TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's capital city animal protection officials announced Wednesday (Sept. 3) that a crested goshawk (鳳頭蒼鷹), a protected raptor species, has been successfully rescued from the Taipei City Council (台北市議會) building. The Taipei City Animal Protection Office (台北市動保處) dispatched a specialized rescue team to safely capture the bird, which had wandered into the government building's fifth-floor stairwell Tuesday (Sept. 2). Officials confirmed the healthy goshawk will be released back into the wild at an appropriate time.
Rescue specialists approached the alarmed goshawk from multiple directions, causing the bird to retreat to higher perches within the government building's stairwell. The experienced team turned off the building's stairwell lighting to exploit the raptor's poor night vision and calm its increasingly agitated state. Rescuers successfully captured the protected bird using a specialized bird-catching net and carefully wrapped its wings in a protective towel to prevent injury from excessive flapping during the delicate transport process.
The Taipei City Animal Protection Office has entrusted the specialized Raptor Research Group of Taiwan (台灣猛禽研究會) with the bird's care until its eventual release into the wild. Officials noted that crested goshawks, originally native to Taiwan's mid- and low-altitude mountain regions, have remarkably adapted to urban environments over recent decades. These adaptable raptors now nest and breed successfully in locations like Daan Forest Park (大安森林公園) and are frequently observed in city parks and green spaces, making them the only diurnal raptor species to breed consistently in metropolitan areas.
The animal protection office reminded citizens that Taiwan's Act on Wildlife Conservation (野生動物保育法) strictly prohibits harassment, abuse, hunting, slaughter, trade, display, possession, import, export, or breeding of protected wildlife species. Violators face serious legal consequences including prison sentences ranging from six months to five years and substantial financial penalties. Fines range from NT$200,000 (around US$6,515) to NT$1 million (around US$32,573), reflecting the government's commitment to wildlife protection and conservation efforts.