TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Changhua County (彰化縣) became the third region in Taiwan to enact comprehensive leopard cat protection legislation Thursday (June 12), marking a watershed moment for conservation of the island's endangered wild feline species. The county government plans to submit the groundbreaking ordinance to Taiwan's Ministry of Agriculture (MOA, 農業部) for official record-keeping, cementing legal protections for the elusive cats known locally as stone tigers.
The new legislation requires developers of major public projects in leopard cat habitat zones to consult the newly established Changhua County Leopard Cat Conservation Committee (彰化縣石虎保育委員會) throughout planning and construction phases. Critical habitat areas include Fenyuan Township (芬園鄉), Changhua City (彰化市), and Hemei Township (和美鎮), where the rare cats struggle to coexist with expanding human development. Projects must incorporate environmentally sensitive construction methods to minimize disruption to the leopard cats' fragile ecosystem.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) County Councilor Yang Tzu-hsien (楊子賢) first proposed the conservation draft in 2023, launching a comprehensive legislative journey that culminated in Thursday's historic vote. The Changhua County Government's Department of Agriculture (彰化縣政府農業處) shepherded the proposal through extensive deliberations and multiple revisions before achieving final passage. Wildlife researcher Lo Chih-cheng (羅志成), who has dedicated years to monitoring leopard cat populations, hailed the ordinance as a conservation milestone while urging county officials to aggressively expand protective measures.
Dayeh University (DYU, 大葉大學) Assistant Professor Lai Bo-chi (賴伯琦) described the legislation as a pivotal advancement for central Taiwan's leopard cat preservation, emphasizing the critical overlap between feline territories and rapidly developing human settlements. Students at Fenyuan Township's Tong'an Elementary School (同安國小) staged an educational theatrical performance highlighting the primary threats facing leopard cats: vehicle strikes, domestic dog attacks, and deliberate poisoning. The grassroots awareness campaign demonstrates growing community engagement in protecting Taiwan's most vulnerable wild cat species.
The Agriculture Department will now establish the Changhua County Leopard Cat Conservation Committee, a specialized oversight body tasked with evaluating how major development projects might affect leopard cat habitats throughout the county. The committee will provide crucial policy recommendations to balance economic development with wildlife protection, ensuring Taiwan's endangered stone tigers receive adequate consideration in future planning decisions. ◼
