Formosa Fauna

Taiwan hosts over 14,000 marine species, one of which thrives in Taiwan's waters despite having an endangered status globally: the whale shark.  Ocean Affairs Council Director Lu Shiau-Yun (陸曉筠) joins Tristan in this episode to talk about this year's picture book that follows a friendship between a whale shark and Indigenous boy.  Listen to this episode to find out why people in Taiwan once called the whale shark the "tofu shark." Learn more about Taiwan’s oceans on the Ocean Affairs Council website: https://www.oca.gov.tw/en/ The Ocean Affairs Council sent a dolphin mascot to the Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage this year to increase awareness about ocean conservation. (Photo: Ocean Conservation Administration's Instagram) Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]!See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Which of the following is not true about Kaohsiung’s Shoushan Zoo? A) Mary was the name of a 30-year-old Formosan black bearB) Ali was the name of a 52-year-old African elephantC) Shakespeare was the name of a 10-year-old chimpanzee Two of those are names of real animals at Kaohsiung’s Shoushan Zoo, and one is made up. Keep listening to Formosa Fauna to find out which is which. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Are seahorses fish? The answer to that question, and 99 others, are in the Ocean Conservation Administration's publication: "Top 100 Things You Didn't Know About the Taiwan Ocean." The Q&A style format with picture diagrams guides readers to better understand marine life as they quiz themselves one page at a time. Ocean Affairs Council Director Lu Shiau-Yun (陸曉筠) joins Tristan in this episode to talk about the book and how ocean policy affects people far and wide. Learn more about Taiwan’s oceans on the Ocean Affairs Council website: https://www.oca.gov.tw/en/ Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), scratching is a natural and essential part of feline life... but why? Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Two Malayan sun bears previously housed at Taipei Zoo have been relocated to Japan as part of a conservation effort for the vulnerable species, leaving Taiwan without any Malayan sun bears. Taipei Zoo says they aren't sure what, if anything, will replace their habitat enclosure at the zoo. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly teach you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.In this episode: - Taipei Zoo sends their remaining Malayan sun bears to Japan - New Taipei opens its first wildlife rescue center - New Taiwanese documentary follows mountain hawk-eagle for over 12 years - Rescued Formosan black bear mother and her cub released into the wild - Chiayi builds a fence to protect terns from dogs - Iceland Fashion Week adopts a fur-free policy - Retired racehorses are used in American miscarriage experiments Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Which animal found in Taiwan carries a powerful neurotoxin, and is still somehow eaten as a delicacy in certain parts of the world? Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly teach you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.In this episode: - New Zealanders pool money together to rescue dog lost in remote area - Taiwan’s conservation policies - Toxicity in the animal kingdom - Scientist of the week Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Which of the following is not true?  a) Taiwan has a higher density of convenience stores than any other country  b) People in the 1700s and 1800s widely accepted there were extinct species because of fossil evidence  c) The word "dinosaur" wasn't coined until 1841 Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly teach you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.In this episode: - Rehabilitated olive ridley sea turtles return to the ocean in Taiwan - Scientist of the week - Extinct species denial - Why all the lights at convenience stores are off - Barreleyes Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Which of the following is not true?  a) The leatherback sea turtle is the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile  b) Leatherback sea turtles cannot be found near Alaska, Canada, or the continental United States  c) Leatherback sea turtles have a lifespan of up to 300 years Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly teach you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.In this episode: - Giant pandas - Red pandas - Taiwan's new panda - Leatherback sea turtle dies in Taiwan Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Which of the following is not true?  a) Human-raised macaques cannot integrate into troops  b) Birdwatching can boost cognitive function  c) Former house cats are being used in deadly cat research in the U.S. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly teach you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.In this episode: - The monkey named Punch - Taiwan’s orphaned monkey - University of Missouri uses federal funding to experiment on dozens of cats - British government’s official “Chief Mouser” - Nine wild horses shot and killed in Arizona Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Which of the following is not true? A. Four people are responsible for all of the anti-venom in Taiwan B. The Northern White Rhinoceros is “functionally extinct” C. A vaquita is a kind of Mexican seafood dish Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly teach you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.In this episode: - Taipei's snake breeding center - Ten of the most critically endangered species in the world - The world's rarest marine mammal - Scientist of the week Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

One woman realized she didn't have the proper paperwork to fly with her dog, then chose to ditch the dog at the airport and fly alone. What happened to the dog, nicknamed JetBlue by rescuers, is first in today's episode. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly teach you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.In this episode: - What happens when you abandon your pet at the airport - Animal abuse registries - Taiwan's 4-meter long giant pythons - Taiwan's NT$4 million eco-friendly toilets Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Isn’t the Earth 70% water? Then why do 1.1 billion people lack reliable access to water? According to 2019 estimates, by 2030 as many as two-thirds of the world’s population could face water shortages. Listen to this episode of Formosa Fauna to find out why. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly teach you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.In this episode: - Taipei Zoo tropical rainforest overhaul - Water scarcity - Wastewater treatment system in New Taipei - Hagfish Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Which of the following is not true?a) You can name an un-sterilized cat after an ex, then pay for them to be sterilizedb) There are both greater and lesser flamingosc) The oldest pangolin on record was born and lived in Japan Listen to this episode of Formosa Fauna to find out which two are true, and which is false. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly teach you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.In this episode: - Formosan black bear sighting - Adopt a pet for just $14 for Valentine’s day - Pangolin populations make a comeback in Taiwan - Flamingos - Scientist of the week Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Which of the following is not true? A) Kangaroos can trace their roots back to the Northern American continent. B) You can buy bear curry in Taiwan. C) Japan has no pandas.Listen to this episode of Formosa Fauna to find out which two are true, and which is false. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly teach you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.In this episode: - Japan loses all its pandas - Happy Reverse the Red Day! - Marsupials in America and Australia - Beware of bear meat - Scientist of the week - Fraser's dolphin discovered Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Did you know that at least 12 groups of living fish have taken steps towards moving toward land? It would seem they’re fish who don’t want to be fish any longer. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.In this episode: - Shei-Pa National Park adds another bat species to its records - Six main reasons dogs misbehave - Earthquakes are not all havoc and destruction - Fish that don't want to be fish anymore Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

There's something keeping Formosan landlocked salmon in the mountains, and it's not geography. In addition to helicopter drops to repopulate the critically endangered species, this episode explores Taipei Zoo's plans for the year of the horse, record culling of green iguanas across Taiwan, and what the world can learn from how Taiwan’s addressed stray dog population issue. Featured guest: Faith for Animals Director Otis KuoTo learn more about Faith for Animals, visit https://faithforanimals.org.tw . Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

 Need a good reason to sterilize your pet? When you spay female cats is directly correlated to their risk of developing mammary cancer. Kittens spayed before six months of age have a 91% reduction in risk compared to non-spayed cats. Spaying between six months and one year results in an 86% reduction in risk. Over 90% of feline mammary tumors are malignant, according to Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Joanne Lynn Intile, meaning they grow invasively and spread across the body. In this episode Tristan speaks to Faith for Animals Director Otis Kuo about solid reasons to sterilize dogs and cats, the organization's focused strategy that transcends TNR, and what determines a program's success.  To learn more about Faith for Animals, visit https://faithforanimals.org.tw . Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Faith for Animals isn't what host Tristan expected. Not only do they exclusively sterilize female dogs, dog catchers may even be laughed at for bringing a male dog in. Director Otis Kuo sits down with Tristan in this episode to talk about how the organization found the most effective ways of taking care of stray dog populations. To learn more about Faith for Animals, visit https://faithforanimals.org.tw . Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

As a university, what do you do when you have a stray dog problem and years of capturing and culling does little more than spark outrage among the student population? For one university, the next step was hiring some vet students to help with the culling incognito. They got more than they bargained for, though, as the group of animal lovers came up with a new plan that didn't require the euthanization of healthy dogs and actually solved the problem. This week Faith for Animals Director Otis Kuo sits down with host Tristan Hilderbrand to talk about the origins of the organization that date back nearly 20 years. To learn more about Faith for Animals, visit https://faithforanimals.org.tw . Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Parrotfish are both genderfluid and come in rainbow colors. The crystalline structure of parrotfish teeth is so sturdy it would beat gold, copper and silver in a fracture test according to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode we talk about: - Taiwan cuts back on animal testing but struggles to meet international standards - Gender-fluid fish: parrotfish - British zoologist Charles Elton - Rethinking the food chain - How to get a dog to stop play biting Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

A raccoon was caught red-handed after a drunk rampage in a Virginia liquor store passed out in the bathroom. That and more fascinating animal topics in today's episode. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode we talk about: – Taiwan ahead of new whale shark trade ban –  Steve Irwin –  Are deer farms zoos? –  Drunk raccoon rampage Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Plenty of people fear cats because they see them as animals who will love you one second, then attack you the next. As of 2020, 38% of owners surrendered their cats to shelters in the United Kingdom citing behavioral issues. Of that pool of owners, 44% cited aggression as the main factor. Science says it's probably not the cat's fault... it's the owner's. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode we talk about: – How big of a role the owner plays in determining a cat's personality or temper – Fines for not registering your cat in Taiwan begin January 1 – Snails vs. slugs – Australia's Emu War – How to remove a leech Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

What do humans, mice, elephants, lions, tigers, bears, whales, and bats all have in common? Well, we are all placental mammals, and we all share a common ancestor. Scientists think they know what that common ancestor looked like. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode we talk about: – All placental mammals' common ancestor – Distraction chicken in Taiwan – Taiwan may phase out food waste as pig feed nationwide – How to survive an unpleasant Formosan macaque encounter – Deadly blue-ringed octopuses...and so much more. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

What can Taiwan's AI-powered ocean knowledge platform do for diplomatic allies? “AI Blue” makes its first overseas deployment in Palau, Taiwan's strong diplomatic ally since 1999. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode we talk about: – AI-powered marine research between Taiwan and Palau – Scientist of the week: Dr. Emily King – Pheasant-tailed jacana habitat restoration in Taiwan – Officials encourage planting cover crops in Taiwan – U.S. CDC to phase out experiments with non-human primates – Joaquin Phoenix calls for action against animal cruelty in California – December is Cat Lovers’ Month...and so much more. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

The Formosan flying fox is the largest bat in Taiwan, with a wingspan that can stretch close to one meter — about the length of a standard baseball bat or the width of a medium-sized hawk in flight. These fascinating creatures are likely making a comeback in Hualien as sightings have increased.  Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode we talk about: – Formosan flying fox making a comeback in Hualien – Recycled food waste banned for pigs in Taichung – Eurasian otter cub populations growing stronger in Kinmen – Young malnourished Formosan black bear captured – Scientist of the week: Charles Johnson Maynard – The common octopus – Handling a dog's fear of the groomer and vet...and so much more. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Did you know Taiwan has the third largest percentage of vegetarians in the world? Taiwan has a rich vegetarian culture, influenced by Buddhism, which has made plant-based dishes available all across the island. Peter Singer is widely acknowledged as the father of the animal rights movement, having written a book that awakened millions of people to animal oppression, “Animal Liberation”, first published in 1975. In this episode of Formosa Fauna, Singer shares his expectations of how the first copy would affect the world differed from reality, and how he hopes the new traditional Mandarin Chinese translation of the newer "Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed" will leave a different mark. The book uses philosophy and facts from diverse sources to paint a picture the responsible consumer will want to know.

Every two minutes approximately 316,000 individual sentient beings are slaughtered. Is that truly necessary? It’s certainly not necessary to feed the world’s growing population. If the United States were to replace beef with another high-protein food, it would have the potential to feed an additional 190 million people. Replacing all animal-based items would free enough land to feed an additional 350 million people. In this conversation, Peter Singer discusses his recent visit to Taiwan, where he promoted the traditional Mandarin Chinese translation of his book "Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed". He shares insights on the culinary delights of Taiwan, the ethical implications of animal welfare, and the challenges of changing public perceptions about vegetarianism and factory farming. 

Taiwan has enforced some of the strictest airport food regulations in the world for years, and with good reason. The island was one of the few places in Asia that had managed to stay free of African swine fever (ASF) until October, 2025. In this episode of Formosa Fauna, host Tristan Hilderbrand starts with the basics about what ASF is, where it came from, what it does to pigs, and what this means for Taiwan.0:00 Introduction1:26 Taiwan's hard-won disease-free status2:40 The outbreak in Taichung4:00 What is African swine fever?5:30 Theories and suspicions: How did it spread?7:40 Food waste as feed9:30 The Taichung investigation continues10:48 Misinformation and the government's response14:10 Impact on pork sales, vendors, and markets in Taiwan18:55 Could Taiwan regain its ASF-free status? See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays.

The large-scale lesser-bream disappeared from Taiwan's main island in the 1920s. Now, local government is working with Aquatic Renewal Workshop to repopulate them in what's being called potentially the "last refuge" for the species in Taiwan: Kinmen. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode we talk about: – Endemic fish species' second chance in Kinmen – Taiwan's experimental forests – Seep wells...and so much more. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Which of the following is not true:A) Goldfish can grow up to 20 inches (roughly 50 cm)B) Declawing a cat is akin to amputating a human fingertipC) Sloths are lazyJust one of the above is not quite true. Based on the title of today's episode, you may have already guessed correctly that B is true. Declawing, or onychectomy, involves the surgical removal of a cat's claws along with part of the toe bone, akin to amputating a human fingertip. This is only one of the many reasons why the practice of declawing for non-medical, non-necessary issues is outlawed in Taiwan. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode we talk about: – Taiwan's beekeeping VR – Training cats – Koi fish...and so much more. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Which of the following is true:A) Oarfish are up to 36 feet long and swim in a vertical postureB) Jaguarundis eat saladC) Jacanas are also known as “Jesus birds” because of their ability to walk on waterListen to this episode to find out. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode we talk about: – Friend or foe – March for Climate in Taiwan – Jaguarundi...and so much more. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Which of the following is true:A) Taipei Zoo celebrates the Ghost FestivalB) Taipei City has wild deerC) Taiwan has two living native cat speciesListen to this episode to find out. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode we talk about: – News of Jane Goodall's passing – Taiwan's Ghost Festival – Hosted in Taipei, 200 Japanese educators and students delve into amphibian and reptile challenges – Panda caretakers...and so much more. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Taiwan has a deer island, land crab patrol, and now university campus geese etiquette lessons! Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode we talk about: – Removing Jerusalem cherry plants from Taiwan’s deer island – Land crab patrol – Campus geese etiquette lessons – Mixed signals when dog training...and so much more. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

A petition with over 10,000 signatures wasn't enough to comprehensively ban the wild boar snares in Taiwan. In this episode of Formosa Fauna we sit down with Dr. Chengheng Hu again to understand why Taiwan's Central Election Commission rejected the proposal, how Taiwan One Ecology Colation (TOEC) took the news, and what the coalition is going to do moving forward. Have thoughts on today's episode? Send an email to [email protected]. See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

The wild boar snare is a hunting device that indiscriminately traps, mangles, and often kills unsuspecting victims. Such victims include stray cats and dogs, but also protected species such as Formosan black bears, Taiwanese leopard cats, and more. Even humans have been injured by such traps. Taiwan's Animal Protection Act bans the use of snares, but manufacturing and selling them is a gray area, and they remain being sold across the internet and local stores.Dr. Chengheng Hu joined the Taiwan One Ecology Colation (TOEC), a team of 12 different organizations, to fight against the snares, and protect animals in Taiwan. For this episode of Formosa Fauna we sit down with Dr. Hu and get an inside look at the basics of the traps, their potential cultural significance, and why a petition with over 10,000 signatures wasn't enough to comprehensively ban them in  Taiwan. Have thoughts on today's episode? Send an email to [email protected]. See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Many people have eaten sharks without even realizing it. “Rock salmon," with an unsuspecting name for a kind of shark, has been a staple in British fish-and-chip shops for decades. The name-switching was part of a rebranding exercise aimed at persuading more people to eat the sharks that industrial fishers were beginning to catch a lot of. According to Helen Scales, around the world various other shark species have been marketed under different, non-sharky names, including flake in Australia, whitefish and steakfish in the United States, saumonette in France, and vitello di mare, “veal of the sea” in Italy. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. In this episode we talk about: – Dolphins in Taiwan – Climate change – Taiwanese turtles – The sharks salesmen do a great job at disguising...and so much more. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

One Formosan macaque made the headlines this week for stealing across Beitou. Finally, after a three-month chase and countless robberies, he was apprehended. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. On today's menu for your mind to feast on: – Formosan macaque burglar – Lanternfish – Taiwan's animal-related news – Dogs who chew too much Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

The idea that beer would make a dog's coat shinier likely comes from old folk practices where ingredients such as brewer's yeast or malt were thought to improve skin and coat health. Veterinarians, however, strongly disagree and discourage giving pets any alcohol products. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. On today's menu for your mind to feast on: – Global animal conservation updates – Massive wingspan of Taiwan's biggest raptor species – Lionfish – Giving beer to dogs The Asia for Animals (AfA) Conference will happen right here in Taiwan from August 25-29, 2025. It is the largest gathering of animal protection organizations in Taiwan. With speakers, panels, and workshops, notable figures from across the world will gather to spread and share knowledge pertaining to animal welfare.Learn more about the AfA Conference Taipei 2025. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Resembling a tiny volcano, meet the limpet. Limpet teeth, according to the BBC, consist of the strongest biological material ever tested. Yes, that makes them significantly stronger than human teeth and even shark teeth. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. On today's menu for your mind to feast on: – Why birds don’t lay more eggs when they certainly could – Banded bullfrogs disturbing residents in Taiwan – Limpets – Chimp-loving woman lands herself in prison The Asia for Animals (AfA) Conference will happen right here in Taiwan from August 25-29, 2025. It is the largest gathering of animal protection organizations in Taiwan. With speakers, panels, and workshops, notable figures from across the world will gather to spread and share knowledge pertaining to animal welfare.Learn more about the AfA Conference Taipei 2025. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

This August 8 is International Cat Day. Can you tell which feline species is featured in the photo? Do you know how many native cat species there are in Taiwan?  Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. On today's menu for your mind to feast on: – Taiwan's native cat species – Threats to Taiwanese leopard cats – Milkfish – How to get dogs to take pills – Animal Rescue Diaries update The Asia for Animals (AfA) Conference will happen right here in Taiwan from August 25-29, 2025. It is the largest gathering of animal protection organizations in Taiwan. With speakers, panels, and workshops, notable figures from across the world will gather to spread and share knowledge pertaining to animal welfare.Learn more about the AfA Conference Taipei 2025. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

While she may work in an office largely handling paperwork and replying to emails, today's guest Niya says her experience is much different because she isn't working to make a CEO richer, her boss is the Taiwanese black bears. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. On today's menu for your mind to feast on: – The dream job: Working in animal conservation – with Niya  – Overcoming a fear of fostering – with Connie Chiang – Taiwan's lizard bounty expands as the threat growsThe Asia for Animals (AfA) Conference will happen right here in Taiwan from August 25-29, 2025. It is the largest gathering of animal protection organizations in Taiwan. With speakers, panels, and workshops, notable figures from across the world will gather to spread and share knowledge pertaining to animal welfare.Learn more about the AfA Conference Taipei 2025. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Crabs that have survived millions of years? Natural treasure salmon? Drones and AI used to capture and neuter stray dogs? All happening right here in Taiwan!Spend the next 20 minutes listening to Formosa Fauna so you can become smarter than all of your friends.The Asia for Animals (AfA) Conference will happen right here in Taiwan from August 25-29, 2025. It is the largest gathering of animal protection organizations in Taiwan. With speakers, panels, and workshops, notable figures from across the world will gather to spread and share knowledge pertaining to animal welfare.Learn more about the AfA Conference Taipei 2025. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Was asked to microchip animals on her first day of volunteer work? Then signed up to be a dog midwife? We all start somewhere! Those who volunteer to help animals all have interesting stories. This week we sit down with Jenna Dodson to hear hers.Spend the next 20 minutes listening to Formosa Fauna so you can become smarter than all of your friends.The Asia for Animals (AfA) Conference will happen right here in Taiwan from August 25-29, 2025. It is the largest gathering of animal protection organizations in Taiwan. With speakers, panels, and workshops, notable figures from across the world will gather to spread and share knowledge pertaining to animal welfare.Learn more about the AfA Conference Taipei 2025. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

They say the worst job one can get for their mental health is a social media content moderator, having to review graphic and often violent reported posts one after another. What happens when a team of animal lovers is responsible for reviewing all of the animal cruelty cases in Taiwan?This week we sit down with Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Taiwan Co-Founder Connie Chiang to talk all about this.Spend the next 20 minutes listening to Formosa Fauna so you can become smarter than all of your friends.The Asia for Animals (AfA) Conference will happen right here in Taiwan from August 25-29, 2025. It is the largest gathering of animal protection organizations in Taiwan. With speakers, panels, and workshops, notable figures from across the world will gather to spread and share knowledge pertaining to animal welfare.Learn more about the AfA Conference Taipei 2025. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

"Fail and they will destroy your pet." Stakes are high as the year-long preparation process comes to a close and you head to Taiwan with your pet in tow. If anything along the way was done improperly, your year's worth of preparation may have all gone to waste, and you will be faced with the decision to either fly back with the pet immediately or have them euthanized and destroyed.With seasoned pet importers Michelle and Cat with us, this episode functions as the handbook of how to bring your beloved pets into Taiwan. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.More information is readily available in English on the APHIA website: https://www.aphia.gov.tw/Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

The Asia for Animals (AfA) Conference will happen right here in Taiwan from August 25-29, 2025. It is the largest gathering of animal protection organizations in Taiwan. With speakers, panels, and workshops, notable figures from across the world will gather to spread and share knowledge pertaining to animal welfare.Learn more about the AfA Conference Taipei 2025.In Taiwanese culture, caring for animals is an all-hands-on-deck effort. In this episode, Connie Chiang, co-founder of the SPCA in Taiwan, discusses the challenges and successes of animal welfare in Taiwan with Tristan.  While the SPCA responds to cases where people are responsible, other individuals and organizations must respond to cases dealing with stray animals, like "Ài-mā." “Ài-mā," which means "loving mother" in Mandarin, is the term used to describe people who have taken on the role of helping stray animals in their communities.

Which marine animal or fish has the biggest brain-to-body ratio? Manta rays, bettas, or great white sharks? Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. On today's menu for your mind to feast on: – Green sea turtle hatchlings in Kenting National Park – Organisms change and construct the world around them – The fish that weighs 3 tons – Why dogs are afraid of vacuum cleaners – Scientist of the day Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

Do you yawn when someone else yawns? There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that contagious yawning, the tendency to yawn when you see or hear someone else yawn, is linked to empathy. Research has shown that the sight of an unknown bonobo yawning in a film triggers a yawning response in bonobos watching the film as well. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. On today's menu for your mind to feast on:–11-year-old Eurasian otter–TSMC makes chips, what are they doing saving fish?–Humans share 98.8% of our DNA with chimpanzees–You can teach old dogs new tricks Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

One of the world's most prominent primatologists will be visiting Taiwan soon, and a two-day conference all about otters will take place in Kinmen, Taiwan. Also, throw out everything you thought you knew about surviving a dangerous venomous snake bite, and potty training dogs. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. The Kinmen Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation Association is hosting a two-day conference all about Kinmen’s Eurasian otters and the efforts to keep them safe and thriving. While the conference has its academic side, the organizers want it to be open and accessible to everyone. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

All about Formosan mountain dogs! Formosan mountain dogs were brought back from human-induced near extinction. In this episode Tristan talks to Jenna Dodson about this land race commonly mistaken for mutts, and sought after in the United States and Canada. Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. Jenna's latest foster dog can be found here. Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to [email protected]! See you every week for Formosa Fauna Fridays!