In 1993, NPUST launched the Pingtung Rescue Center. Established on the tertiary education institution’s campus with funding from the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture, the facility provides veterinary care and shelter for protected animals.
Center director Pei Jai-chyi said establishment of the facility took place at a time when there was a marked increase in the number of wild animals rescued due to implementation of tougher anti-smuggling measures. One of the center’s core operating objectives is to help these creatures recover from traumatic ordeals stemming from illegal captivity, he added.
A Bengal tiger is among the animals receiving professional veterinary care at the center. (Courtesy of Jimmy Beunardeau and Pingtung Rescue Center)
The four-hectare center has cared for more than 6,000 native and exotic animals, including bears, gibbons, orangutans and tigers. It was intended as a temporary shelter for the creatures before release back into the wild in Taiwan or the country of origin, Pei said. But it become a permanent residence for some, he added.
Pei, who has long accepted that the only chance of effecting real improvement for the welfare of wild animals hinges on worldwide collaboration, founded the Wild Animal Rescue Network in 2013. The international nongovernmental organization boasts more than 30 members in East and Southeast Asia, and organizes a range of activities focusing on the exchange experiences and information spanning areas of major concern.
Effective species conservation requires cross-border cooperation and long-term commitment, Pei said. WARN seeks to combine the efforts of animal welfare groups, law enforcement agencies and rescue and rehabilitation experts to combat smuggling and poaching, as well as support sustainable, region-wide wildlife protection, he added.
Wild Animal Rescue Network members take part in an annual conference promoting the exchange of experiences and ideas in key areas of concern. (Courtesy of Pingtung Rescue Center)
NPUST, at the forefront of efforts to impart animal care knowledge and skills, set up the Institute of Wildlife Conservation in 2001. Its research activities center on medium and large creatures like the Formosan rock macaque, sika deer, birds of prey and turtles.
Su Hsiu-hui, director of the institute, said the demand for well-trained wildlife specialists in Taiwan is growing as a result of greater emphasis on habitat and species conservation. NPUST is stepping up by producing qualified staffers via its master’s program covering topics such as environmental administration, law enforcement, research and development, public education and outreach and wildlife management.
Bold action and fresh thinking are essential to guaranteeing the future of life on Earth, Su said. Peaceful coexistence between humankind and Mother Nature is the only realistic and sustainable way forward, she added. (E-KH) (By Kelly Her)
Researchers with NPUST’s Institute of Wildlife Conservation conduct a study of Formosan rock macaques during a visit to Fushan Botanical Garden in northeastern Taiwan’s Yilan County. (Courtesy of NPUST)
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(This article is adapted from Wild at Heart in the November/December 2019 issue of Taiwan Review. The Taiwan Review archives dating to 1951 are available online.)