TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Two Formosan sika deer were found dead Saturday (Aug. 12) night on an estuary of a river in the Kenting National Park, prompting authorities to vow the perpetrators will be held accountable.
The carcasses, both male, were spotted by environmental workers along the Gangkou River in Pingtung’s Hengchun Peninsula. An investigation is underway to apprehend the poachers behind the brutal killings.
No bullet holes were found in either of the animals. One of them retained bright fur with his antlers removed, and the other was decapitated and had been dead for some time, per UDN.
While the Formosan sika deer is no longer a protected species in Taiwan, hunting wildlife in national parks constitutes a violation of the National Park Law (國家公園法). In serious cases, offenders can be imprisoned for up to five years and be fined a maximum of NT$5 million (US$156,364), said Hsu Shu-kuo (許書國), an official of the Kenting national park administration.
The head of sika deer is deemed of high value, said a conservationist surnamed Ku (古), who believes poachers profit by selling the antlers for medical purposes or the animal’s head for taxidermy. A deer head with antlers is priced at around NT$7,000-NT$8,000, he has learned, urging heavier penalties to curb the trade.
