Taiwan: the pangolin’s last stand?
The shy, enigmatic scaly ant eater finds its final refuge in Taiwan during the age of its worldwide extinction
By Gregory McCann / Contributing reporter
Who would have thought that Taiwan just over 100km from China and a few hundred kilometers away from Vietnam, which are the world’s first and second biggest consumers of pangolin scales would become the last beacon of hope for this imperiled species? In fact, pangolins from sub-species in Africa all the way down to Indonesia are the world’s most highly trafficked mammal.
Thought to cure anything from HIV to hangovers, ground pangolin scales and pangolin soup (the photos online are difficult to stomach) are expensive delicacies in Vietnam and China, and the rarer the species becomes, the more it is sought after because it is going extinct creating a dreadful vicious cycle propelling the animal into oblivion.
Taiwan mango prices up due to drought and disease
Prices for Taiwan’s Irwin mangoes are expected to increase by up to 30% because of limited harvests in the wake of the island’s worst drought in more than 50 years. Apart from the weather conditions, drought-induced pest damage caused by thrip insects has also affected a number of fruits and vegetables. This spring, the agricultural industry recorded NT$478 million (US$17.1 million) in losses up to April 21, according to data from the Council of Agriculture at the Executive Yuan.
Professor Chen Shwu-en from the Agribusiness Management Faculty of the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology stated that mangoes were the hardest-hit crops among all the agricultural produce. A total of NT$307 million had been lost over the fruit owing to the dry conditions and the amount was expected to go up further, Chen told hk.appledaily.com. Some experts believe thrip damage might halve the harvest.
35 Taiwanese universities listed in THE Impact Rankings
04/22/2021 02:02 PM
Image from the NCKU s Facebook page at: facebook.com/ncku.edu.tw
London, April 21 (CNA) A total of 35 Taiwanese universities have been listed in the Impact Rankings 2021 by Times Higher Education (THE), the only global performance tables that assess universities against the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Tainan and Taipei s National Taiwan University (NTU) were placed within the 101-200 rankings, the two top highest-ranked institutions in the country, the London-based survey showed Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Kaohsiung Medical University, National Tsing Hua University and Taipei Medical University were in the 201-300 range.
Taiwan News Quick Take
CWB issues warning
The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) yesterday issued this year’s first thunderstorm warning for Pingtung and Taitung counties, which was received by some people as good news amid a prolonged dry spell. While sporadic rain was forcast for northern Taiwan, the bureau cautioned residents in Pingtung and Taitung about likely thunderstorms and heavy rain in the afternoon. Meanwhile, farmers in Taichung said they were happy that heavy rain fell in the city’s mountainous areas, although it only lasted about 25 minutes. Former CWB Weather Forecast Center director Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said that more moisture from southeastern China is to reach Taiwan from Sunday to Wednesday next week, which might be the prelude to the plum rain season that usually starts in May or June. However, the moisture might not entirely alleviate the water shortage situation, Wu said.
ç¶ é¬£è¥ | Green iguanas (Courtesy of Agriculture Department/è¾²æ¥è)
TAIPEI (The China Post) â Green iguanas became a popular pet in Taiwan ten years ago but many were later abandoned due to their large size. The number of iguanas has since proliferated in the south, affecting the growth of crops. Â
Since last year, the local government has been encouraging people to catch green iguanas by promoting the removal program of non-native species.  Â
However, the government has no rules and regulations for the removal program. Some people reportedly set off firecrackers in iguanas and shot them with bows and arrows, drawing concern from foreign media. Â