TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Chinese tourist faces fines between NT$60,000 (US$1,901) and NT$300,000 after being caught on video illegally picking up a sea turtle near Vase Rock on Xiaoliuqiu in Pingtung County.
On Sunday, the Coast Guard received a report that someone had touched a sea turtle near Vase Rock, along with video evidence. Officers went to the area to find the suspect.
They located a nearby tourist who matched the description and brought him back to the office for questioning and a formal statement. The tourist, surnamed Liu, is in his 50s and was in Taiwan to visit relatives, per CNA.
Liu said he was enjoying the coastal scenery when a sea turtle washed toward him, and he was only trying to move it away. However, the Coast Guard said touching the sea turtle was a breach of the Wildlife Conservation Act, and the case was referred to the Pingtung District Prosecutors' Office.
The Coast Guard said Xiaoliuqiu is a well-known habitat for protected sea turtles. Conservation messages are widely disseminated, from educational videos played on ferries to signs on beaches across the island, urging the public not to touch or disturb sea turtles.
Nevertheless, similar incidents continue to occur. The Coast Guard stressed the “three noes” principle when encountering wildlife, including “do not touch, do not disturb, and do not feed.”
Under the Wildlife Conservation Act, anyone who harasses protected marine wildlife may face up to one year in prison, detention, or a fine of between NT$60,000 and NT$300,000. The public is encouraged to report suspected harassment of marine wildlife by calling the Coast Guard's 118 hotline to help protect Taiwan’s marine ecosystem.
