Measures restricting animal shows take effect with unclear results

Taipei, Aug. 26 (CNA) Zoos and aquariums are adapting to new measures introduced last month by the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) that activists say lack clarity despite representing a step toward banning live shows of protected marine wildlife and terrestrial animals.

The MOA amended measures regarding animal show management in accordance with the Animal Protection Act and announced the implementation of the new regulations on July 29 this year.

The new regulations stipulate how additional information about animal exhibitions and shows must be provided to the authorities in advance for permits to be granted. Businesses must now submit information about the exhibition space where animals are displayed, performed or interacted with people, and the places where the animals are kept.

The new measures were introduced after animal protection groups accused Leofoo Village Theme Park in Hsinchu in 2022 of allowing visitors to feed ferocious animals such as lions and tigers. The protection groups criticized the park for exploitation of protected animals for profit.

On Sept. 26 of the same year, the MOA clarified that displays of land-based protected wild animals must not involve them in "inappropriate" performances or interactions with people, marking a step toward restricting shows of captive wildlife.

Chen Chung-hsin (陳中興), deputy director of the ministry's Department of Animal Welfare, told CNA in a recent interview that animal houses must apply for performance or exhibition permits, meaning that the content of exhibitions or shows must be formally approved before their exhibitions or shows can be staged.

Two ocean parks in Taiwan are still allowed to hold dolphin shows, but their permits are set to expire in 2026, Chen said, adding that they can file an application for an extension before the expiry of their current permits.

However, it is not clear whether the parks will be permitted to continue hosting dolphin shows after this time.

Not everyone is convinced of the effectiveness of the new measures, especially since there is confusion over the scope of the new regulations and how they interact with other regulations governing animal shows.

Sera Lim (林婷憶), from animal rights group PETA Asia, said that while there are stipulations governing the exhibitions of land-based protected wild animals and a ban on animal performances and their interactions with humans, the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) under the Ocean Affairs Council -- the central competent authority in charge of protected marine wildlife affairs -- has not provided a letter of explanation on its regulations governing such matters.

She said that the agriculture ministry's new version of the regulations is tantamount to announcing that domestic cetacean shows -- referring to performances of marine mammals such as whales, dolphins and porpoises -- should come to an end as all cetaceans are protected animals under the Act on Wildlife Conservation.

Lim also pointed out that unlike in other countries, the new rules do not directly stipulate the prohibition of exhibitions and shows of protected wild animals.

This contrasts with laws in many countries around the world that have already outlawed captive animal performances.

According to Lim, South Korea issued an ordnance last year prohibiting tourists from directly interacting with dolphins. Although dolphin performances are still permitted in the country, seven dolphins have been released into the wild in the past 10 years, she said.

Bucking the trend, China has more than 80 facilities holding some 1,000 whales and dolphins in captivity, Lim added.

Kuroshio Ocean Education Foundation Director Tsai Wei-li (蔡偉立) also told CNA that 13 countries -- Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Nicaragua, Slovenia and Switzerland -- no longer allow the displays of cetaceans in captivity for entertainment purposes.

Although Canada and France have captive cetaceans for non-entertainment purposes, their numbers are dwindling. Tsai said that the United Kingdom once had 30 facilities that kept cetaceans but all had ceased operations by 1993.

Taiwan currently has three facilities that hold cetaceans. The National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium keeps cetaceans in captivity on display, and Farglory Ocean Park in Hualien and Yehliu Ocean World in New Taipei have dolphin shows, according to Lim.

Ocean Conservation Administration Deputy Director-General Wu Long-jing (吳龍靜) said that the OCA has established a work team composed of central and local government officials, experts and animal protection advocates to guide the transformation of protected cetacean shows.

If zoos and aquariums fail to adjust their operations in line with the new regulations, they may have their permits revoked or face punishments according to the Animal Protection Act, Wu explained.

He said that businesses are supported to hold shows of captive wild animals if they meet three criteria; namely, the displays must reflect the wild animals' natural behavior, have educational significance, and promote an "emotional connection" between the animals and humans.