Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Shu-fen (林淑芬) yesterday called for regulations on the extermination of invasive species, after images emerged on the Internet showing a man killing a green iguana by placing a firecracker in its mouth.
The images went viral after the Facebook group Baoliao Commune reposted them on Feb. 19, saying that the government’s bid to control the green iguana population by mobilizing local residents has resulted in animal abuse.
The Council of Agriculture’s lax regulations for pet imports is to blame for the nation’s invasive species problem, Lin told a news conference at the Legislative Yuan, which was also attended by members of the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
The government should stop subsidizing citizens for killing or capturing invasive species, and instead devise a policy that utilizes animal control professionals acting under clear guidelines to safely and ethically handle animals, Lin said.
Reports that green iguanas were being consumed as game meat suggest that the unregulated hunting of the animals poses a threat to public health, she said, adding that wild animals could carry zoonotic diseases.
Society representatives said the council urgently needs to create regulations for removing invasive species.
The regulations must state that invasive species should not be abused, that removal should be conducted by qualified professionals, and that the animals should be put down without causing unnecessary pain or suffering, Lin said.
The carcasses of euthanized animals should be disposed of, and should not be used to produce meat or leather products, which could expose the public to diseases, she said.
Forestry Bureau Director of Conservation Lo Yu-chuan (羅尤娟) said the council’s volunteer iguana catchers utilize nets, and have been trained to humanely capture the animals.
A faculty member at the Pingtung University of Science Technology has been appointed to help the county government educate the public on the ethical treatment of animals, she said, adding that the council could also release its internal animal control guidelines for public use.
The council’s Department of Animal Husbandry and Animal Protection Director Cheng Chu-ching (鄭祝菁) said her department has opened investigations into the firecracker incident, and allegations that iguanas were being harvested for meat or hides.
Authorities in several counties have copied the online images as evidence, she said.
People who kill or harm a pet green iguana could face at least one year in prison under Article 25 of the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法), she added.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Kaohsiung at 1pm today, the Central Weather Administration said. The epicenter was in Jiasian District (甲仙), 72.1km north-northeast of Kaohsiung City Hall, at a depth of 7.8km, agency data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in Kaohsiung and Tainan, where it measured a 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale. It also measured a 3 in parts of Chiayi City, as well as Pingtung, Yunlin and Hualien counties, data showed.
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
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