Over 40 dolphins slaughtered

The Coast Guard Administra-tion and investigating agents seized more than 40 slaughtered dolphins in Sufu, in Yunlin County yesterday and arrested two people. Tipped off about the illegal slaughtering of the animals, coast guard officials and agents began a stakeout four months ago before raiding a slaughter house owned by Wu Wan-chiao (吳萬教), 67, and finding the dolphins, some of which had been butchered while others were still intact. Wu was convicted in 1995 and again in 1996 for slaughtering dolphins. The 1996 case was the biggest haul in Taiwan, when agents found more than 100 carcasses at a freezing plant. The Wildlife Conservation Law says that those who slaughter protected species face up to seven years in prison and a fine of NT$2.5 million (US$68,300).