Ownership of Formosan rock macaques is to be banned from next month, with owners required to forfeit or register such pets by March, the Council of Agriculture said yesterday.
The macaque would be added to a list of animals prohibited from ownership, importation or exportation, effective on Sept. 1 at the earliest, the council said.
Those who legitimately obtained such animals prior to the rules going into effect would be allowed to microchip and register them with their local agriculture department before March next year, or face a fine of NT$50,000 to NT$250,000 and confiscation of the animal, Department of Animal Industry
By Kayleigh Madjar / Staff writer, with CNAOwnership of Formosan rock macaques is to be banned from next month, with owners required to forfeit or register such pets by March, the Council of Agriculture said yesterday.
Researchers have attributed an outbreak of baldness among Formosan macaques in Kaohsiung’s Shoushan National Nature Park on the twin stresses of a high population density and less generous tourists.
Park authorities in 2015 enlisted the aid of National Pingtung University of Science and Technology amid concern that the monkeys were experiencing hair loss which first appeared in 2013 because of an unknown infectious disease, the park administration office said on Sunday.
However, a study released by the university last year blamed high levels of stress for the appearance of alopecia among the park’s primate population.
Chen Chen-chih (陳貞志), an associate professor