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Taiwan: National parks chief declares war on killing of migratory
Posted by: "tkato@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp" tkato@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp ucg778hm
Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:52 pm (PST)
Dear all,
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/d...ID=92958&GRP=B
"National parks chief declares war on killing of migratory birds"
Taiwan yesterday ordered a crackdown on local bird hunters after at
least 5,000 migratory birds were reportedly slaughtered in a national
park in recent weeks.
Lee Wu-hsiung, head of the Construction and Planning Administration
which oversees six national parks, said Taiwan's image had been
tarnished by the reports which he also described as exaggerated.
"We've demanded more police be deployed in the Kenting National Park"
in southern Taiwan and "anyone found guilty would be punished
severely in accordance with the law," Lee told AFP.
People caught violating the wildlife protection law may face a jail
term of two years or a fine of up to 500,000 Taiwan dollars (15,150
US dollars).
Local newspapers, citing conservationists, said illegal bird hunters
had turned the Kenting national park into a "killing field," where at
least 5,000 gray-faced buzzards had been slaughtered this year.
Another official from the administration estimated only hundreds of
such birds had been killed this year.
Around 25,000 gray-faced buzzards have migrated to the refuge over
the past two months, according to statistics compiled by the
administration. The illegal killing of migratory birds has reduced
since the Kenting park launched a promotional campaign to educate
local residents on wildlife protection more than 20 years ago, Lee
said.
"But there is still room for improvement," he said.
Seventeen people were convicted for violating the wildlife protection
law in the Kenting park in 2005. Five were convicted in the nine
months to September.
