Four Formosan blue magpie chicks have been stolen from a nest near Taipei's Neigou Creek (
The Taipei City Government yesterday urged the public not to sell species protected by law, an act that is illegal.
The Formosan blue magpie is a protected species that is the national bird and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou's (
Formosan blue magpies nesting near Neihu District's ecology display center at Neigou Creek have attracted many birdwatchers, the Neihu District Office said.
Lu Ching-hua (
The birdwatchers said the mother was circling around the nest in distress.
A Formosan blue magpie sells for as much as NT$80,000 on the black market.
Lu said the office and residents of Neihu called on the thief not to sell the chicks, emphasizing that selling magpies is illegal and punishable with a fine of NT$300,000.
"We are heartbroken over the missing chicks. It took a lot of effort to create an environment suitable for the magpies and we don't want some greedy person to ruin everything," Lu said.
Taipei City's Department of Civil Affairs yesterday also called on the public not to disturb magpies and to respect the environment. City government officials said the department would dispatch local police to strengthen surveillance efforts.
The department said there were between 40 and 50 magpies nesting in the area, but the number of birds has decreased to between 20 and 30 as a result of visitors disturbing the birds.
TRAFFIC SAFETY RULES: A positive result in a drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000 The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to authorize police to conduct roadside saliva tests by the end of the year to deter people from driving while under the influence of narcotics, it said yesterday. The ministry last month unveiled a draft of amended regulations governing traffic safety rules and penalties, which included provisions empowering police to conduct mandatory saliva tests on drivers. While currently rules authorize police to use oral fluid testing kits for signs of drug use, they do not establish penalties for noncompliance or operating procedures for officers to follow, the ministry said. The proposed changes to the regulations require
The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that registration for a one-time universal NT$10,000 cash handout to help people in Taiwan survive US tariffs and inflation would start on Nov. 5, with payouts available as early as Nov. 12. Who is eligible for the handout? Registered Taiwanese nationals are eligible, including those born in Taiwan before April 30 next year with a birth certificate. Non-registered nationals with residence permits, foreign permanent residents and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens with residence permits also qualify for the handouts. For people who meet the eligibility requirements, but passed away between yesterday and April 30 next year, surviving family members
Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung and Taoyuan would issue a decision at 8pm on whether to cancel work and school tomorrow due to forecasted heavy rain, Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) said today. Hsieh told reporters that absent some pressing reason, the four northern cities would announce the decision jointly at 8pm. Keelung is expected to receive between 300mm and 490mm of rain in the period from 2pm today through 2pm tomorrow, Central Weather Administration data showed. Keelung City Government regulations stipulate that school and work can be canceled if rain totals in mountainous or low-elevation areas are forecast to exceed 350mm in
China Airlines Ltd (CAL) yesterday morning joined SkyTeam’s Aviation Challenge for the fourth time, operating a demonstration flight for “net zero carbon emissions” from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Bangkok. The flight used sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at a ratio of up to 40 percent, the highest proportion CAL has achieved to date, the nation’s largest carrier said. Since April, SAF has become available to Taiwanese international carriers at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), Kaohsiung International Airport and Taoyuan airport. In previous challenges, CAL operated “net zero carbon emission flights” to Singapore and Japan. At a ceremony at Taoyuan airport, China Airlines chief sustainability
RSS