In May 2022, The Asia for Animals Coalition and the AfA Macaque Coalition appealed to Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, asking that she and her government support the macaque protection measures suggested by the Environmental and Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST), the Taiwan Animal Equality Association, the Taiwan Macaque Coexistence Promotion Association, and the Taiwan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Formosan macaques (Macaca cyclopis) are endemic to Taiwan. Macaque advocates reported that a growing number of these monkeys were being kept in unsuitable
conditions by private individuals, a situation that had worsened since the Council of Agriculture’s Forestry Bureau removed the species’ protected species status under the Wildlife Conservation Act in 2019.
We are delighted to hear that on the 1st of September, the Council of Agriculture (COA) will add Formosan rock macaques to the list of animals that cannot be owned, imported or exported from Taiwan. People who currently own macaques that were previously obtained through legal means will be allowed to keep them provided that they are registered and microchipped before March 2023. Those who fail to do so will be fined and the animals confiscated.
While there is plenty more work to do in Taiwan to ensure that these macaques are treated with respect, the efforts of Taiwanese macaque advocates, with the support of our global network of animal protection organizations and macaque specialists, have paid off, and we feel this is a fantastic step forward for macaques. Our sincerest thanks to the President and the COA for ensuring that action was taken!