Kenting diver delighted by rare hammerhead school sighting

Kenting diver delighted by rare hammerhead school sighting

2026-04-24

Before, divers had to fly to Japan to see schools of hammerhead sharks. But during one recent excursion in Kenting, a diver saw as many as 11 of them at once. He was even able to swim right alongside, giving the diver an experience he’s sure not to forget for a long time.

While out for a dive, an entire school of hammerhead sharks suddenly swam up beside this diver. He lets out a shout, unable to contain his excitement.

A total of 11 sharks appeared all at once. But he wasn’t abroad—this was right here in Kenting. Usually, divers hoping to see hammerheads have to travel all the way to Mikomoto Island in Japan. But getting to see a whole school without leaving the country is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Voice of Lee Po-hsun
Diving instructor
The chances of seeing this in Taiwan are extremely, extremely low. It’s super rare. He was diving pretty deep where the current is relatively strong.

Voice of Han Chiao-chuan
National Museum of Marine Biology
Populations like this existed in the past. It’s possible there was overfishing early on. Seeing them now might suggest that the environment is recovering.

Hammerheads can also be seen at the National Museum of Marine Biology in Pingtung, distinct for their unique head shape with eyes extending out on either side. The fact that they’ve been spotted multiple times now in Kenting has sparked a wave of excitement among those excited to welcome the return of these marine giants.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#hammerhead #hammerheadshark #Kenting #diving #oceanlife #sharks #wildlife

不用去日本! "錘頭鯊風暴"現蹤墾丁海域潛水客驚呼連連

2026-04-24

過去潛水客想目睹成群結隊的錘頭鯊，通常得搭飛機前往日本，不過最近就有潛水客在墾丁潛水時，發現多達11隻的錘頭鯊驚喜現蹤，與他們一起一起共遊，直呼實在超難得，忍不住驚呼連連。

潛水客正在潛水，身邊突然出現一整群的龐然大物，仔細一看，竟然是好幾隻錘頭鯊一起共遊，讓潛水客忍不住在海裡放聲尖叫。

一共11隻的錘頭鯊，同時出現，這個地點不在國外而在墾丁，過去不少潛水客為了一睹這樣的美景，還得搭飛機前往日本神子元島，這回不用出國就能看到，實在可遇不可求。

[[聲源:潛水教練李柏勳]]
“在台灣要看到的機會非常非常低啊，就很難得，那個潛點它是深度比較深，那邊算是水流都比較大”

[[聲源:海生館生物組主任韓僑權]]
“過往也是都有這些族群存在，可能早期一些漁撈過度的現象，這次有機會發現到，環境也許有慢慢在恢復”

潛水客看到的錘頭鯊，在屏東海生館也有，統稱錘頭鯊的雙髻鯊，外型最醒目的就是頭部向左右延伸，兩側末端各有一隻眼睛，近期在墾丁海域被多次目擊，也讓民眾讚嘆不已。

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Traveler stirs controversy by bringing bottles of Ganges water back from India

A man who traveled to India recently posted a video of himself bringing back two bottles of water from the Ganges River. But the sight of the murky water, already starting to grow algae, drew condemnation from commenters, who accused him of bringing potentially disease-ridden pathogens back to Taiwan. In a response video, the man apologized and promised to bring the water back to the Ganges.

- Algae’s started growing in my Ganges water.

When visiting the Ganges River in India, this traveler filled two plastic bottles with water to bring back with him. Little did he know he was about to start a firestorm.

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Just seeing these bottles of turbid water is enough to make your skin crawl. Even though the Ganges is a sacred river, it’s also a place where locals wash their clothes, prepare food, and conduct funeral rites. Commenters on the man’s post called on customs or the CDC to intervene.

Hsiang Hsiang
Traveler
Last month, I went to India with some friends and filmed travel videos. I heard the locals will bring water from the Ganges back with them for worship, so I thought I’d bring some back to Taiwan to share with my friends. I never thought it would be shared around to all of Taiwan. I’m so sorry! It’s been in Taiwan for a month now and nothing has leaked. Not a drop.

Hsiang Hsiang promised to return the water. An Indian friend also told him that people believe the Ganges holds the souls of the dead, so taking water without permission disrupts their rest. The Ganges has often become a topic of conversation. Once, a Chinese influencer drank a glass of water straight from the river while filming himself. But could bringing two bottles back really cause pollution or spread infectious disease?

Huang Yu-cheng
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If you left a bottle of water from a Taiwanese river sitting for a month, there would definitely be some bacteria in it as well. Drug-resistant bacteria don’t necessarily multiply quickly unless they’re under pressure from antibiotics. So unless those bottles of river water have been fed antibiotics every day, it won’t breed particularly resilient bacteria.

The doctor said that unless it’s cultured intentionally, there isn’t much danger posed by the bottles of river water. But from the look of them, it’s no wonder people are concerned.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Commuters recommend HSR over MRT to travel across Taipei

Most people traveling from Taipei Main Station to Nangang take the MRT. But if you’re in a hurry, some commuters have discovered that it’s 10 minutes faster to take the high-speed rail, and only NT$5 more expensive. They’re encouraging others to changes lines too, saying it’s more than worth it.

Meng Chia-mei
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When traveling from Taipei Main to Nangang, most people take the MRT. But some people have discovered that if you go just across the way and take the HSR instead, it’s faster and only costs NT$5 more.

Member of public
For only a NT$5 difference and getting there a little bit faster, for me, I think it’s OK. Sometimes it’s really crowded on the MRT, but usually, the HSR has passenger limits and people have slightly different destinations.

Member of public
If you can spend only NT$5 more and get there 10 minutes faster, I’d be willing to do it.

The journey from Taipei Main to Nangang on the HSR takes 8 to 9 minutes compared to 19 minutes on the MRT. For just NT$5 more, you can save 10 minutes. It’s also less crowded, and you’ll be sure to get a seat. It seems like a deal that can’t be beat. But if you factor in frequency, during peak hours, there’s only a high-speed train every 5 to 25 minutes, compared to a train every 2 to 2-and-a-half minutes on the MRT. If your timing is off, it wouldn’t be worth it.

Member of public
I think it’s all right for me. But I wouldn’t go out of my way to do it. As long as it’s convenient.

Member of public
The MRT runs more frequently. SoI’d take a look at the schedule first. If the MRT would be faster, I’d choose that.

When choosing between the HSR and MRT, you need to consider ticket price, timing, and train frequency. But some have come up with a compromise. With its more frequent departures and cheaper price than the HSR, plus acceptance of TPass, the Taiwan Railway is also a solid alternative.

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60-year bawan business in Kaohsiung draws crowds with traditional recipe

Bawan, or Taiwanese meatballs, can be prepared in different ways. Some are steamed, some are fried. Now there is a bawan shop with a long history in Qishan, Kaohsiung, where the traditional snack is first steamed and then fried. The result is a texture that is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Every weekend, the shop is packed. Now the family business is run by the third generation as it approaches its 60th year in operation.

The steamed bawan sizzle on the griddle and the translucent skin gradually turns golden and crispy.

When the surface is slightly charred, you can remove it from the griddle, pour two special homemade sauces over it, add some mashed garlic, and voila, it’s ready to serve.

Wu Sheng-hua
Owner
My impression is that my grandfather started selling it around 1968 or 1969, and then my mother and my aunt took over. They worked together for about 20 some years. Now we have been doing it for about 20 years.

This traditional bawan shop is located in Qishan District of Kaohsiung. The outer skin of the bawan is made of tapioca starch, and the filling is made of fresh pork. It’s first steamed and then slowly fried with lard over low heat.

Customer
Because I spend most of my time in the north now, whenever I come back to Qishan, I will come here to get some. I like the skin, which is very chewy but not too hard.

Customer
It’s quite famous and rated highly on the web. It is different from what I have had elsewhere. The skin tastes like it has been fried, and it’s just yummy.

Wu Sheng-hua
owner
The recipe has been passed down from 60 years ago, and we keep the tradition going and see if the next generation wants to take over. If they do, then it can continue to be passed down.

In addition to bawan, the pork broth and stir fried vermicelli are also crowd pleasers. The owner Mr. Wu says when his grandfather started the business, it was just a push cart from which he peddled the snack. Now customers descend on their store in droves every weekend. They have certainly come a long way.

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Formosan macaques stir up trouble on Taitung utility poles

And now to Taitung, where some unexpected “high-wire performers” are turning heads. Formosan macaques have been spotted taking over utility poles, climbing, balancing, and even swinging across power lines as if it were a circus act. But while it may look amusing at first, the situation can quickly turn dangerous, for the monkeys and for humans. Some macaques fall off the poles to an untimely end, and their shenanigans cause power outages and damage to equipment.

Formosan macaques have taken over the utility pole. Some sit and chill while others hang on with their hands. Some others weave back and forth through the power lines as if doing tightrope stunts. It’s enough to make anyone nervous.

One of the monkeys balancing on the cable fell right off, seemingly after getting a shock. Sadly, it didn’t survive the fall.

Voice of Wang Po-kai
Took video
Some friends and I were checking out our land when we saw the monkeys. I thought they looked so funny, like a free circus show. It was hilarious seeing them on the power lines.

But for pineapple farmers in the area, it was anything but funny. The fruits in the fields became an all-you-can-eat buffet for the macaques.

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The monkeys are too cunning. The pineapples are still small. They are still healthy because we keep dogs to scare the monkeys away. They are as bad as a natural disaster.

The number of macaques in Chenggong Township has been increasing by the year. And even the security cameras set up nearby by the nearby East Coast National Scenic Area Administration have been wrecked by the monkeys. Locals say their climbing and shenanigans on the power lines have caused outages in mountain communities that severely disrupt daily life.

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Teacher dresses up as Confucius to wish students well for exams

The technical and vocational college entrance exams are coming up this weekend. Knowing that students may be quite nervous about it, a teacher in Pingtung prepared a surprise: dressing up as Confucius and offering them snacks that were previously offered to Mazu. Students were all delighted to receive blessings from the famous ancient figure.

The paragon of sages, Confucius has time traveled to the classroom.

He offers words of blessings and tosses snacks to eager students.

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He really does resemble Confucius. It’s like the real person arrived to bless us.

The teacher who dressed up as Confucius is Liu I-te, who teaches multimedia design in Ping Rong High School. His costume was made entirely by him and two students. The bouquet he’s holding also carries special meanings.

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There are auspicious components, such as persimmons and tangerines. As for tossing snacks, it’s similar to what you see in traditional Taoist processions to celebrate a deity’s birthday, in which items are tossed as blessings. I hope that the kids can have some fun when things are so tense now, and help them relieve some of the stress.

Student
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I was really surprised. I didn’t expect the teacher to dress up as Confucius to encourage us.

The Technical and Vocational Education Joint College Entrance Examination will be held this weekend, so Mr. Liu is dressing up as Confucius to wish students well. It’s not the first time Liu has styled himself after a historical or cultural figure. With generative AI, he’s made collectible cards of him as Confucius, Jesus, and the God of Literature, among others.

Liu I-te
Teacher, Ping Rong High School
I thought since AI makes it look as if I suit those looks, then perhaps I could actually dress up and interact with students in costume. I thought that’d be quite fun.

Liu hopes that students are delighted by the stunt and hopes that they will all ace the college entrance exams.

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Taiwan shares surge 1,218 points to close at record high 38,932

Taiwan’s semiconductor industry continues to rise amid the continued AI craze. Among the companies benefiting is memory giant Micron Technology, which has moved into the Tongluo Science Park in Miaoli. The tech boom is also apparent in capital markets, especially in Taiwan. On Thursday, Taiwan shares experienced a swing of more than 1,700 points, but on Friday, it staged a strong rebound led by TSMC. The market surged to close up 1,218 points at 38,932 points. That’s a rise of 3.23%. TSMC shares leapt by NT$105 to hit an all-time high of NT$2,185. Let’s hear from an expert.

Lee Fang-kuo
President Securities Chair
This is just a harmless pullback within the overall bullish trend. In addition, the Financial Supervisory Commission has relaxed the cap on ETF holdings of TSMC, which has further boosted the surge in the company’s shares. There are at least eight positive factors going forward. The first one is that prices are now above all the moving averages. It also seems like the US-Iran war could see a ceasefire before May 1. On the S&P 500, the price-to-earnings ratio for tech stocks has compressed to around 22 to 23 times, the lowest valuation in 7 years. If the “Magnificent Seven” of US tech shares continue to make gains, that will further drive Taiwan stocks higher. The US Federal Reserve is set to get a new Chair in May, and I think dovish sentiment will prevail in the market.

The expert is optimistic, saying that there is no need to set a ceiling for the Taiwan stock index in the short term. The market has strong fundamentals, and listed companies, including those in the S&P 500, continue to revise their projected earnings up. One event to watch out for in the future is Computex in June, where Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is once again expected to capture headlines with major announcements. Observers say Taiwan shares could well swell above 40,000 points in May.

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