What types of nature reserve are there in Taiwan?
In Taiwan there are 6 types of protected area with a nature conservation objective: nature reserve, wildlife refuge, major wildlife habitat, nature preserve, national Park and national Nature Park.
How can I report illegal entry into and damage to a nature reserve and how will the managing unit handle the matter and punish offenders?
Illegal entry or damage caused to a nature reserve can be directly reported to local forest district offices under land management institutions and county and city governments. The Forest Police of the 7th Special Police Corps or local police will go to investigate. If violations of the law are found, depending on the seriousness of the offense, punishment of imprisonment, detention and/or fine can be imposed under the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act. Under Subparagraphs 6 and 7 of Article 94 and Subparagraph 3 of Article 98 this Act, picking, cutting, digging or using other methods to damage natural monuments or their ecological environment, or changing or damaging the natural state of a nature reserve, will be punished by imprisonment up to five years, detention and/ or fine of NT$200,000 –NT$1 million. Entering a nature reserve without permission from the competent authority will be punished with a fine of NT$30,000 to 150,000.
The scopes of major wildlife habitats and wildlife refuges overlap in many cases. What is the difference between the two?
Major wildlife habitats are established by the central competent authority to retain the current conditions of a habitat and how the land is being used, so as to avoid large scale, non-sustainable development, in accordance with Paragraph 4, Article 8 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Article 10 of the Act’s Enforcement Rules. Existing construction and land use is monitored and all new development land use after the establishment of a major wildlife habitat must be reviewed and, when necessary, an environmental impact assessment will be required. Wildlife refuges can be established according to Article 10 of the Wildlife Protection Act when a local competent authority decides that an area needs special protection; a conservation plan will also be formulated to implement various operating and management measures. According to Article 12 of the Act’s Enforcement Rules, a wildlife refuge is divided into the core area, buffer area and sustainable use area and differentiated management measures are adopted, thus the two types of area overlap in many cases.
How should discovery of illegal sale, slaughter or hunting of wild animals be handled?
If illegal sale, slaughter or hunting of wild animals is discovered, it can be reported to the local police or the Forest Police of the 7th Special Police Corps and law enforcement officers will then take photographs or film as evidence. If it is certain that laws are being breached, the matter will be handled according to the laws. Members of the public should not attempt to handle the matter themselves to avoid danger.
What are the rules about breeding and rearing protected wildlife and ordinary wildlife?
In principle, the Wildlife Protection Act is intended to manage the animal populations that are divided into ordinary and protected wildlife. According to the Wildlife Protection Act, “unless otherwise stipulated elsewhere in this act or in other regulations, protected wild animals should not be harassed, hunted, slaughtered, bought and sold, exhibited, displayed, imported, exported reared or bred.” This applies to protected wild animals caught in the wild and animals artificially bred and reared that are in the list of protected species in Article 55 of the Act. Other protected animal species produced through artificial breeding are not subject to these restrictions, however. To rear or breed such species, a certificate or proof of artificial breeding must first be obtained. As for ordinary wild animals, based on the spirit on which the Act was made, breeding or rearing is not encouraged. The rearing and breeding of wild animals is also subject to other regulations (such as those regarding quarantine, business registration, breeding site establishment and animal rearing environment). Please enquire and apply to the local city government’s agricultural unit in advance.
Can protected and ordinary wild animals that have been bred and reared in captivity be bought and sold?
The limited types of protected wild animals that have been artificially bred and reared in captivity that can be sold are listed in Article 55 of the Wildlife Protection Act. There are no restrictions for ordinary wild animals. However, a valid business license or proof that the animals are legally owned must be held to buy and sell such animals. If a species is listed by CITIES, sale must meet the CITES species export/import buying and selling rules of the International Trade Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
How is an application to hunt ordinary wild animals made? What things need to be paid attention to?
Articled 17 of the Wildlife Protection Act stipulates that hunting of ordinary mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians other than for academic or educational purposes should be carried in an area designated by the local competent authority and a permit must first be obtained from the local competent authority and entrusted body or group. However, Article 21 of the Act states that wild animals can be hunted or killed if they threaten public safety or the lives of people, threaten crops and livestock, poultry and aquaculture, spread disease or parasites, interfere with aviation and if the approval of the competent authority is received. Prior agreement of the competent authority must first be obtained. This article does not apply to protected species.
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Last updated on:2018-04-24