Council of Agriculture Inspects Leofoo Village 農委會林務局赴六福村 勘查狒狒飼養場域
Government officials conducted an inspection on Leofoo Village after a baboon escaped the theme park and was later shot dead. New regulations regarding escaped animals, meanwhile, will go into effect in April after the incident ignited public outrage.
Inspectors observe the behavior of the baboons and then inspect the fencing around the park. In the wake of the capture and death of an escaped non-native olive baboon from Leofoo Village, officials from the Forestry Bureau and Hsinchu County Government inspected the park on the 31st to try to find out how the baboon escaped.
Cheng I-chuan, Wildlife Conservation Section Chief, Forestry Bureau: “We will be meeting with veterinary experts to discuss what happened. Their baboons are allowed to move around freely, so chip implants may be needed.”
Wang Ying, Life Sciences Professor, NTNU: “When a congress of baboons grows in size, you'll see more social conflict. Sometimes, one member is forced to leave or flee.”
Experts say the park should consider setting up leisure areas accessible to different groups. The Forestry Bureau says it will review park operations further. In response to public outrage over how the baboon died, Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung says the investigation will be wrapped up within a month and frontline wildlife protection workers will undergo more training.
Chen Chi-chung, Agriculture Minister: “We'll explain this whole thing within a month and we will look further into wildlife registration and population management.”
The council says it will fine Leofoo Village NT$300,000 and also revise laws to require animal owners to pay capture fees for escaped animals. The new regulation will go into effect at the end of April.
車子進入園區，近距離觀察狒狒的行動，沿途還看一下園區的圍籬等的防護措施是否有損壞。六福村動物園發生狒狒逃脫死亡案件，農委會林務局協同新竹縣政府以及野生動物專家，31日前往園區進行狒狒飼養及活動場域的勘查，尋找可能的缺失。
農委會林務局野生動物保育科長鄭伊娟說明：「後續還是會找一些獸醫方面的專家來做討論，還有因為他們是用放養式的方式，所以你要每一隻要怎麼抓、植入晶片，這也是很大的一個要考量的地方。」
台師大生命科學系教授王穎指出：「很大的族群大一點的時候，就會產生比較多社會性的彼此之間的爭擾。爭擾的時候，有的時候有的個體在這個過程中，可能就被迫要逃。」
參與的學者建議，園區空間內建立更多可以讓不同的族群休息或躲藏。林務局則表示會再進行檢討。農委會主委陳吉仲強調，會在一個月內調查清楚，也會要求各縣市第1線的野保人員再精進。
農委會主委陳吉仲表示：「這件事情的始末，在一個月以內會對外來說明清楚。所有野生動物的清冊、牠的數量管理，還有哪些的問題還要再精進。」
對於動物園設施沒有完善罰則，農委會計畫修法，提高罰金到30萬元，也要修法要求飼主負擔動物逃逸圍捕的費用，預計4月完成上路。
