A crested myna endemic to Taiwan was released to the wild on Saturday after being treated for injuries by the Tainan Wild Bird Society.
Society director-general Lin Tai-jung (林岱瑢) said the bird was a rare sight.
People who find injured birds of this type should consult the group’s Facebook page to learn how to handle the situation, Lin said.
Photo courtesy of the Tainan Wild Bird Society
Society chairperson Pan Chih-yuan (潘致遠) said that the endemic crested myna species was at risk due to the introduction of foreign crested mynas.
The native bird is listed as a conserved species and is rarely seen in the wild, Pan said, adding that they comprised no more than 4 percent of all crested mynas in the wild.
Pan said he had seen the endemic species in Tainan only twice in the past few years.
Suitable habitats in suburban areas are few and far between, he said.
However, foreign species of the crested myna seem to adapt well, often building nests in traffic lights, he said.
The increasing population of foreign species is affecting the native crested myna population, he said.
The Tainan Wild Bird Society has treated or rescued 1,789 birds of all types, Lin said, adding that the figure was only the official register and did not include unregistered injured birds.
The group relies on volunteers and help from a local animal hospital to care for injured birds, Lin said, adding that it welcomes donations and volunteers.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
RSS