Taiwan authorities urge public not to disturb pangolins

台灣當局呼籲民眾勿打擾穿山甲

Hsinchu County Government suggests public not panic when pangolins spotted in wild


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Hsinchu City Government recently received a report from the public that a pangolin was found walking along Gaofeng Road, per CTS.

A veterinarian from the Hsinchu City Zoo was asked to check on the pangolin and determined the animal was perfectly healthy and uninjured. Furthermore, the pangolin met the standards for release into the wild, with city officials looking for a suitable location.

The incident led the Hsinchu City Government to issue a press release addressing the population of wild pangolins in the Hsinchu area. It noted that the number of pangolins has been stable for the past 10 years.

Furthermore, it alerted the public that pangolins can frequently be found around Gaofeng Road and the nearby Gaofeng Botanical Garden. Should the public encounter a pangolin in this area that appears uninjured, they recommend the public to simply accompany it across the road and safely into the forest.

Hsinchu County Government said the pangolin brought in by the public was a "critically endangered" Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and is a category-two protected species in Taiwan.

Hsinchu City Government reminded the public that pangolins typically feed on termites and ants. In recent years, many pangolins have been sent for emergency care due to tail injuries. However, the unique feeding habits of pangolins make it difficult to artificially feed and nurse them back to health.

Additionally, the public may frequently come into contact with pangolins because their distribution is typically in low-lying mountainous areas below 1,000 meters above sea level.