Authorities in Taoyuan are searching for a non-native baboon, possibly of the chacma species, that has been spotted several times in the city’s Pingjhen District (平鎮) over the past 12 days, and was most recently seen in coastal Sinwu District (新屋).
The baboon was first spotted near a local factory on March 10 in central Taoyuan, Jhensing Borough Warden Huang Chih-chieh (黃志杰) said.
Huang said he requested the Leofoo Village Theme Park’s help after a second sighting on Saturday.
Photo courtesy of Yongan Borough Warden Chen Chin-fu
In other sightings, the baboon raided fruit and vegetable gardens on private property, and has evaded one capture attempt via a tranquilizer dart.
Media reported that the animal might have escaped from Leofoo Village, which is about 12km from Pingjhen District.
However, a Leofoo Village spokesperson said that the park on Saturday took an inventory of its baboons after learning of the sightings, and found that none were missing.
Regardless, the park, “in the spirit of friendship” with the local community, sent staff to help locate and trap the baboon, the spokesperson said, adding that those efforts were ongoing.
Taipei Zoo also said that none of its baboons were missing.
The Taoyuan Animal Protection Office yesterday said that it has no record of registered baboons in the city, which means the animal was either kept there illegally or was abandoned by owners from another city or county.
The office said it has set a number of baited traps and would consider using a tranquilizer gun if necessary.
Based on reported sightings, the baboon apparently left the Jhensing area on Monday and has been moving in a northwesterly direction.
The animal on Wednesday was spotted near Meigao Road Sec 3 in Taoyuan’s northwest coastal Sinwu District.
A Leofoo Village employee who spotted the baboon said that it appears to weigh about 20kg and is about 110cm tall on its hind legs. By comparison, native Formosan rock macaques weigh 5kg to 12kg.
While initial reporting identified the animal as an olive baboon, the Forestry Bureau yesterday said that it was most likely a chacma. Both species are native to Africa.
The public should stay at least 10m away from the baboon and eye contact should not be made, Taipei Zoo African animals specialist Cheng Wei-jen (鄭惟仁) said, adding that authorities should be contacted immediately if it is spotted.
Illegally keeping protected animals as pets is subject to a fine ranging from NT$10,000 to NT$50,000, as per the Wildlife Conservation Act (野生動物保育法).
Additional reporting by Wei Chin-yun
A Keelung high school on Saturday night apologized for using a picture containing a Chinese flag on the cover of the senior yearbook, adding that it has recalled the books and pledged to provide students new ones before graduation on Thursday. Of 309 Affiliated Keelung Maritime Senior High School of National Taiwan Ocean University graduates, 248 had purchased the yearbook. Some students said that the printer committed an outrageous error in including the picture, while others said that nobody would notice such a small flag on the cover. Other students said that they cared more about the photographs of classmates and what was
GOING INTERNATIONAL: Rakuten Girls squad leader Ula Shen said she was surprised that baseball fans outside of Taiwan not only knew of them, but also knew their names Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Oakland Athletics on Saturday hosted its first Taiwanese Heritage Day event at the Oakland Coliseum with a performance by Taiwanese cheerleading squad the Rakuten Girls and a video message from Vice President William Lai (賴清德). The Rakuten Girls, who are the cheerleaders for the CPBL’s Rakuten Monkeys, performed in front of a crowd of more than 2,000 people, followed by a prerecorded address by Lai about Taiwan’s baseball culture and democratic spirit. Taiwanese pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸), who was signed by the Athletics earlier this year, was also present. Mizuki Lin (林襄), considered a “baseball cheerleading goddess” by Taiwanese
WAY OF THE RUKAI: ‘Values deemed worthy often exist amid discomfort, so when people go against the flow, nature becomes entwined with our lives,’ a student said “Run, don’t walk” after your dreams, Nvidia cofounder and chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) told National Taiwan University (NTU) graduates yesterday, as several major universities held in-person graduation ceremonies for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. “What will you create? Whatever it is, run after it. Run, don’t walk. Remember, either you’re running for food, or you are running from becoming food. Oftentimes, you can’t tell which. Either way, run,” he said. Huang was one of several tech executives addressing graduating students at Taiwanese universities. National Chengchi University held two ceremonies, with alumnus Patrick Pan (潘先國), who is head of Taiwan
A 14-legged giant isopod is the highlight of a new dish at a ramen restaurant in Taipei and it has people lining up — both for pictures and for a bite from this bowl of noodles. Since “The Ramen Boy” launched the limited-edition noodle bowl on Monday last week, declaring in a social media post that it had “finally got this dream ingredient,” more than 100 people have joined a waiting list to dine at the restaurant. “It is so attractive because of its appearance — it looks very cute,” said the 37-year-old owner of the restaurant, who wanted to be