Leopard cats, the only surviving feline species native to Taiwan, are now an endangered species. It is estimated that there are only 500 left in existence today, making protecting leopard cats an urgent priority. The draft bill of Taichung City Self-Government Ordinance for Leopard Cat Protection was passed at Taichung City Council on Monday, making Taichung the first city in Taiwan to introduce legal protection for leopard cats.
Leopard cats are a key indexical species which inhabit the low elevation mountains, but their number has gradually decreased, according to Taichung City Government’s Agriculture Bureau. The major threats faced by leopard cats include road traffic deaths, hunting by humans, animal traps, consuming rats with pesticide residues, wild dog and cat attacks, and infectious diseases. In the first three months of this year, there have been five cases of leopard cats found dead on roads and the leopard cat population continues to decrease.
On March 16, a leopard cat was found injured by an animal trap in Toukoshan Mountain in Taichung’s Taiping District. The animal was sent to the Council of Agriculture’s Endemic Species Research Institute for medical treatment. Once fully recovered, the leopard cat will be reintroduced into its original habitat. The bureau urges the public not to use animal traps illegally, as it not only harms animals but may also injure humans.
Photo courtesy of Endemic Species Research Institute
照片：特有生物研究保育中心提供
Taichung City Government has also set up two rescue hotlines: (04) 2527-2571 and 1999, so that members of the public can contact the bureau should they find injured leopard cats or other wild animals, so that they can receive speedy treatment.
The bureau says that although Taichung does not contain the the largest number of leopard cats in Taiwan, its location is a key corridor for leopard cat migration. Starting with Taichung, the bureau’s short-term goal is to stabilize the leopard cat population, then further increase their number by organizing a series of leopard cat conservation projects, which will include legal measures and improving their living environment.
(Liberty Times, translated by Lin Lee-kai)
Photo courtesy of Taichung City Government Agriculture Bureau
照片：台中市政府農業局提供
瀕臨絕種的石虎是台灣現存唯一的原生貓科動物，估計約剩五百隻，加強保育刻不容緩；台中市政府訂定的「台中市石虎保育自治條例」草案，週一審議通過，使台中成為全國第一個將石虎保育法制化的城市。
台中市政府農業局表示，石虎是淺山生態系中的關鍵和指標性物種，但數量卻逐漸減少。石虎面臨的重大威脅包含路殺、人為獵捕、捕獸夾、吃下農藥殘留鼠類、野外犬貓攻擊、動物傳染病等。今年以來才短短三個月，全國就已經出現五起石虎路殺事件，數量持續減少中。
本月十六日在台中市太平區頭嵙山發現一隻石虎遭捕獸夾夾傷，緊急送往農委會特有生物研究保育中心進行醫療，等痊癒後將送牠重返原棲息地。農業局呼籲民眾不要非法使用獸夾，不僅危害動物生命，也可能使他人受傷。
台中市府亦訂有危難野生動物通報救援機制，如民眾發現受傷石虎或其他野生動物，可撥打農業局專線︰（04）2527-2571或1999通報，讓野生動物儘速獲得救援。
農業局表示，雖然台中現存的石虎數量並非最多，但台中居於石虎遷徙廊道樞紐的關鍵地位，希望從台中做起，短期先穩定石虎的數量，再進一步規劃一系列石虎保育計畫，從法律面、石虎生活環境等方向著手，以增加石虎數量。
（自由時報）
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