Environment and Wildlife Protection in Taiwan

As presented by the Government Information Office in Taiwan:

Protection of the environment and wildlife is a world concern today. More than a decade of effort by the Republic of China to protect its island ecology includes establishing 6 national parks, 42 nature and forest reserves, and 8 wildlife refuges, as well as enacting the Wildlife Conservation Law and creating a conservation ethic in Taiwan.

Taiwan, hailed as Ilha Formosa (Beautiful Island) by Portuguese sailors in the sixteenth century, features an abundant array of ecological beauty: its mountain forests, plains, river estuaries and coastal marine environments each provide distinctive wildlife habitats.

The cold climate of Taiwan’s high-altitude alpine grasslands sustains such representative species as the wren and the alpine accentor, as well as an occasional Taiwan laughing thrush and vinaceous rosefinch.

The subalpine coniferous forests of high mountain areas are home to various birds with bright plumage: the Mikado pheasant, Swinhoe’s pheasant, Taiwan laughing thrush, Taiwan sibia, Taiwan barwing and kites. The forest canopy is teaming with coal-tits, Taiwan firecrests, and vinaceous rosefinches. Mammals found here include the Formosan black bear, Chinese otter, leopard cat, Formosan Reeve’s muntjac, Formosan sambar, Formosan serow, and Formosan rock monkey.

The temperate coniferous, hardwood, and mixed forests at medium elevations are characterised by abundant rainfall and high humidity, and hence nurture lush and variegated vegetation. Forest birds of striking appearance and lively song predominate: thrushes, babblers, fulvettas, and yuhinas.

The low-altitude subtropical broad-leaved forests feature high temperatures and plentiful rainfall. Here are found adaptable non-forest bird species, such as the bamboo partridge, streak-breasted scimitar babbler, black bulbul, Taiwan blue magpie, Muller’s barbet, black-naped blue monarch, bronzed drongo, yellow-throated minivet, maroon oriole, Japanese lesser sparrow hawk, crested goshawk, and hose swift.

The most common wild birds found on Taiwan’s plains are the Formosan white-eye, Chinese bulbul and tree sparrow. Paddies, orchards, vegetable gardens, fish ponds and lakes provide additional habitats for wild birds and animals such as Japanese white-eye and Taipei tree frog. Often seen around cultivated land are the black drongo, myna, magpie, dove, pigeon, rail, hen, crake, coot, pheasant-tailed jacana, brown shrike and ring-necked pheasant. The plains are also home to snakes, lizards, amphibians, and insects, including butterflies.

Another distinctive aspect to Taiwan is its shoreline, which stretches for over 1,000 kilometres. Birds are attracted by its coastal and estuarine marsh environments. The organic nutrients brought in by the tides attract a multitude of birds, especially from September to April: grebes, geese, ducks, herons, egrets, and black-faced spoonbills. The ocean and the offshore islands are home to whales, turtles, and seabirds such as terns and gulls.

Agencies such as the ROC Council of Agriculture and the Construction and Planning Administration have implemented a number of remarkably effective conservation projects to improve the quality of life and to conserve natural resources. These include the Formosan sika deer rehabilitation program at Kenting National Park, the green turtle sanctuary of Wangan Island in Penghu County, and the Formosan salmon rehabilitation program.

In 1995, the Government Information Office sponsored a touring photographic exhibition to raise national consciousness about environmental protection and wildlife conservation. Many private conservation groups have done much to preserve the natural environment for future generations. All citizens are now keenly aware of the importance of balancing the needs of environmental protection against those of economic development.

This collection presents stunning pictures of Taiwan’s natural environment. We hope they raise public awareness of and concern for all sentient creatures, rare and valuable wildlife, and the fascinating beauty of nature.