Lin Wang the Elephant
Lin Wang was originally part of the Japanese military forces in 1941. During a battle with the Japanese as part of the Sino-Japanese War, a Chinese Expeditionary Force captured 13 elephants, including Lin Wang in 1943. The Japanese had used Lin Wang to pull artillery pieces and transport supplies. He would serve a similar purpose for the Chinese until the Expeditionary Force was called back to China in 1945. By the time the Expeditionary Force, and the 7 elephants that had survived the journey back to China, arrived at their destination the war was over.
Lin Wang and the other elephants were then put to work building monuments for the martyrs of the war. In 1946, the elephants performed in a circus that was used as a fundraiser for famine relief. Then Lin Wang was sent to a park in Guangzhou. In 1947 three elephants were chosen to go to Taiwan to train new troops. One elephant died on the way and the other two, including Lin Wang, were used to transport logs and other tasks needed at the army base. In 1951, the other elephant died making Lin Wang the only surviving elephant out of the original 13.
So in honor of his endearing service, the army sent him to the Taipei Zoo in 1952. There he was given the name Lin Wang after his original name “Ah Mei” which was considered too feminine by Lin Wang’s zookeeper. At the zoo, Lin Wang met his mate and became a celebrity throughout Taiwan. Many referred to him as “Grandpa Lin Wang” out of love and respect for the animal. In 1983 he was thrown a huge birthday for his 66th birthday, a tradition which the zoo continued every year until Lin Wang’s death in 2003.