Taiwan closes loophole on use of steel-jaw traps to hunt, kill animals

Taipei, Jan. 21 (CNA) Taiwan's Legislature on Tuesday approved legal amendments to comprehensively ban the use of steel-jaw traps, dynamite and other explosives to hunt or kill wild animals.

Although those hunting methods were already formally banned in Taiwan, the new legislation, consisting of amendments to the Act on Wildlife Conservation, closed a loophole that had allowed for their continued use.

Specifically, the revisions deleted a section of Article 21 in the act that allowed the "exceptional use" of steel-jaw traps, dynamite or explosives to kill animals that pose a threat to public safety, crops, livestock or aquaculture.

Meanwhile, the legal amendments also establish review and documentation procedures for Indigenous people who hunt or kill wild animals for personal use as a part of their traditional culture or for religious ceremonies, though in this case, too, the use of steel traps, dynamite and explosives is explicitly prohibited.

The bill also creates a separate class of penalties for violations of the act by Indigenous people, stipulating a fine of NT$20,000 (US$612) to NT$100,000 for illegally killing a protected species and NT$1,000 to NT$10,000 for illegally killing a non-protected species.

Prior to the changes, the law uniformly mandated imprisonment of 6 months to 5 years and a fine of NT$200,000 to NT$1 million for anyone caught illegally killing a protected species, and NT$50,000 to NT$250,000 for illegally killing a non-protected species.

The legislation also contained a non-binding resolution urging the Ministry of Agriculture to hold consultations with Indigenous groups, and then decide whether the law's references to "other" prohibited hunting devices should also apply to snare traps.