Illegal hunting rife in the Dawushan nature reserve

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on March 31, 2006. It reports that according to the International Taiwan Birding Association, the Dawushan Nature Reserve has become a hunter's paradise. The government is urged to quickly clam down on the illegal hunting.

The Dawushan Nature Reserve is located in the mountains of eastern Taiwan's Taitung County. It is the largest nature reserve in Taiwan. Because of its remote location, the nature reserve is one of the few areas in Taiwan not accessible by road.

However, in July 2005, heavy rains washed a large quantity of earth and stone into the upstream riverbed of the Chinlun River, creating a crossing that hunters can use to enter the nature reserve by jeep. Two environmentalists recently obtained photographic evidence that a large number of animals are being slaughtered by illegal hunters. These environmentalists sent a petition letter and photos to various major environmental groups in Taiwan.

"We have seen the dead bodies of Formosan serow, Formosan barking deer, gem-faced civet, flying squirrel and yellow-throated Marten, among others, all of which are classified as endangered animals," the petition letter said. According to the environmentalists, the illegal hunters enter the nature reserve at night and stun the animals with the headlights of their vehicles. It usually takes only three minutes for the hunters to shoot an animal.

"The hunters carried away about 10 to 20 medium and large animals at a time. We recently saw the decaying carcasses of smaller animals everywhere, and evidence of the hunters' weapons - bullet cases and crossbow arrows," the petition letter said.

According to the International Taiwan Birding Association, the environmentalists who took the photos want to keep their identities secret for the sake of their safety. They know who the illegal hunters are, but are too afraid to reveal this for fear of reprisal.