The article may be a bit confusing, however, because your headline and part of the text indicate that the entire species, Sousa chinensis, is on the brink of extinction, whereas the recent activities were focused on the isolated population of the animals that inhabit the coastal waters of western Taiwan. This population has been classified as being critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, while the species as a whole is not yet at that point.
In future references to the animals, I suggest you add the words “Taiwan population of” to modify “Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin.”
Please continue your coverage of this issue. It is an indication that the government seems to think it can save the population with band-aid applications — such as proposing a “postage stamp reserve” or making a film — while delaying action on account of “insufficient research.” At the same time, the premier has declared war on the dolphins (and just about all other species in western Taiwan, including humans) by stating that projects such as the fifth stage expansion of Formosa Plastics Group’s Mailiao industrial park, the Guokuang Petrochemical Park and the Erlin Central Science Park should proceed even before the projects have been shown to be severely flawed from economic, social and environmental perspectives.
There are many in government working hard to conserve and protect the environment. Unfortunately, the folks with the power continue to pursue short-term, unsustainable and highly suspect economic objectives.
ROBIN WINKLER
Director, Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association Taipei
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