MOA wildlife rescue center treats 14,000 wild animals in past 30 years

Taipei, March 19 (CNA) The Ministry of Agriculture's Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute (TBRI) announced Tuesday that its Wildlife Rescue and Research Center (WRRC) has successfully treated more than 14,000 wild animals in the 30 years since its establishment.

At a press conference in Taipei, TBRI Director Yang Jia-dong (楊嘉棟) said that the Nantou County-based WRRC has not only treated 14,000 wild animals over the past three decades, but also engaged in breeding and reintroducing endangered species, such as the leopard cat and Formosan black bear, into their natural habitat.

"Our expansion from basic first aid to a multifunctional, highly comprehensive, and educational-grade animal hospital is the aspect that we, along with our colleagues at the rescue center, are most proud of in recent years," Yang said.

Since its establishment in December 1993, the WRRC has treated over 14,000 animals from the wild, including 138 leopard cats and more than 500 pangolins.

The center has also collaborated with the Taichung branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency over the past three years to rescue four Formosan black bears trapped or injured in the wild, according to the TBRI.

TBRI associate researcher Lin Kuei Shien (林桂賢) said that the center does not differentiate in treatment between protected and non-protected species, adding that the majority of cases involve common species such as sparrows, swallows and turtle doves.

The WRRC typically receives injured wild animals from other units unable to provide treatment, Lin said, noting that the center's operations are built upon a comprehensive process for treating and releasing injured wildlife.