The Greater Kaohsiung Government is to penalize people found hurting Formosan macaques, a local agricultural official said, following increasing reports of abuse against the animals.
In the latest case, a resident told the city’s Agriculture Bureau that a Formosan macaque was beaten by someone with a stick at a parking lot near Shoushan Zoo on Friday, according to Lin Chi-hsien (林志嫺), a division head at the bureau.
The resident also reported the case to police and provided information, such as the suspect’s vehicle license plate number, Lin said.
The suspect reportedly told police that he was trying to protect a female Formosan macaque and her young, which were being tormented by a male.
The bureau, in collaboration with the police, is following up on the matter, Lin said, stressing that the Formosan macaque is a protected endemic species.
Article 18 of the Wildlife Conservation Act (野生動物保育法) stipulates that protected wildlife should not be disturbed, abused, hunted, killed or otherwise utilized, Lin said.
Violators may be jailed for up to one year or fined NT$60,000 to NT$300,000, he said.
However, if the protected animal dies as a result of human abuse, the maximum penalty would be two years in prison or a fine of NT$100,000 to NT$500,000, he added.
The city government has set up a task force to promote education on the conservation of Formosan macaques and is urging people not to feed, touch, threaten or attack the animals, Lin said.
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