Three US-based wildlife advocacy groups are petitioning the US government to help protect the critically imperiled subspecies of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin found in the nation’s waters by listing the animal under the US’ Endangered Species Act (ESA).
If the petition is successful, Washington would pressure Taipei to cut pollution, illegal fishing, marine traffic and other threats to the dolphins in the shallow waters along Taiwan’s heavily populated west coast.
According to the groups — WildEarth Guardians, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) — there are fewer than 75 of the dolphins left and the subspecies could be extinct in a few years.
Photo courtesy of the Council of Agriculture
“This small population of dolphins is in serious trouble and once it disappears it is gone forever,” AWI marine mammal scientist Naomi Rose said. “The US should do everything it can, including listing it under the ESA, to prevent this from happening.”
WildEarth Guardians said in a statement last week that the species, also known as the pink dolphin, is a biologically and culturally important subspecies, and one of many small cetaceans around the world facing “imminent extinction.”
Two years ago, the US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) refused to list the subspecies under the ESA, saying it was the same animal as the more plentiful Chinese white dolphin that swims in deeper waters close to China.
However since then, new taxonomy studies have concluded that the dolphin is a distinct subspecies with unique characteristics.
For example, its skin color changes from grey to pink as it matures.
Government sources said that it was unlikely that a decision about listing the dolphin would be made before June.
The dolphins live only in the eastern Taiwan Strait and their population does not emigrate to or immigrate with other adjacent dolphin populations.
The primary range of the pink dolphin is the western coast of Taiwan from the northern Houlong River (後龍溪) and Jhonggang (中港溪) in Miaoli County to the southern Waishanding sandbar (外傘頂洲) in Chaiyi County.
It was estimated in 2002 that 99 dolphins remained, but estimates now put the figure at between 54 and 74.
There have been no sightings further than 3km from the shoreline or in waters deeper than 30m.
Over the past seven years there have been a series of demonstrations by Taiwanese conservationists protesting proposed industrial developments near the dolphin’s habitat.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
SHOT IN THE ARM: The new system can be integrated with Avenger and Stinger missiles to bolster regional air defense capabilities, a defense ministry report said Domestically developed Land Sword II (陸射劍二) missiles were successfully launched and hit target drones during a live-fire exercise at the Jiupeng Military Base in Pingtung County yesterday. The missiles, developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST), were originally scheduled to launch on Tuesday last week, after the Tomb Sweeping Day holiday long weekend, but were postponed to yesterday due to weather conditions. Local residents and military enthusiasts gathered outside the base to watch the missile tests, with the first one launching at 9:10am. The Land Sword II system, which is derived from the Sky Sword II (天劍二) series, was turned