'Oyen' Becomes 'Zoo Negara Star' For Attracting 95% Of Visitors
The number of visitors has doubled because of the cat's popularity, said Zoo Negara's vice president.
By Tamara Jayne — 09 Aug 2023, 10:43 AM
'Oyen', a ginger cat who resides with the capybaras in Zoo Negara, is no stranger to Malaysians.
In fact, it's become one of the main reasons there's been an increase in visitors.
Zoo Negara vice president Rosly@Rahmat Ahmat Lana said Oyen's friendship with the capybaras over the past three years has been the reason 95% of visitors visit the national zoo.
"Oyen is very popular, that's why I call him The Star of Zoo Negara. The number of visitors has doubled, especially on weekends," he said, according to Bernama.
He added that the staff are trying to find a partner that is the same type and age as Oyen, so that the cat can have children to carry on its legacy
Oyen, who was once an abandoned cat, went viral a few years ago when visitors started spotting the ginger cat roaming and napping in the capybara enclosure.
It's unclear when Oyen joined the capybara community, but zookeepers said they first discovered the cat at feeding hours sometime during the pandemic.
At the moment, Oyen is being cared for by the zoo, which offers it nutritious meals and hopes to grow closer to the cat, so they can monitor its health levels.
