PODCAST

Formosa Fauna

Spend 20 minutes feeding your mind with knowledge about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends! Formosa Fauna aims to entertainingly educate listeners about animals both in Taiwan and abroad while also inspiring them to take action and get involved. Formosa Fauna hopes to connect the world through humanity’s innate curiosity for the unknown and love for animals. Join Tristan Hilderbrand for Formosa Fauna on Fridays!If you have a story or photo you want featured

society & culture

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Everything you need to know about Taiwan's African...

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/10/31

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 ofFormosa 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

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Endemic Taiwanese fish species repopulates after...

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/10/24

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 Faunais back this weekto entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode andfeeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all

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Why Taiwan banned declawing cats | Ep68

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/10/17

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

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The fascinating source of sea monster legends | Ep67

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/10/10

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 Faunais back this weekto entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode andfeeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of

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Jane Goodall's passing, Taipei Zoo's Ghost Festival...

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/10/03

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 Faunais back this weekto entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode andfeeding 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

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PAW Patrol move aside, Taiwan's land crab patrol is...

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/09/26

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 andfeeding 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–

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We won't give up on Taiwan's animals despite rejected...

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/09/18

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 tristan@rti.org.tw. See you every week forFormosa FaunaFridays!

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The never-ending fight against wild boar snares in...

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/09/11

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

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Diners unknowingly consume shark marketed as "fish...

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/09/04

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,

en_US

Monkey caught red-handed after 3-month chase | Ep61

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/08/28

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 Faunais back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode andfeeding 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

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Beer makes dogs' coats shinier? Science says 'no' | Ep60

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/08/21

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 Faunais back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode andfeeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can

en_US

These can chew through bullet proof vests? | Ep59

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/08/14

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 Faunais back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode andfeeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. On today's

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International Cat Day: Taiwan's cats | Ep58

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/08/07

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 Faunais back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode andfeeding 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

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My boss is the Taiwanese black bears | Ep57

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/07/31

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 Faunais back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode andfeeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends. On

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Using drones and AI to catch stray dogs | Ep56

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/07/24

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 toFormosa Faunaso 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

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Volunteered as a photographer, was handed a...

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/07/17

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 toFormosa Faunaso 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

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The animal lovers who have to witness the worst of...

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/07/10

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 toFormosa Fauna so you can become smarter

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Importing pets into Taiwan: "Fail and they will...

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/07/03

"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

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The organization that responds to all animal cruelty...

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/06/26

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,

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Why dogs are afraid of vacuum cleaners | Ep51

Formosa Fauna ·

2025/06/19

Which marine animal or fish has the biggest brain-to-body ratio? Manta rays, bettas, or great white sharks? Formosa Faunais back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode andfeeding 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

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Formosa Fauna

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