Tourists delighted at spotting pod with around 100 false killer whales

Tourists delighted at spotting pod with around 100 false killer whales

2026-08-04

A group of lucky tourists got the surprise of a lifetime on Monday evening. They had embarked on a whale-watching tour from Yilan’s Wushi Harbor. As they headed south to Nanfang’ao, they erupted into oohs and aahs after seeing a huge pod of around 100 false killer whales. It’s the first time that such a large group has been spotted near Turtle Island. Even tour operators who’ve been in the industry for more than two decades were impressed by the spectacle. Let’s hear more.

Lee Hsiao
Whale-watching tour staff
I’ve been doing this for so many years. But the pod of false killer whales we saw today was the biggest one I’ve seen. There were about 100 of them. It was amazing.

Cho Meng-hsiang
Yilan Agriculture official
These animals are generally found on the east and south coast, usually in groups of about 20 to 30 individuals. It’s rare for them to be in such a large group.

False killer whales are a species of oceanic dolphin, and a Class II protected species in Taiwan. They are extremely curious by nature, and love to approach boats, sometimes swimming to the bow to brave the waves. While seeing small groups is already an impressive sight, the large pod, with many babies, made for an unforgettable memory for these lucky tourists.

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#whale #dolphin #nature #sea #whalewatching #eastcoast #taiwan

罕見! 宜蘭海域"百隻偽虎鯨"集體出沒賞鯨船遊客樂瘋

2026-08-04

目前是賞鯨的旺季，週一傍晚，宜蘭烏石港賞鯨船在龜山島以南，往南方澳的方向，發現大批偽虎鯨，數量高達近百隻。這也是第一次在龜山島海域發現數量如此龐大的偽虎鯨群體，就連從業二十多年的賞鯨船導覽員，都說這樣的場景十分難得。

[[賞鯨船導覽員李孝]]
“我們從事賞鯨活動那麼多年，今天看到的偽虎鯨是最多的一次，將近一百隻，將近一百隻，非常的難得。”

[[宜蘭縣農業處畜產科長卓盟翔]]
“在台灣這邊，大概普遍就會可能出現在東部沿海或者南部的一些沿海。大概每次出沒可能就二、三十頭，比較少見到超出這個數量，應該算是比較少見。”

偽虎鯨屬於海豚科，在台灣屬於第二級保育類動物。牠們生性活潑，極具好奇心，非常喜歡靠近船隻，甚至還會游到船頭乘風破浪。這次宜蘭賞鯨船出海，意外發現大量偽虎鯨，千載難逢的場景，讓遊客大飽眼福。

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Cancer survivors will hold mass swimming event in Sun Moon Lake

A group of cancer survivors with the Taiwanese Anti-Cancer Association will swim across Sun Moon Lake on Sept. 20. They want to show other people battling this disease that recovery involves challenging yourself and chasing dreams. Let’s find out more.

In September, cancer patients will be swimming across Sun Moon Lake. They are expressing confidence. Pan Chi-Chun, an engineer who has been diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma twice, says he will forge ahead with courage.

Pan Chi-chun
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Face it bravely, persevere to the end, and you’ll overcome every obstacle.

Like Pan, Yu Ying-chen is also fearless. She was diagnosed with cancer at a young age, but she was able to complete a cycling trip around Taiwan and climb Yushan. However, she can’t refrain from shedding tears when she thinks about sad incidents.

Yu Ying-chen
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It was really tough because everyone was working, and I had to take time off, and things like that. Sometimes I would secretly cry. The main thing is that after joining this association, I realized that it’s actually really tough for everyone.

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I’ve been involved in water rescue training for many years, and I’m happy to use whatever skills I have if they come in handy.

Chien Hsin-tien, who also once had cancer, is accompanying the cancer patients on their swim as a coach. They have been participating in the Taiwanese Anti-Cancer Association’s activities for many years and have come to understand that life is not just about treatment, but also about challenging oneself and fulfilling dreams.

Huang Wen-chieh
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By promoting this activity, we can encourage people who are chronically ill and unwilling to go outdoors to go outside. First, they can exercise, and second, they can interact with others.

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Our friends battling cancer need our care and, even more, our encouragement. Let’s help them regain their confidence, come together to swim across Sun Moon Lake, and rediscover all their inner strength and passion.

The association hopes that these activities will serve as an inspiration, encouraging more cancer patients to take the courageous first step.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Republican heavyweight McCaul visits Taiwan for 3rd time

Michael McCaul, Chairman Emeritus of the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs, is back in Taiwan for his third visit. This time he spoke about Taiwan being the recipient of a US$11 billion military sales package, which is the largest foreign military sales package in US history. McCaul also mentioned that an even bigger US$14 billion package is in the works, and so he’s urging Taiwan to quickly pass its defense budget.

President Lai is all smiles as he wears this cowboy hat, which is a gift from Michael McCaul, Chairman Emeritus of the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs. But this hat isn’t the first one Lai has gotten from McCaul, who, back in 2024, lead a delegation to Taiwan just days after Lai had assumed his presidency.

In order to convey his appreciation to McCaul for his continued support of Taiwan as well as speaking on the island’s behalf on the international stage, Lai awarded an Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon to McCaul.

Lai Ching-te
President
On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to express our gratitude to Michael McCaul, Chairman Emeritus of the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs, for the many years he has dedicated to deepening Taiwan-US relations, supporting democratic Taiwan, and preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. I would especially like to thank Chairman Emeritus McCaul for his many years of supporting Taiwan and helping bolster our national defense. In addition to pushing the US’ Executive Branch to expedite its delivery of military goods and weapons equipment to Taiwan, this year he and a bipartisan group of US Congressmen have supported Taiwan’s special defense budget.

- I love Taiwan. And I do love Taiwan.

Michael McCaul
US House Foreign Affairs Committee
Last December, Congress signed off on the largest foreign military sales package in history at US$11 billion dollars, and we aren’t stopping there. I’m confident the president will forward soon another package to Congress with an additional US$14 billion dollars in critical military defense articles. On this point, that it is not US policy to allow our diplomatic relationship with China to tie up arms sales to Taiwan.

McCaul reiterated that the US supports Taiwan and he promised that arms sales to Taiwan won’t be influenced by China. McCaul is a Republican member of the US House of Representatives. In the past, his support of Taiwan resulted in China punishing him with sanctions, which included freezing his assets in China and barring him from entering the country. His third visit to Taiwan, McCaul, who expressed it was an honor to be awarded a star, is planning to stay in Taiwan for 6 days. In addition to seeing Lai and top government officials, McCaul will also be speaking at the Ketagalan Forum. During the ceremony with Lai, McCaul called on Taiwan to quickly pass its defense budget.

Michael McCaul
US House Foreign Affairs Committee
I look forward to seeing Taiwan pass its annual defense budget. It is critical that Taiwan pass this budget to advance funding for its domestic drone production. Passing this bill will reiterate Taiwan’s commitment to its own self-defense and signal a great leap of faith in Washington.

In addition to featuring high-ranking government officials from the US, this year’s Ketagalan Forum has also invited Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Dlamini, who, according to foreign news sources, had previously said he was open to developing diplomatic relations with China. His visit to Taiwan might hint that the rumors are unfounded.

#China #Taiwan #US #armssales #Trump #bigguns #McCaul #Congress

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Taoyuan incidents bring back attention to pedestrian safety

Taiwan is struggling to shake off its reputation as a “pedestrian hell.” Two separate incidents in Taoyuan have brought back attention to the matter of pedestrian safety. In one, a flatbed truck narrowly missed running over a pedestrian who was crossing the street at a zebra crossing. In the other one, a woman was sent to the hospital with a brain hemorrhage after she was hit by a city bus, also at a zebra crossing.

One moment, a woman is crossing the road at a busy intersection. The next, she’s sent flying onto the asphalt by a bus turning left at a green light.

Hsieh Kuang-chih
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The bus driver, Mr. Cheng, was making a left turn when he collided with Ms. Hsueh, who was walking on the zebra crossing. Ms. Hsueh sustained injuries including a brain hemorrhage.

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Ms. Hsueh, 28, was sent to the hospital with a brain hemorrhage. Mr. Cheng, who had a blood alcohol content of zero, is now facing a fine for failing to yield to a pedestrian at a crossing resulting in injury.

A similar incident took place at the intersection between Longshou Street and Zhonghua Road in Bade District. A flatbed truck making a right turn didn’t stop or yield to pedestrians at a zebra crossing, speeding past at barely a few inches away from them.

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The truck went for the turn, almost causing a crash at the crossing. Fortunately, the pedestrian closest to the truck reacted quickly and jumped back in shock. The motorist who witnessed the near-miss was outraged, and pledged to report the truck driver on behalf of the pedestrians.

Chen Chien-ming
Police officer
Drivers who fail to yield and stop for pedestrians at a crossing face fines of NT$1,200 to NT$6,000.

Taiwan has gained a reputation internationally as a “pedestrian hell.” Even though the government raised penalties for failing to yield to a maximum fine of NT$6,000, it seems Taiwan still has a long way to go in terms of pedestrian safety.

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Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Record turnout at Hualien’s Pacific Austronesian Joint Harvest Festival

Hualien’s tourism has finally emerged from the shadow of last year’s disastrous floods in Guangfu Township. A colorful four-day Indigenous festival recently concluded, attracting a whopping record of 120,000 visitors. One hotel operator estimated her average occupancy rate was 80%. The county government promises that this is just the beginning, and more events throughout the year will keep the tourists flowing in. Let’s find out more.

Street parades, vibrant performance troupes and high energy all around.

Singers perform energetically on stage, while fans sway to the rhythm in the audience. The four-day 2026 Pacific Austronesian Joint Harvest Festival comes to a successful close, kicking off Hualien’s summer tourism season.

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In its 2nd edition, Taoyuan music fest brings in NBA star Zach LaVine

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Chang San-cheng
Taoyuan Mayor
Just like last year, we were able to invite an NBA superstar known around the world to help us kick off this event. In essence, this music festival brings together music and sports. Over there Zach LaVine just showed us some super incredible basketball skills, and he also interacted with a lot of our basketball fans.

This year is the 2nd edition of the Taoyuan Pearl Coast Music Festival, which like last year was held at Zhuwei Fish Harbor. The festival invited top-rate musicians from countries such as Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, and Macau to perform and even compete in a 2-day music competition. Last year also featured an NBA star: Karl Anthony Towns, a New York Knicks center who showcased his basketball skills to the crowd. This year invited LaVine, a backcourt player who has won the NBA Slam Dunk Competition twice. And LaVine didn’t just come for a quick photo op, as he brought his entire family to come on-stage and even vacation in Taiwan.

Chang San-cheng
Taoyuan Mayor
This approach has been really successful. We’d like to thank the city residents for their support, for giving us even more motivation to continue holding this event next year, to make the 3rd time even better than the first two years.

Towns, last year’s NBA guest star, just won the NBA championship this summer, and some basketball fans are curious if this music event will have the same magical effect for LaVine, who will be trying to take the Sacramento Kings from being a perennial bottom-dweller to getting their hands on next year’s championship trophy.

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