Habitat Protection

As introduced by the Yearbook of the Republic of China:

Taiwan's location between three major climatic zones and its diverse topography have endowed the area with a wide range of flora and fauna. Some 70 species of mammals, around 500 species of birds (40 percent of which reside on Taiwan year-round), over 90 species of reptiles, over 30 species of amphibians, nearly 2,700 species of fish, and 18,000 identified species of insects (including 400 butterfly species) are known to exist in Taiwan. With regard to plant species, Taiwan has 610 species of ferns, 28 species of gymnosperms, and 3,600 species of angiosperms.

To protect its diverse ecosystems, the government has set aside 19.5 percent of Taiwan's land area as part of a multitiered conservation system that comprises 6 national parks, 19 nature reserves, 8 forest reserves, 15 wildlife refuges, and 29 major wildlife habitats.

National Parks

Taiwan has a comprehensive national park system that balances conservation, recreation, and research. The system was inaugurated in 1984 with the establishment of Kenting National Park at the southern tip of the island. In 1985 and 1986, Taiwan moved swiftly to set up Yushan (Jade Mountain) National Park, Yangmingshan National Park, and Taroko National Park in central, northern, and eastern Taiwan, respectively. In 1992, Shei-pa National Park was established in north-central Taiwan, and in October 1995, a sixth national park-Kinmen National Park, occupying 25.5 percent of the Kinmen Islands-was opened to the public.

Nature Reserves

Taiwan's 19 nature reserves cover 64,477 hectares of land, and range from a five-hectare plot to protect volcanic land forms in Kaohsiung to the 47,000 hectare forest reserve surrounding Dawu Mountain. Twelve of these nature reserves are directly managed by the Taiwan Forestry Bureau (TFB) under the Council of Agriculture (COA), while the rest are managed by local government agencies and the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute. Each of these managing bodies is required to report to the COA.

Taiwan's 19 nature reserves are:

• Pleione Nature Reserve
• Chatianshan Nature Reserve
• Chuyunshan Nature Reserve
• Hapen Nature Reserve
• Kenting Uplifted Coral Reef Nature Reserve
• Guandu Nature Reserve
• Miaoli Sanyi Huoyenshan Nature Reserve
• Nan-ao Broadleaved Forest Nature Reserve
• Penghu Columnar Basalt Nature Reserve
• Pinglin Taiwan Keteleeria Nature Reserve
• Taitung Hongye Village Taitung Cycas Nature Reserve
• Danshuei River Mangrove Nature Reserve
• Dawu Taiwan Amentotaxus Nature Reserve
• Dawushan Nature Reserve
• Wazihwei Nature Reserve
• Wushanding Mud Volcano Nature Reserve
• Wushihbi Coastal Nature Reserve
• Yuanyang Lake Nature Reserve
• Jioujiou Peak Nature Reserve

Wildlife Refuges

The 15 wildlife refuges in Taiwan encompass 25,101 hectares of land. They include:

• The Mao Island Seabird Refuge on the Penghu Islands, primarily a rookery and breeding ground for terns; reported sightings of 16 families and 26 kinds of seabirds, most of them migratory.

• The Nanzihsian River Wildlife Refuge in Kaohsiung County, home to ten species of freshwater fish and 80 species of birds, including the plumbeous water redstart, the little forktail, the gray-throated minivet, and the Formosan whistling thrush

• The Wuwei Harbor Waterbird Refuge in Yilan County, an ideal environment for wildfowl such as the migratory ducks and geese that stop in Taiwan during the winter.

• The Taipei City Waterbird Refuge, home to 79 species of waterfowl and 41 species of plants, and a natural classroom for Taipei citizens during the bird-watching season.

• The Sihcao Wildlife Refuge in Tainan City, a permanent home to some 40 species of wild birds; reported sightings of 21 endangered and rare species of birds.

• The Wang-an Island Green Turtle Refugeon the Penghu Islands, one of the few green turtle habitats still largely untouched by human intrusion.

• The Dadu River Mouth Wildlife Refuge in Taichung County and Changhua County, a popular stop for migratory birds and an outdoor classroom for central Taiwan residents; reported sightings of 24 protected species.

• The Mianhua Island and Huaping Island Wildlife Refuge north of Keelung, home to rare bird species.

• The Lanyang River Mouth Waterbird Refuge in Yilan County, a popular choice for migratory birds because of its abundant food sources; reported sightings of 231 bird species.

• The Formosan Landlocked Salmon Refuge in Taichung County, established to protect the endangered Formosan Landlocked Salmon.

• The Matsu Islands Tern Refuge, home to Chinese crested terns, which are listed as a critically endangered species in the Red Data Book series Threatened Birds of Asia.

• The Yuli Wildlife Refuge in Hualien County, home to 29 species of mammals, 61 species of birds, seven species of amphibians, and 372 species of plants.

• The Hsinchu Coastal Wildlife Refuge, a habitat for rare and valuable indigenous biological species.

• The Taitung County Haiduan Sinwulu River Fish Refuge, a 292-hectare sanctuary set aside to protect the numerous river fish species and the ecosystem in which they live.

• The Tainan County Zengwen River Estuary North Bank Black-faced Spoonbill Refuge, one of the world's most important winter habitats for the endangered black-faced spoonbill, with more than 400-about half of the world's total-gathering in the 634-hectare refuge between September and April each year. An additional 99 species of birds, 52 species of fish, five species of mammals, two species of reptiles, and two amphibian species were sighted.

Animal Protection

The Animal Protection Act was promulgated in 1998. To uphold this law, the COA launched an animal protection program in January 2000 and enacted a set of regulations covering pet registration, pet stores, and animal welfare.

The COA established a website to facilitate pet registration online and to provide a lost-and-found service for pet owners. A 2003 survey showed that 55,000 pet dogs were registered in Taiwan. Campaigns promoting pet sterilization were also conducted. As of July 2003, 700 licenses were issued to pet stores engaged in commercial pet breeding, trading, and sheltering. The consumption of canine meat in Taiwan is prohibited. According to the December 2003 revision of the Animal Protection Act, killing and selling dogs as well as other pets as food are prohibited. Violators will be fined between US$1,438 and US$7,192.

Every county in Taiwan operates a modern animal shelter according to the COA's standard procedures. Approximately 600 animal inspectors have been appointed by the government and 1,000 volunteers trained to investigate animal welfare cases. The month of September has been designated Animal Protection Month.

Forest Reserves

About 72 percent of the 1.57 million hectares of national forestland in Taiwan are natural forests. Forest reserves are national forest lands recognized as possessing unique natural characteristics. While these reserves are subject to multiple-use policies, preservation is emphasized over development. Several forest reserves have been promoted to nature reserve status, and this practice is expected to continue.

Under a forest conservation program launched in 1965, the Taiwan Forestry Bureau (TFB) surveys and identifies different kinds of representative ecosystems and rare plants and animals, in addition to drafting plans for long-term experimentation and educational tourism within protected nature areas. The TFB operates a network of hostels in forest areas that are more than a day's journey from any city. Such hostels are open to the public for a fee, depending on the services available and the length of stay.