Stricter management of hunting activities and a national wildlife census are urgently needed in Taiwan, civic groups said June 7.
At a news conference in Taipei City, the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan released a survey showing that permits for 303 hunts to take wildlife for the purposes of aboriginal ceremonies were issued between 2009 and April 2012 in Hualien, Nantou and Taitung counties and New Taipei and Kaohsiung cities. The permits authorized the taking of 26,783 individual animals of more than 20 species, including muntjac and sambar deer, wild boars, civets, Formosan rock macaques and birds such as shrikes and sparrows.
In only 53 cases, however, were the number of animals taken and their species reported to local governments upon completion of the hunt as required by law.
“With such a low level of reporting, the actual number of animals killed was probably far greater than what was authorized,” said Chu Tseng-hung, EAST executive director, adding that individual of species not on the official hunting lists were most likely also taken.
Moreover, according to the society, at least 131 illegal hunts were reported in the media between 2006 and April 2012, with almost 700 animals killed.
The news conference came one day after the promulgation of an administrative regulation on wildlife hunting for aboriginal rituals. “The Wildlife Conservation Act, the law that requires this particular regulation, has existed since 2004,” Chu said. In the intervening eight years, management of hunting has been inconsistent, at best, he said.
“Taiwan has yet to conduct a comprehensive, nationwide wildlife census,” said Thomas Chan, a lawyer and EAST chairman. “How do the Forestry Bureau and local governments issue permits?”
Lynn Lin, secretary-general of the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, said, “The underground market for wild animals as food is so big that illegal hunting and fishing are rampant.” Poachers have been caught during breeding seasons and within national parks, she added, indicating that only the tip of iceberg has been uncovered.
Both groups called for the establishment of a monitoring system for hunting, with results freely available to the public. In response, the Forestry Bureau said it would step up oversight efforts. (THN)
News Link:-http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=191972&ctNode=445
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