Taiwan is to set up its first turtle sanctuary, officials said on Sunday, after the second seizure within weeks of more than 2,000 of the protected creatures, which had been bound for dinner plates in China.
Coast Guard Administration personnel on Saturday discovered 2,439 Asian yellow pond and yellow-lined box turtles in a fishing boat in Donggang, a port in Pingtung County.
The skipper of the boat, bound for China, and three Indonesian crew were arrested. They could face jail terms of up to five years plus a fine of up to NT$1.5 million (US$50,400), according to the Wildlife Protection Act (野生動物保育法).
Coast guard personnel seized 2,626 rare turtles on board another boat last month, as they were being taken off the island, in what the authorities said was their biggest ever seizure of smuggled turtles.
They were to be sold as a delicacy or used as an ingredient in China for traditional medicine, officials said.
The sanctuary on the Feitsui Reservoir (翡翠水庫) outside Taipei will open next month.
“The preservation of rare turtles in the [reservoir] area is already relatively better” compared with other areas in the nation, forestry bureau official Kuan Li-hao said.
“Once the sanctuary is set up, patrols will be stepped up there to deter poaching,” Kuan said.
“As winter approaches, the demand for turtles in China, especially in the south, is rising,” Kuan said.
Because the number of wild turtles is in sharp decline in China, market prices have surged to about five times those of Taiwan.
The two types of turtles seized in the past three weeks are in the second tier of Taiwan’s national three-category wildlife protection list, meaning they are deemed rare and valuable. The first category is for endangered species.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Friday laid out the Cabinet’s updated policy agenda and recapped the government’s achievements ahead of the one-year anniversary of President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration. Cho said the government had made progress across a range of areas, including rebuilding Hualien, cracking down on fraud, improving pedestrian safety and promoting economic growth. “I hope the public will not have the impression that the Cabinet only asked the legislature to reconsider a bunch of legal amendments,” Cho said, calling the moves “necessary” to protect constitutional governance and the public’s interest. The Cabinet would work toward achieving its “1+7” plan, he said. The
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
RSS