Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/06/18
By: Lee Hsin-Yin

Taipei, June 18 (CNA) More than 20 protected species kept by private individuals or institutions are being mistreated, local animal protection groups said Tuesday, accusing the government of being negligent about the issue and failing to implement the law.

"There is no proper law enforcement when it comes to the management of protected wildlife," said Chen Yu-min (陳玉敏), deputy director of the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST), which, along with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, showed cases of possible animal abuse discovered during a recent survey.

In video footage obtained by the groups, wild animals including Asian black bears, gibbons, orangutans and Bengal tigers are seen in small cages, displaying "stereotypical distressed behavior."

Such behavior, referring to repetitive actions with no obvious goal or function such as pacing back and forth, suggests that the animals are under extreme stress, Chen pointed out.    [FULL  STORY]