Formosa Fauna

Faith for Animals isn't what host Tristan expected. Not only do they exclusively sterilize female dogs, dog catchers may even be laughed at for bringing a male dog in. Director Otis Kuo sits down with Tristan in this episode to talk about how the organization found the most effective ways of taking care of stray dog populations.

To learn more about Faith for Animals, visit https://faithforanimals.org.tw .

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 and fee...

As a university, what do you do when you have a stray dog problem and years of capturing and culling does little more than spark outrage among the student population? For one university, the next step was hiring some vet students to help with the culling incognito. They got more than they bargained for, though, as the group of animal lovers came up with a new plan that didn't require the euthanization of healthy dogs and actually solved the problem.

This week Faith for Animals Director Otis Kuo sits down with host Tristan Hilderbrand to talk about...

Parrotfish are both genderfluid and come in rainbow colors. The crystalline structure of parrotfish teeth is so sturdy it would beat gold, copper and silver in a fracture test according to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

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 and feeding 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:
 - Taiwan cuts back on animal te...

A raccoon was caught red-handed after a drunk rampage in a Virginia liquor store passed out in the bathroom. That and more fascinating animal topics in today's episode.

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 and feeding 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:
 – Taiwan ahead of new whale shark trade ban
 –  Steve Irwin
 –  Are deer farms zoos?<...

Plenty of people fear cats because they see them as animals who will love you one second, then attack you the next. As of 2020, 38% of owners surrendered their cats to shelters in the United Kingdom citing behavioral issues. Of that pool of owners, 44% cited aggression as the main factor. Science says it's probably not the cat's fault... it's the owner's.

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so y...

What do humans, mice, elephants, lions, tigers, bears, whales, and bats all have in common? Well, we are all placental mammals, and we all share a common ancestor. Scientists think they know what that common ancestor looked like.

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 and feeding 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:
 – All placental mammals' common anc...

What can Taiwan's AI-powered ocean knowledge platform do for diplomatic allies? “AI Blue” makes its first overseas deployment in Palau, Taiwan's strong diplomatic ally since 1999.

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 and feeding 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:
 – AI-powered marine research between Taiwan and Palau
 – Scientist of the week: Dr. Emily King
 – Pheasant-tailed jacana habita...

The Formosan flying fox is the largest bat in Taiwan, with a wingspan that can stretch close to one meter — about the length of a standard baseball bat or the width of a medium-sized hawk in flight. These fascinating creatures are likely making a comeback in Hualien as sightings have increased. 

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.

...

Did you know Taiwan has the third largest percentage of vegetarians in the world? Taiwan has a rich vegetarian culture, influenced by Buddhism, which has made plant-based dishes available all across the island.

Peter Singer is widely acknowledged as the father of the animal rights movement, having written a book that awakened millions of people to animal oppression, “Animal Liberation”, first published in 1975. In this episode of Formosa Fauna, Singer shares his expectations of how the first copy would affect the world differed from reality, and how he hopes the new traditional Mandarin Chinese translation of the newe...

Every two minutes approximately 316,000 individual sentient beings are slaughtered. Is that truly necessary? It’s certainly not necessary to feed the world’s growing population. If the United States were to replace beef with another high-protein food, it would have the potential to feed an additional 190 million people. Replacing all animal-based items would free enough land to feed an additional 350 million people.

In this conversation, Peter Singer discusses his recent visit to Taiwan, where he promoted the traditional Mandarin Chinese translation of his book "Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed". He shares insights on the culinary delig...

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 of Formosa 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 Introduction
1:26 Taiwan's hard-won disease-free status
2:40 The outbreak in Taichung
4:00 What is African swine fever?
5:30 Theories and suspicions: How did i...

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 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 and feeding 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:
 – Endemic fish species' second...

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 fingertip
C) Sloths are lazy

Just 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 declawing...

Which of the following is true:
A) Oarfish are up to 36 feet long and swim in a vertical posture
B) Jaguarundis eat salad
C) Jacanas are also known as “Jesus birds” because of their ability to walk on water

Listen to this episode to find out.

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.

I...

Which of the following is true:
A) Taipei Zoo celebrates the Ghost Festival
B) Taipei City has wild deer
C) Taiwan has two living native cat species

Listen to this episode to find out.

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 and feeding 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 Goodal...

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 and feeding 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
 – Campus geese etiquette lessons
 – Mixed signals when dog training
...and so much more.

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 for Formosa Fauna Fridays!

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 Ecology Colation (TOEC), a team of 12 different organizations, to fight against the snares, and protect...

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, whitefish and steakfish in the United States, saumonette in France, and vitello di mare, “veal of the sea” in Ita...

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 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 and feeding 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 burglar
 – Lanternfish
 – Taiwan's animal-related news
 – Dogs who chew too much

Want to shar...

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 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 and feeding 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...

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 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 and feeding 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:
 – Why birds don’t lay more eg...

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 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 and feeding 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 species
 – Threats to Taiwanese leopard cats
 – Mil...

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 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 and feeding 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:
 – The d...

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 to Formosa Fauna so 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 will gather to spread and share knowledge pertaining to animal welfare.

Learn mo...

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 to Formosa Fauna so 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 fi...

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 to Formosa Fauna so you can become smarter than all of your friends.

The A...

"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 beloved pets into Taiwan. Formosa Fauna is...

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, discusses the challenges and successes of animal welfare in Taiwan with Tristan.  

While the SPCA responds to ca...

Which marine animal or fish has the biggest brain-to-body ratio? Manta rays, bettas, or great white sharks?

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 and feeding 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 and construct the world around them
 – The fish that weighs 3 tons
 –...

Could such a fierce looking beetle be edible? It's not just edible, it's nutritious!

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 and feeding 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:
 – Japanese rhinoceros beetles in Taiwan
 – Florida has more alligators than Hsinchu has people
 – Tragic Formosan black bear cub death
 – Use of clickers in dog trainin...

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 and feeding 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:
 – Contested U.S. “hoot and shoot” to kill 450,000 owls
 – Misunderstood betta
 – How to survive getting lost hiking in Taiwan
 – Pangolins get protection in China
 – The beginnings of the Ice Age theory
 – Taiwan’s musical frogs

Want to share your own s...

Do you yawn when someone else yawns? There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that contagious yawning, the tendency to yawn when you see or hear someone else yawn, is linked to empathy. Research has shown that the sight of an unknown bonobo yawning in a film triggers a yawning response in bonobos watching the film as well.

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you ca...

Do you yawn when someone else yawns? There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that contagious yawning, the tendency to yawn when you see or hear someone else yawn, is linked to empathy. Research has shown that the sight of an unknown bonobo yawning in a film triggers a yawning response in bonobos watching the film as well.

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you ca...

One of the world's most prominent primatologists will be visiting Taiwan soon, and a two-day conference all about otters will take place in Kinmen, Taiwan. Also, throw out everything you thought you knew about surviving a dangerous venomous snake bite, and potty training dogs.

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.

The Kinmen Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conse...

One of the world's most prominent primatologists will be visiting Taiwan soon, and a two-day conference all about otters will take place in Kinmen, Taiwan. Also, throw out everything you thought you knew about surviving a dangerous venomous snake bite, and potty training dogs.

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.

The Kinmen Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conse...

All about Formosan mountain dogs! Formosan mountain dogs were brought back from human-induced near extinction. In this episode Tristan talks to Jenna Dodson about this land race commonly mistaken for mutts, and sought after in the United States and Canada.

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.

Jenna's latest foster dog can be found here.

W...

All about Formosan mountain dogs! Formosan mountain dogs were brought back from human-induced near extinction. In this episode Tristan talks to Jenna Dodson about this land race commonly mistaken for mutts, and sought after in the United States and Canada.

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.

Jenna's latest foster dog can be found here.

W...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Starfish takeover in Kaohsiung
 - Survival tips
 - Sarcastic fringeheads
- Scientist of the day: Mary Ward

Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to trista...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Starfish takeover in Kaohsiung
 - Survival tips
 - Sarcastic fringeheads
- Scientist of the day: Mary Ward

Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos welcome) to trista...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Cat and dog meat on the market in Taiwan
 - Formosan black bear is shot and euthanized
 - Rare albino dolphin sighting in Taiwan

Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send y...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Cat and dog meat on the market in Taiwan
 - Formosan black bear is shot and euthanized
 - Rare albino dolphin sighting in Taiwan

Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send y...

After a 12,500+ year absence, has the dire wolf species returned? Experts weigh in on Colossal Biosciences' de-extinction success.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Dire wolves and de-extinction
 - Formosan black bear kills guard dogs and chickens
 - Sea cucumbers
 - Jane G...

After a 12,500+ year absence, has the dire wolf species returned? Experts weigh in on Colossal Biosciences' de-extinction success.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Dire wolves and de-extinction
 - Formosan black bear kills guard dogs and chickens
 - Sea cucumbers
 - Jane G...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Hero dog leads missing toddler to safety
 - Taiwan the new winter hotspot for black-faced spoonbills
 - World Tapir Day on April 27
 - The world's apex predators
 - Moths vs. green lights

Want to share y...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Hero dog leads missing toddler to safety
 - Taiwan the new winter hotspot for black-faced spoonbills
 - World Tapir Day on April 27
 - The world's apex predators
 - Moths vs. green lights

Want to share y...

Are you a fan of Formosan black bears or yellow-throated martens? Several newsworthy animal-related events have been happening in Taiwan, which we will talk all about in today's episode.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Taiwan's yellow-throated martens
 - Big blue octopuses
 - For...

Are you a fan of Formosan black bears or yellow-throated martens? Several newsworthy animal-related events have been happening in Taiwan, which we will talk all about in today's episode.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Taiwan's yellow-throated martens
 - Big blue octopuses
 - For...

Back in 2022 shelters across the United States had noticed something significant: Requests to foster had gone up 90%. Who wouldn't want to spend time with cute animals and be a part of their journey to find their forever home? Fostering also offers flexibility in the way of traveling, and most likely means you won't have to be around when the foster animals pass. All in all, many of those who have fostered speak of how it's the best decision they've ever made. Unfortunately, the fear of becoming attached is what keeps many potential foster homes from giving it a try.

Back in 2022 shelters across the United States had noticed something significant: Requests to foster had gone up 90%. Who wouldn't want to spend time with cute animals and be a part of their journey to find their forever home? Fostering also offers flexibility in the way of traveling, and most likely means you won't have to be around when the foster animals pass. All in all, many of those who have fostered speak of how it's the best decision they've ever made. Unfortunately, the fear of becoming attached is what keeps many potential foster homes from giving it a try.

You open up social media on your phone, and are presented with a livestream where someone is shucking oysters, some with pearls hidden inside. The oysters are shucked one at a time, leaving little doubt that the pearls inside are genuine. However, many dark secrets lie behind the "pearl party" facade, the scam that countless people have fallen victim to.

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you...

You open up social media on your phone, and are presented with a livestream where someone is shucking oysters, some with pearls hidden inside. The oysters are shucked one at a time, leaving little doubt that the pearls inside are genuine. However, many dark secrets lie behind the "pearl party" facade, the scam that countless people have fallen victim to.

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you...

While first observed in the 1980s, this new frog species was not recognized as being its own distinct, endemic Taiwanese species until 2025. When compared to its closest counterpart, the species is smaller in size with higher-pitched, faster vocalization patterns.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Ne...

While first observed in the 1980s, this new frog species was not recognized as being its own distinct, endemic Taiwanese species until 2025. When compared to its closest counterpart, the species is smaller in size with higher-pitched, faster vocalization patterns.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Ne...

Eating a spiny oyster at the right time of year can make you feel like you’re flying... Fact or fiction?

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - A happy ending for the three pigs left to starve in an art piece
 - The Freewa...

Eating a spiny oyster at the right time of year can make you feel like you’re flying... Fact or fiction?

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - A happy ending for the three pigs left to starve in an art piece
 - The Freewa...

Could your dog have OCD? That and much more in today's episode.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Taiwan warns public not to push stranded marine animals back into ocean
 - Young leopard cat rescued in Miaoli
 - How to protect yourself from a...

Could your dog have OCD? That and much more in today's episode.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Taiwan warns public not to push stranded marine animals back into ocean
 - Young leopard cat rescued in Miaoli
 - How to protect yourself from a...

The Formosan black bear goes by many names, the more well-known including "Taiwan black bear," "white-throated bear," and even "dog bear." The subspecies belongs to the Asiatic black bear species, but is unique in multiple ways. Formosan black bears are the only of the Asiatic black bear species to build nests, and they don't need to hibernate in Taiwan's temperate winters.

This week Niya joins us on Formosa Fauna to entertainingly educate you about this subspecies in Taiwan! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the anima...

The Formosan black bear goes by many names, the more well-known including "Taiwan black bear," "white-throated bear," and even "dog bear." The subspecies belongs to the Asiatic black bear species, but is unique in multiple ways. Formosan black bears are the only of the Asiatic black bear species to build nests, and they don't need to hibernate in Taiwan's temperate winters.

This week Niya joins us on Formosa Fauna to entertainingly educate you about this subspecies in Taiwan! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the anima...

Two Formosan black bears were sighted along a busy highway in Hualien this week, the first recorded instance of them appearing in high-traffic areas. Formosan black bears are shy, and there is no record of any Formosan black bear ever attacking humans in Taiwan.

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 and feeding 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 br...

Two Formosan black bears were sighted along a busy highway in Hualien this week, the first recorded instance of them appearing in high-traffic areas. Formosan black bears are shy, and there is no record of any Formosan black bear ever attacking humans in Taiwan.

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 and feeding 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 br...

For the low price of US$15, rescues and shelters in the U.S. will let you name a cat after your ex, then have them spayed or neutered as part of their TNR (trap-neuter-return) initiatives. Listen to this week's episode to hear all about this event. Also, did you know that while "spay" is generally used for females, and "neuter" is generally used for males, "neuter" is technically a sex-neutral term? "Neutering" is the word for surgically preventing pets from reproducing.

Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and a...

For the low price of US$15, rescues and shelters in the U.S. will let you name a cat after your ex, then have them spayed or neutered as part of their TNR (trap-neuter-return) initiatives. Listen to this week's episode to hear all about this event. Also, did you know that while "spay" is generally used for females, and "neuter" is generally used for males, "neuter" is technically a sex-neutral term? "Neutering" is the word for surgically preventing pets from reproducing.

Formosa Fauna is back this week to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and a...

Infected through commercial raw pet food, cats in the U.S. die of the bird flu, which has a 67% fatality rate in felines. In this episode we will learn how to lower the risk of contracting the virus to virtually zero.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on...

Infected through commercial raw pet food, cats in the U.S. die of the bird flu, which has a 67% fatality rate in felines. In this episode we will learn how to lower the risk of contracting the virus to virtually zero.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on...

Antarctica is the only continent without snakes? This lunar new year's zodiac animal is the snake. Explore snakes as we welcome in the new year in Taiwan.

If you were born in 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, or 2013, you may have been born in the year of the snake. Just remember to search your birthday with the month and date as well, as zodiac animals are based on the lunar calendar.

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 and feeding your noggin wit...

Antarctica is the only continent without snakes? This lunar new year's zodiac animal is the snake. Explore snakes as we welcome in the new year in Taiwan.

If you were born in 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, or 2013, you may have been born in the year of the snake. Just remember to search your birthday with the month and date as well, as zodiac animals are based on the lunar calendar.

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 and feeding your noggin wit...

Which is a true statement: A) Dogs eat feces in an effort to maintain a clean environment, or B) Dogs eat feces because it smells like food?

The answer may not be what you think it is. Listen to this episode to uncover the truth.

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.

On today's menu...

Which is a true statement: A) Dogs eat feces in an effort to maintain a clean environment, or B) Dogs eat feces because it smells like food?

The answer may not be what you think it is. Listen to this episode to uncover the truth.

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends.

On today's menu...

Which is not a real animal: blue-footed booby or loveland frog? Listen to this episode to find out.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Another update to the never-ending lizard bounty in Taiwan
 - Animal rescue diary
 - Answer to which is real...

Which is not a real animal: blue-footed booby or loveland frog? Listen to this episode to find out.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Another update to the never-ending lizard bounty in Taiwan
 - Animal rescue diary
 - Answer to which is real...

Which animal has been observed as the more aggressive one: lemon sharks or mute swans? The answer is probably not what you think.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Ownership of 900+ species to be banned in Taiwan (01:20)
 - Lemon sharks (04:07)
 - "Busking" isn't...

Which animal has been observed as the more aggressive one: lemon sharks or mute swans? The answer is probably not what you think.

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Ownership of 900+ species to be banned in Taiwan (01:20)
 - Lemon sharks (04:07)
 - "Busking" isn't...

There's a religion that turns people into ”zombies" with pufferfish poison?

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Is Taiwan reinstating the lizard bounty? (01:45)
 - A religion that turns people into "zombies" with pufferfish poison (04:20, 08:45)
 - How big of a role does a dog's br...

There's a religion that turns people into ”zombies" with pufferfish poison?

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Is Taiwan reinstating the lizard bounty? (01:45)
 - A religion that turns people into "zombies" with pufferfish poison (04:20, 08:45)
 - How big of a role does a dog's br...

Eyelashes do more than you may think. Since when is there no such thing as "alpha" wolves or dogs?

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Rare animal sightings in Taiwan (01:18)
 - How many animals have eyelashes, and why? (04:30)
 - Are there truly "alpha"...

Eyelashes do more than you may think. Since when is there no such thing as "alpha" wolves or dogs?

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Rare animal sightings in Taiwan (01:18)
 - How many animals have eyelashes, and why? (04:30)
 - Are there truly "alpha"...

Fish that open their own cleaning salons and massage parlors? Fact, not fiction! 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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Tristan's new favorite fish: The incredible bluestreak cleaner wrasse
 - Mutualism: More interesting than it sounds
 - Is your dog... spiteful?
 - Can we raise our o...

Fish that open their own cleaning salons and massage parlors? Fact, not fiction! 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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Tristan's new favorite fish: The incredible bluestreak cleaner wrasse
 - Mutualism: More interesting than it sounds
 - Is your dog... spiteful?
 - Can we raise our o...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Deadly not-jellyfish have shown up on the shores of Taiwan
 - Why penguins’ feet don’t freeze
 - The first fundamental to dog training
 - What Belgium has to do with dolphinariums

Want to share your own stor...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Deadly not-jellyfish have shown up on the shores of Taiwan
 - Why penguins’ feet don’t freeze
 - The first fundamental to dog training
 - What Belgium has to do with dolphinariums

Want to share your own stor...

Formosa Fauna is back this week with Rti's own beloved host and reporter Michelle to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Why people don't often say "aquatic pets"
 - What it means to be an aquarist
 - Playing God to an ecosystem

Want to share your own story and have...

Formosa Fauna is back this week with Rti's own beloved host and reporter Michelle to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Why people don't often say "aquatic pets"
 - What it means to be an aquarist
 - Playing God to an ecosystem

Want to share your own story and have...

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends!

Rats are one of the most widely owned pets in Taiwan. Despite that, there is still a decent amount of stigma people hold towards them. Today we talk to our very own Rti reporter and host Amanda Stephens about her experience having rats as pets. The journey was one that can be...

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends!

Rats are one of the most widely owned pets in Taiwan. Despite that, there is still a decent amount of stigma people hold towards them. Today we talk to our very own Rti reporter and host Amanda Stephens about her experience having rats as pets. The journey was one that can be...

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends!

In today's episode we speak to junior champion dog handler Michelle Chiang about dog shows. From how different breed owners act differently right down to how you can identify show dogs out and about, we dig into it all.

The basenji breed comes up frequently in this episode as Mi...

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 and feeding your noggin with fun facts about the animal kingdom so you can become smarter than all of your friends!

In today's episode we speak to junior champion dog handler Michelle Chiang about dog shows. From how different breed owners act differently right down to how you can identify show dogs out and about, we dig into it all.

The basenji breed comes up frequently in this episode as Mi...

Formosa Fauna is back this week for its 20th episode to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - 20 fun facts about native Taiwanese animal species
 - How to survive a shark attack
 - Raccoons falling through the ceiling

Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send...

Formosa Fauna is back this week for its 20th episode to entertainingly educate you about animals both in Taiwan and abroad! Spend the next 20 minutes listening to this episode and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - 20 fun facts about native Taiwanese animal species
 - How to survive a shark attack
 - Raccoons falling through the ceiling

Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - You are around 100 times more likely to be killed by a toaster than by a bear
 - Deadliest shark attack in history happened in 1945 when the USS Indianapolis sank, leaving up to 150 crew to be eaten by sharks 
 - Hugh G...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - You are around 100 times more likely to be killed by a toaster than by a bear
 - Deadliest shark attack in history happened in 1945 when the USS Indianapolis sank, leaving up to 150 crew to be eaten by sharks 
 - Hugh G...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Penghu in the news for conservation and sustainability
 - Protecting yourself against wild bear attacks
 - PETA guiding new legislation in Taiwan

Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Penghu in the news for conservation and sustainability
 - Protecting yourself against wild bear attacks
 - PETA guiding new legislation in Taiwan

Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Lemurs lemurs lemurs.
 - You are also a primate.
 - Is the fur trade or fur farming banned in your country?
 - When aren't reptiles in the news?

Want to share your own story and have i...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Lemurs lemurs lemurs.
 - You are also a primate.
 - Is the fur trade or fur farming banned in your country?
 - When aren't reptiles in the news?

Want to share your own story and have i...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Ethicality of live animal performances at zoos around the world and Taiwan
 - Choosing between becoming homeless or giving up your beloved pet
 - Taiwan’s booming pet food industry

Want to share your own story and have...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Ethicality of live animal performances at zoos around the world and Taiwan
 - Choosing between becoming homeless or giving up your beloved pet
 - Taiwan’s booming pet food industry

Want to share your own story and have...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Raccoons (01:20)
 - Self-domestication (08:45)
 - Keep pets safe during storms (14:30)

Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos optional) to tristan@rti.org.tw!

See you every week for F...

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 and feeding 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 brain to feast on:
 - Raccoons (01:20)
 - Self-domestication (08:45)
 - Keep pets safe during storms (14:30)

Want to share your own story and have it read on air? Send your story (photos optional) to tristan@rti.org.tw!

See you every week for F...