東京・上野動物園の元園長・中川志郎さん

1931-2012

元上野動物園長の中川志郎さん死去　「パンダ課長」

東京・上野動物園の元園長・中川志郎さん

　東京・上野動物園の元園長で、ジャイアントパンダが初来日したときの飼育リーダーを務めた日本動物愛護協会名誉会長の中川志郎（なかがわ・しろう）さん が１６日午後７時、間質性肺炎のため埼玉県川口市の病院で死去した。８１歳だった。通夜は１９日午後６時、葬儀は２０日正午からさいたま市南区白幡３の １０の８のセレモニー武蔵浦和ホールで。喪主は妻啓子さん。
　茨城県出身。宇都宮農林専門学校（現宇都宮大）獣医畜産科を卒業し、１９５２年から上野動物園に勤務。７２年に日中国交正常化を記念して同園に贈られたパンダのランランとカンカンが初めてお目見えした時の飼育課長で、「パンダ課長」と親しまれた。
　その後、多摩動物公園（東京都日野市）に移ってからは、コアラの飼育も手がけた。８４年に多摩動物公園長に就任し、８７～９０年に上野動物園長を務めた。

VOX POPULI: Ueno zoo’s ‘Panda chief’ passes away

July 20, 2012

Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of the vernacular Asahi Shimbun.

Lan Lan, one of the first two giant pandas that came to Japan in 1972 as gifts from China, died in 1979 at Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Gardens. Many Japanese took the news hard, but none was more heartbroken than Shiro Nakagawa, the pandas' chief keeper since their arrival at the zoo. So deep was his grief that Nakagawa could not bring himself to attend Lan Lan's autopsy.
A few days later, Nakagawa contributed an essay, titled "You Kept Your Promise," to The Asahi Shimbun. According to Nakagawa, he got Lan Lan to "promise" on New Year's Day that she would have a baby by the end of the year. She kept her promise and became pregnant, but died before giving birth. For Nakagawa, it was a double tragedy.

Nakagawa, known affectionately as "Panda Kacho" (Panda section chief), died on July 16 at age 81. An animal lover from childhood, he devoted his life and career to caring for animals, serving as director of the Tama Zoological Park and later of the Ueno Zoological Gardens.
Upon earning a degree in veterinary medicine, Nakagawa had his mind set on working at the Ueno zoo. He pleaded with the zoo's director to hire him for a part-time position for 230 yen a day. After working his way up for five years, he became a full-time employee, showing how truly he loved his chosen profession.

About 20 years ago, when The Asahi Shimbun reported that the London Zoo was on the verge of closing down due to financial difficulties, Nakagawa was one of the first to respond. Together with TV personality Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, he organized a drive to solicit donations from the public. Thanks partly to these donations, the London Zoo survived, as did many of its animals, who otherwise might have been put down.

Nakagawa showered equal love on high-profile and lesser-known animals alike. I can picture all those animals Nakagawa cared for during his life--and they are legion--greeting him at the pearly gates. Lan Lan and her mate, Kang Kang, must be overjoyed to see him. Nakagawa is going to be busy up there reminiscing about all the old times with his beloved wards.

--The Asahi Shimbun, July 20