Sea turtles are imprisoned in the basement as a wish pool, and the Penghu Dayi Palace is involved in abuse. "what will happen if you make a wish with a painful creature?"

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Dayi Palace, Zhuwan Village, Xiyu Township, Penghu County, is the only temple in China where sea turtles are legally raised. However, after searching for evidence, the domestic animal protection group Taiwan Animal Society Research Society (hereinafter referred to as "Animals Society") pointed out that the temple has not done its duty of being kind to animals. Over the past 30 years, more than a dozen sea turtles have been kept in an airtight basement without seeing the sun and in a harsh environment, which are publicly displayed for the public to visit, and even build the pool into a "wishing pool". Tourists are induced to toss coins into the pool, causing heavy metal pollution in sea turtles.

The exhibition period of sea turtles in Dayi Palace is about to expire at the end of this month. The news agency held a press conference today (29), calling on the government to intervene as soon as possible, and before the Dayi Palace truthfully improves the breeding environment and space, the Penghu County government should not issue a display permit. In response, the ecological conservation department of the Penghu County Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries responded that in recent years, veterinarians have arranged regular health check-ups for sea turtles in Dayi Palace, which report that everything is all right and the environment is up to standard.

The Dayi Palace held sea turtles before the implementation of the Wildlife Conservation Law in 1988. the source was that local fishermen mistakenly caught them and then transferred them to the place. Because the local temple and villagers thought that sea turtles could ensure the safety of fishermen going out to sea, they were kept in the temple for many years. After the law was amended in 1983, breeding and conservation animals had to be registered in accordance with the law, and if they were to be publicly displayed every year, they had to apply to the county and municipal governments for permission. Penghu county government issued a permit to Dayi Palace this year to allow these sea turtles to be displayed publicly.

Local tourists throw coins into the pool to make a wish, which animal protection groups worry about causing heavy metal pollution in sea turtles. (photo courtesy of / agency)

People: "what will happen if you make a wish with a painful creature?"

People concerned about the conservation of sea turtles also attended a support press conference. Li Zhenchun said that four years ago, he visited the Penghu Dayi Palace and saw several sea turtles huddled in a narrow pool. "the environment is really dirty. As soon as the sea turtles swim, they raise dust, the corners of their eyes are obviously inflamed, and the carapace does not look very hard."

Li Zhenchun usually loves snorkeling. He explained that an adult turtle weighs an average of 250 kilograms. Because of its buoyancy, it can easily swim in the sea, but in a small pool where the water is not deep enough, the turtle drags its heavy body and is unable to move an inch. He directly criticized that this is not life education at all. "Biological education will never put live animals in such a harsh environment, not to mention what will happen if you make a wish with a painful creature."

Li Zhenchun said that he had sent more than 400 love letters to the Penghu county government over the past four years, asking the government to intervene in dealing with the improper treatment of sea turtles by the Dayi Palace, but there was no response.

Note: green turtles, red turtles, hawksbill turtles, olive turtles and other species commonly known as sea turtles are all endangered species under the Wildlife Conservation Act. According to Article 16 of the Law, no one may harass, abuse, hunt, slaughter, buy, sell, display, display, hold, import, export, raise or breed.

Article 3 of the measures for the Administration of breeding and breeding of Conservation or dangerous Wild Animals also stipulates that conservation breeding places shall provide appropriate food, drinking water and adequate living space according to the species and habits of animals, pay attention to the safety, shelter, ventilation, lighting, temperature, cleanliness and other proper care of their living environment, and should avoid the environment vulnerable to harassment. Violators may impose fines of not less than NT $60, 000 and not more than NT $300000 according to law.

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