Taipei City’s Yangmingshan National Park must pay NT$4 million, though it can appeal decision

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/07/18
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A court has ruled the four children of a woman who was killed in a buffalo attack during a walk through Taipei City’s Yangmingshan National Park should receive state compensation of NT$3.96 million (US$134,300), reports said Saturday (July 18).

On Aug. 11, 2018, a woman surnamed Chen (陳) was walking on a path through the Qingtiangang Grasslands (擎天崗), part of Yangmingshan known for its Taiwan water buffaloes and Tajima cattle, when an animal rushed at her and caused her to fall. She died in hospital over two weeks later, CNA reported.

In their case against the park management, Chen’s four children said safety measures at the site were inadequate, since ropes failed to protect hikers from the animals. The fact that after the incident, ropes and wood were replaced by a fence of stainless steel and cement proved the original system had been flawed, the relatives argued.

However, the attorneys for Yangmingshan National Park told Shilin District Court about warning signs it had erected along the path and about guards occasionally patrolling the area. The buffalo attack was not related to the safety of the walkway, park management said.
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