t incident involving the owner of a clothing shop in Taipei. The clothing dealer, Lin Hsueh-hsing, had to pay NT$180,000 in cash for displaying and trying to sell a fur coat.
Taipei district prosecutors pressed charges against Lin after discovering that she had displayed a NT$1.38 million fur coat made with chinchilla hair, imported from Italy, and was planning to sell it to American songstress Beyonce Knowles. But since Lin showed remorse, the prosecutors suspended an indictment and instead ordered her to pay NT$100,000 to the national treasury and NT$80,000 to the Animal Protection Association of the Republic of China.
That, however, was not the entire sum of money the shop owner lost. She had the NT$1.8 million fur coat confiscated.
The chinchilla, a small South American rodent with soft, silvery gray hair, is a rare animal, and is listed as an endangered species under Republic of China legislation. Sales and purchases as well as display of products with any part of this creature are punishable under the law.
Wildlife conservation is considered an important task throughout the developed world, where all governments have made laws to limit or prohibit the slaughter and sale of endangered species.
In Taiwan, many animals unique to the island are now on the brink of extinction, including the Formosan Black Bear, the Black-faced Spoonbill, and the Green Turtle. These and hundreds of other creatures that used to exist in large numbers are disappearing because their habitats have been destroyed due to deforestation, pollution and illegal hunting.
The wildlife conservation movement has been in progress for decades in Taiwan. The enactment of the Wildlife Conservation Act in 1989 marked a milestone in efforts to preserve and protect endangered species here. The legislation has contributed immensely to stopping poaching and the sale of rare animals. Its existence also helps Taiwan project a better international image.
However, violations of the law have never ceased. The factors behind such behavior are not limited to the desire for money. Some people who capture or raise animals listed as endangered species do so out of ignorance.
It is crucial, therefore, for authorities to promote awareness by launching a vigorous educational campaign. And law enforcement authorities should step up efforts to catch violators of the Wildlife Conservation Act. It is also necessary to establish more wildlife conservation research organizations to develop more effective conservation methods.
