July 18 and August 29. He noted that this will be a great opportunity for visitors to observe the nocturnal behaviors of animals.