At 757, Taiwan has seen a record high number of endangered black-faced spoonbills wintering in the southern part of the country, the Wild Bird Federation Taiwan said yesterday. The group made public their most up-to-date information on the species.
According to the federation, the record-high figure suggests an obvious improvement to the habitats where the birds spend the winter. At the same time last year, the number reported was only 628.
PHOTO: LIBERTY TIMES
On Sunday, a one-day global synchronic census on the endangered bird was carried out by conservationists associated with the federation. Yesterday, Fang Woei-horng (方偉宏), vice president of the federation, released a report on the census which shows that wetlands in Chiku, Tainan County, near Tsengwen Esturay is the most ideal site for the bird. Some 407 black-faced spoonbills were observed there. At wetlands in nearby Sitsao Township, 277 spoonbills were observed. Another 57 spoonbills were seen in the estuary of Bachang Creek, which straddles Tainan and Chiayi counties, four were seen in the Choshui estuary of Yunlin County, one at Chihpen wetland in eastern Taitung County and 11 at Wengdi wetland in northeastern Ilan County.
Federation secretary-general Chiang Kuen-dar (江昆達) told the Taipei Times yesterday that the result shows that conservation efforts made in the last decade have borne fruit.
"More wintering sites for the rare bird are now available. The number of spoonbills observed on wetlands in Sitsao, where is now an ecological reserve, has almost doubled since last year," Chiang said.
Since early September, the black-faced spoonbills returned to southern Taiwan earlier than they did in previous years, and in greater numbers. The peak number was measured in last month at 842.
Chiang said that some estuaries could be made into wintering sites for the bird if efforts were made to ensure proper habitat management.
Citing Aogu wetland near the estuary of Peikang River in Chiayi County as an example, Chiang said that bird watchers he talked to on Sunday said no spoonbills were spotted there. This is unusual, as the wetland is regarded by conservationists as one of the most important habitats for the wild bird, Chang said.
Conservationists soon figured out why the spoonbills were absent. Local authorities in the area destroyed 183kg of gunpowder at the ecologically sensitive site on Saturday, apparently driving the birds away.
Chiang said that a global census was conducted on the same day by conservationists in different countries, and a final report on the bird's global population would be released next month.
Black-faced spoonbills leave North Korea in winter for wetlands near river estuaries in the southern regions of Asia. They have been sighted along the southeast coast of China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines. A global study conducted in January 1995 revealed that there were only 430 black-faced spoonbills in the world. However, the population has been growing, with a minimum of 1,069 counted in 2003 census and 1,206 last year.
Greenpeace yesterday said that it is to appeal a decision last month by the Taipei High Administrative Court to dismiss its 2021 lawsuit against the Ministry of Economic Affairs over “loose” regulations governing major corporate electricity consumers. The climate-related lawsuit — the first of its kind in Taiwan — sought to require the government to enforce higher green energy thresholds on major corporations to reduce emissions in light of climate change and an uptick in extreme weather. The suit, filed by Greenpeace East Asia, the Environmental Jurists Association and four individual plaintiffs, was dismissed on May 8 following four years of litigation. The
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
DIPLOMACY: It is Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo’s first visit to Taiwan since he took office last year, while Eswatini’s foreign minister is also paying a visit A delegation led by Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo arrived in Taiwan yesterday afternoon and is to visit President William Lai (賴清德) today. The delegation arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 4:55pm, and was greeted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). It is Arevalo’s first trip to Taiwan since he took office last year, and following the visit, he is to travel to Japan to celebrate the 90th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Arevalo said at the airport that he is very glad to make the visit to Taiwan, adding that he brings an important message of responsibility
STAY AWAY: An official said people should avoid disturbing snakes, as most do not actively attack humans, but would react defensively if threatened Taitung County authorities yesterday urged the public to stay vigilant and avoid disturbing snakes in the wild, following five reported snakebite cases in the county so far this year. Taitung County Fire Department secretary Lin Chien-cheng (林建誠) said two of the cases were in Donghe Township (東河) and involved the Taiwan habus, one person was bit by a Chinese pit viper near the South Link Railway and the remaining two were caused by unidentified snakes. He advised residents near fields to be cautious of snakes hiding in shady indoor areas, especially when entering or leaving their homes at night. In case of a