Farglory Ocean Park faces skepticism over rebranded eco-friendly dolphin program

Farglory Ocean Park faces skepticism over rebranded eco-friendly dolphin program

2026-07-03

After Farglory Ocean Park in Hualien gave its last dolphin show in early April, the park announced that it would not renew its dolphin show permit and would transition its dolphinarium into a conservation base. However, when the Dolphin Conservation Base opened in July, visitors were shocked to find that dolphins were still being used to entertain an audience. In response, the park said that the new exhibit isn’t meant to serve as entertainment, but to educate the public about dolphins’ natural behavior.

Following the trainer’s hand gestures, five dolphins spread out in a row leap from the water into the air. The audience gasps in amazement.

With just a simple gesture, the dolphin knows it’s the cue to get onto the platform. This is Farglory Ocean Park’s newly opened Dolphin Conservation Base after the venue closed for three months. The park had announced that it would no longer hold dolphin shows, but why are the dolphins still being exhibited like this?

-There are both performances and lectures.

Ms. Lu
Visitor
This event is very well organized. It allows kids to learn more about the dolphins’ ecology.

The amended regulations for managing animal exhibitions explicitly prohibit recreational performances from protected wild animals that involve "unnatural behavior." As a result, Farglory Ocean Park gave its last dolphin show in April. At the time, the park said it would introduce a new exhibit that focuses on education. On July 1, they launched the brand-new “Meet the Dolphins” program, transitioning into an ecological and educational format. As for the current “show,” the park says it’s to introduce the audience to dolphins’ natural behavior.

Shen Chien-shao
Farglory Ocean Park GM
What’s different is that we’re shifting the focus to the dolphins themselves. We’re introducing the species’ natural behavior. We’re no longer holding circus-like shows or having dolphins perform stunts. This is an eco-friendly demonstration.

Chou Huang Te-rong
Hualien animal protection office
We’ve completed the assessment on June 2 and approved their license for animal exhibits.

Ending dolphin shows was a huge step forward in animal welfare. As for the new exhibit, the animal protection office says it will conduct strict assessments to ensure that the operator doesn’t violate the law.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#dolphins #dolphinshow #animalwelfare #oceanarium #marinelife

說好的不再表演? 花蓮海洋公園海豚"照樣跳"惹議

2026-07-03

花蓮遠雄海洋公園四月停演海豚秀，七月推出全新的海豚守護基地。近期卻因為海豚出現跳躍、搖尾鰭等動作，被民眾質疑是假轉型。園方澄清些動作不是娛樂表演，而是以海豚的自然行為，取代傳統娛樂演出，藉此讓遊客更認識海豚。

五隻海豚跟著訓練師的手勢，一字排開，高高躍起，在落入水中，引得台下觀眾驚呼聲連連。

訓練師一個抬手，海豚就像個聰明的孩子，聽話地跳上平台。這是花蓮遠雄海洋公園，歷時三個月，推出的海豚守護基地，只是海豚不是不表演了嗎？

“表演教學都有啊”

[[遊客呂小姐]]
“這個活動辦理得非常好，可以讓小朋友了解到海豚生態的知識。”

配合動物展演管理辦法修正，明確規範保育類野生動物，不得再進行「非自然行為」的娛樂性表演，因此遠雄海洋公園四月起停演招牌海豚秀。7月1號推出全新「遇見海豚」，轉型為生態教育性質。至於，海豚出現的這些行為，業者說這是"介紹"讓大家認識。

[[遠雄海洋公園總經理沈建劭]]
“差別其實就是把主角回到海豚身上，我們其實是來介紹海豚這個生物牠本身的自然的行為，我們就不再是以那種馬戲表演，或者是以那種特殊動作的表演為主的那種秀，我們是一個生態的展演。”

[[花蓮縣動保所長周黃得榮]]
“相關的時程在六月二日已經完成審查，並核發動物展演許可。

轉型為守護基地，是邁向海洋保育的重要里程碑。動保所表示會落實評鑑，以確保業者沒有違法。

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In Taiwan, the drone debate has finally shifted. It’s no longer about whether they are needed for defense. Instead, the upcoming debate will be about how to fund them. On Friday, four competing bills were submitted to the legislature. The Executive Yuan wants funding of NT$210 billion in a special budget, but the KMT wants funding of NT$240 billion to come from the annual general budget over six years. The TPP also wants funding to come from the general budget, but so far has not proposed a spending cap. A DPP lawmaker has also proposed her own version. Let’s find out more.

After Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu returned to Taiwan from the United States, draft drone bills were finally accepted by the legislature. A total of five drafts were submitted to committees for review. Among them, the Executive Yuan’s version allocated NT$210 billion in a special budget. The KMT allocated NT$240 billion over six years as part of the general budget. The TPP also called for drone funding from the general budget, but a spending cap was not specified. There were also versions from DPP legislators Lin Chu-yin and Chung Chia-pin. However, Chung’s draft was rejected, and in the end only four versions were successfully submitted for joint review from the legislature’s economic, national defense and finance committees.

- You plagiarized mine and silenced mine.
- You won’t allow discussions.
- Eight cheaters.
- False moves.

Chung was furious and confronted legislators from the Taiwan People’s Party, accusing them of “plagiarism.” Comparing the two versions, both emphasized national defense autonomy and industrial transformation. Both called for the Executive Yuan to establish an inter-ministerial promotion committee and designate a drone test field, with appropriate deregulation. The budget ceiling for both was not clearly defined.

Jacky Chen
TPP caucus convener
The special provisions in Legislator Chung Chia-pin’s version, which had no upper limit, were rejected.

Chung Chia-pin
Legislator (DPP)
This time, instead of submitting the Executive Yuan’s version of defense procurement to the national defense committee, they submitted it to the economic committee, showing clearly that they want the same old scenario to play out again and delay opportunities for defense procurement.

Drones have once again sparked a battle between the ruling and opposition parties. Just a day earlier, AIT Director Raymond Greene and Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen held a forum together, where Greene said Taiwan needed a “hornets’ nest” of drones. However, the KMT’s draft bill is being questioned, for KMT legislator Ma Wen-chun had previously drastically cut funding for drones from the general budget. Now she is saying once again drones should be part of the annual general budget, making those in the drone industry worry about their financial survival.

Chuang Jui-hsiung
Legislator (DPP)
The KMT’s stance has been inconsistent. Now that all the versions are referred to the committee, everyone in the Legislative Yuan can be rational.

Finally, draft drone bills are about to be discussed substantively. Which version best serves the national interest? The upcoming debates will be closely watched by both Taiwan and the US.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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Drone smashes into dormitory of Taiwanese postgrad in Ukraine

Anthony, a Taiwanese electrical engineering student, was fascinated with drones and aircraft and so he went to Ukraine’s National Aviation University in Kyiv to pursue a master’s degree in drone design. However, he never imagined he would have a very close shave with one. A drone smashed into his dormitory, nearly killing him. Here. Anthony tells a FTV news team in Ukraine the story of his harrowing experience.

Anthony
Foreign student in Ukraine
When it was happening, I could already hear the propeller noises. They were extremely loud, coming in from outside the window, so at that point, I told my roommate: “Run!”

The dormitory windows were shattered and the furniture was unrecognizable. This should have been the safest place for a master’s student to write his thesis and sleep, but that night Anthony’s life flashed before his eyes.

Anthony
Foreign student in Ukraine
It felt like the drone was in a swooping posture, meaning it had entered attack mode. As I reached the doorway, it hit the dormitory building, and the whole place violently shuddered. I really started to feel homesick after my dormitory was attacked by the drone. That’s when I truly realized these dangers could happen to me personally.

Anthony, from New Taipei City, went to Ukraine’s National Aviation University in Kyiv to pursue a master’s degree in drone design, where he usually studies satellite communications and flight control systems with his professor, while collecting model airplanes of all sizes at home.

Anthony
Foreign student in Ukraine
My parents and sister were all very supportive of me going to Ukraine, but they ultimately left the decision to me. Later, I grew to love aerospace and became more interested in that kind of thing, so I did some research and found that Ukraine was a good place, since the world’s largest transport aircraft was based there.

The key factor drawing Anthony to Ukraine was the An-225 Mriya, at the time the world’s largest transport aircraft, developed by the Antonov Design Bureau in Ukraine. Some people fled Ukraine because of the war, but Anthony chose to stay because he believed that one day he would bring the technology he learned in the war back to Taiwan.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#drones #TaiwanUkraine #NAU #Ukrainedrones #studyabroad

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Mother in Taitung dangerously leaves baby in car when going shopping

How could a mother leave her baby in her car when she went shopping? This is one of two cases of outrageous neglect that we’ve uncovered on FTV. In another incident, an adult was driving a car, while two little girls were sitting with their bodies halfway out the sunroof. A witnessed filmed this, posted the footage online and it caused an uproar. The girls could have easily fallen out of the car if it braked suddenly or wobbled. Let’s find out more.

A black sedan passes through an intersection, attracting attention. It wasn’t the car itself that was unusual, but rather the fact that two little girls were sitting on the roof, half of their bodies sticking out of the car. Witnesses said the two girls were wearing goggles and were screaming all the way, seemingly quite excited.

This was seen at several intersections in a row. This outrageous scene occurred on Thursday night when the black sedan exited an interchange and drove along Section 6 of Jiaoxi Road in Yilan. The two girls sat on the roof of the car as it drove around while they enjoyed the breeze.

Member of the public
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Lin Hsin-wei
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The police issued tickets in accordance with regulations to maintain traffic order and ensure the safety of people on the road.

There was also another instance of adult negligence, this time in Taitung. A baby was seen lying in the passenger seat of an SUV, crying hysterically. A passerby noticed and immediately sought help. It turned out the baby’s mother had gone shopping in a mall.

Chang Wei-wen
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Chen Shu-lan
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According to Article 51 of the Child and Juvenile Welfare and Rights Protection Act, we cannot leave children under the age of six alone or entrust them to care from unsuitable individuals.

Police are reminding the public never to leave children under six years old alone in a car, as this is against the law. Don’t wait until a tragedy occurs and then regret it later.

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Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#Childabuse #Neglectfulparents #childcare #traffic #roadtrip

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Couple stopped from taking pet hen on train

It’s common to bring dogs and cats on trains, but what about pet chickens? One couple from Keelung brought their pet hen on the train with them to Ruifang, but when they were preparing to board their return train, staff said that chickens are not allowed on passenger trains. What exactly are Taiwan Railways’ regulations regarding pets?

A brown hen rests calmly in its owner’s arms. But when the owner tried to board a train with the chicken in its cage, they were stopped by staff.

Hen owner
Vexed
We go all around, from Taipei to Yingge, taking Tze-Chiang Express trains, and we always use a pet carrier as required by Taiwan Railway. We had no issues at Qidu or Ruifang stations, but when we went to buy some chicken feed and came back to catch the train, station staff came over and asked if we meant to take the train. I said yes, and he looked inside the carrier and said because it’s a chicken, we can’t take the train. We have to find another way.

This couple wanted to take their pet hen of over two years on the train from Ruifang to Qidu, when they were told that chickens aren’t allowed on board. But they’ve taken the hen with them on trains before and never had an issue. The husband is disabled and uses an electric wheelchair, so he relies on his wife to help him. The couple waited at the station for over two hours, but couldn’t find a solution.

Hen owner
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In the end, railway police took the wife and hen back to Qidu, while station staff helped her husband take the train back.

According to Taiwan Railway regulations, pet cats, dogs, and birds can be taken onboard as long as they are completely inside a carrier of appropriate size. But chickens, ducks, and geese are considered commercial animals and must be transported as cargo.

Chiang Yi-cheng
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A pack of stray dogs saunters in the middle of the road, blocking people from passing. Lots of strays can be seen around here, even during the day.

There are even puppies around, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s estimated that there are over 1,000 stray dogs by Renyitan and Lantan in Chiayi, and residents often feed them.

Resident
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Resident
I still feel uneasy if I see a pack of dogs ahead.

Lin Pei-ju
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Leftover dog food is scattered around, attracting insects and vermin. Some pet owners even abandon their dogs here, leaving locals to care for them. The government set up smart fences to catch strays, hoping to curb breeding and keep the population under control.

Lin Pei-ju
Chiayi County animal control official
We carried out a large-scale, area-wide dog capture, sterilization, and rabies vaccine program. But the operation has encountered interference from many unidentified people.

Surveillance footage shows people letting dogs out of the smart fence, making the government’s program less effective. The country government said it has started to collect evidence of people interfering with the fences and feeding strays, and vowed to pursue legal action.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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