The first successfully rescued mature female hawksbill sea turtle in Taiwan has migrated to Indonesia, 94 days after it was released in Yilan County, marking the nation’s longest tracking period for the endangered turtle species.
The turtle was found stranded at a beach in Yilan in June last year with injuries that a National Taiwan Ocean University conservation team suspect were caused by fishing nets, Forestry Bureau Conservation division director Kuan Li-hao (管立豪) said.
The turtle, at 75.1cm long and weighing 63.5kg, is estimated to be about 40 years old and is the largest hawksbill sea turtle ever found in Taiwan.
The turtle was nicknamed “A-fei” (阿飛, meaning fly) because the team was buying flying fish when the turtle was found, Kuan said.
A-fei was in a poor condition and had 46 barnacles on its shell, significantly affecting the turtle’s swimming ability, Kuan said.
The National Taiwan University Veterinary Hospital diagnosed A-fei with lung inflammation, but the condition was not severe, and it was taken to a sea turtle shelter in New Taipei City for treatment.
A-fei vomited a large number of flying fish eggs, algae and plastic while in the shelter. The turtle was rehospitalized in July last year, suffering from pneumonia, the bureau said.
After three weeks of treatment, the turtle was discharged and returned to a shelter in August last year, regaining its health 130 days later. The turtle was observed having a daily intake of fresh squid.
A-fei was tagged with a satellite tracker and released in Yilan on Nov. 13 last year. After 94 days, the turtle in February passed the equator to Belitung Island on the Karimata Strait, Indonesia, 5,467km from where it was released.
“According to the tracking data, A-fei is still on Belitung Island, so it is believed that that is where it was hatched because sea turtles usually return to their nesting site to lay their own eggs, or move around when they are not breeding,” Kuan said.
“It was the first time Taiwan tracked a hawksbill turtle. A-fei was a strong female in her prime and likely to spawn, so tracking her gives researchers an understanding of turtle habitats and distribution. Researchers and conservationists are more familiar with green sea turtles than hawksbill turtles, so the tracking is of great importance to us,” he said.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS