Animal rights activists and environmentalists petitioned in front of the Council of Agriculture yesterday, urging it to take concrete action to save the Eastern Taiwan Strait humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis), an indigenous species of dolphin whose genetic makeup confirms that it is a subpopulation of the Indo-Pacific humpback variety.
The group, including Democratic Progressive Party legislator Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇) as well as the Wild At Heart Legal Defense Association (WaH), launched the petition in response to a decision made by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on Tuesday to list the dolphins as “critically endangered” on its 2008 Red List of Threatened Species.
“Critically endangered” is the highest threat level on the list before a species becomes extinct, WaH specialist Chen Huan-yu (陳奐宇) said, adding that a survey last year had shown that fewer than 100 dolphins remained on Taiwan’s side of the strait.
“Although the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins are prevalent in many parts of the Pacific — including China and Hong Kong — the eastern Taiwan Strait variety is a special subgroup that is characterized by bluish gray spots all over the body during adolescent years, which then turn completely white in adulthood,” Chen said.
“The trait is not observed in other Indo-Pacific humpbacks and is a genetic distinction only seen in the Taiwanese variety,” he said.
The animals face an imminent threat of extinction because of water and noise pollution in their habitat, as well human activity, Chen said.
“Because the dolphins live in a 5km stretch of coastline between Miaoli and Chiayi, industrial zones including the Mailiao (麥寮) industrial area, Tongsiao (通宵) and Taichung coal-burning power plants, as well as Changpin Industrial Park have had a serious impact on their environment,” Chen said.
“In addition, fishing in the areas also hurts the animals and many have scratches and cuts from fishing nets or other manmade devices,” Chen said.
“When the dolphins were first discovered in 2002, their population was about 200. Within five years, their population had halved. If no conservation efforts are made, in 10 years there may only be 25 of them left, which would make them functionally extinct,” Chen said.
At a press release issued after the meeting, the council said it was determined to protect the rare animals, promising that an interdisciplinary meeting that would include academics, animal protection groups and governmental representatives, would be held within a month.
“We filed a request with the council more than six months ago. We are happy to see that it is finally making concrete plans to address this problem,” Chen said.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated