Taipei Times
Date: Nov 18, 2020
By: Chiu Chih-jou and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

An investigation uncovered six shops in Pingtung County that had 410 steel-jaw animal traps for sale, despite the traps having been banned nine years ago, the county’s Department of Agriculture said last week.

Over the past several months, surprise inspections of 48 local hardware stores found that six had the traps for sale, the agency said, adding that it has fined the six shops.

While most of the traps were smaller, 19 were 10cm in diameter, it added.

Some farmers set traps to keep wild animals out of their crops, it said, adding that macaques, civets and wild boars are often targeted.    [FULL  STORY]