Wildlife conservationists and local activists are organizing a wedding for a pangolin couple, which would be accompanied by celebration events tomorrow, to highlight cooperation between two leading pangolin habitats in rural areas of Tainan and Kaohsiung.
Matoushan Nature and Humanity Association director Huang Hui-min (黃惠敏) said Taiwan is touted as a successful example of saving the scaly anteater from near extinction due to rampant poaching, after including it as a protected species when Taiwan promulgated the Wildlife Conservation Act (野生動物保育法) in 1989.
The pangolin wedding is to take place tomorrow, starting at 2pm, at the Matoushan Natural Base Site (馬頭山自然基地) at 26.3km on Provincial Highway No. 27, Huang said on Wednesday.
Photo: Su Fu-nan, Taipei Times
The male pangolin named “A-Ga” (阿甲) is from Kaohsiung’s Matoushan Scenic Area (馬頭山風景區) and the female “Tsio-Gi” (小琦) is from Tainan’s Longchi Niupu Mudstone Geopark (龍崎牛埔地質公園), Huang said.
The main attractions of the Sunday event are a “pangolin bridal chamber” made of bamboo — at more than 10m in length — for an educational exhibition, a documentary film and a fashion show for people to learn more about the animal, Huang said.
There would also be food stalls, and visitors can try out dishes made with ants, termites that are a part of pangolins’ main diet, Huang said.
The event is organized to highlight an alliance for wildlife conservation and environmental protection between Matoushan Nature and Humanity Association, and workers at the Longchi Niupu Mudstone Geopark, she said.
Matoushan Nature and Humanity Association had for a long time had a partnership with National Pingtung University of Science and Technology Institute of Wildlife Conservation researcher Sun Ching-min (孫敬閔), a leading advocate for protecting the pangolin, Huang said.
Taiwan’s success story in transforming into a haven for pangolins in recent decades attracted a lot of international media attention, who have come to Taiwan for special reports and shooting documentary films on the conservation work, Huang said, adding that a BBC crew had visited Taiwan, and named the recently completed pangolin bridal chamber made of bamboo “Ati.”
Ati received publicity in other countries through social media posts, Huang added.
The Pangolin is the world’s only mammal covered in hard keratin scales. As some people unscientifically attribute mysterious qualities to its skin, the pangolin is among the most trafficked and endangered species globally.
Taiwan has made very good progress, as most people are aware of the animal’s protected status, and they report sightings on roads and near human settlements, Huang said.
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