The Siangshan Wetlands (香山濕地) in Hsinchu have over the past decade experienced a flush of biodiversity, with the number of black-faced spoonbills and Taiwanese fiddler crabs increasing by about 10 times, the city government said on Friday last week.
The city government has thinned mangrove trees on more than 100 hectares of the approximately 1,700 hectare wetland in a bid to restore habitats, Hsinchu Mayor Lin Chih-chien (林智堅) said.
The city government had commissioned National Tsing Hua University to survey conditions in the wetland.
Photo: Wang Chun-chieh, Taipei Times
The number of black-faced spoonbills has increased from 26 in 2011 to 216 this year, while the number of Taiwanese fiddler crabs has risen from 13,000 in 2006 to more than 120,000 this year, showing that their habitats have been successfully restored, Lin said.
The survey shows that the number of species significantly increased after the city government cut down overgrown trees, Hsinchu Department of Economic Development Director Wu Chia-tien (吳甲天) said.
Thinning the trees helped transform mud into sand, which has a higher concentration of oxygen and allows microorganisms to decompose organic substances more efficiently, Wu said, adding that creatures such as nereis and gammarids also benefit from the improved environment.
These creatures are a staple food for water birds, which capture the small creatures in ditches in the wetland, he said, adding that black-faced spoonbills also use the area to rest while migrating.
With overgrown trees removed, the wetlands have become broader and stabler, and the abundant surroundings attract many migratory birds searching for food in winter, said university Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences professor Yang Shu-sen (楊樹森), who led the one-year survey.
The habitat of Taiwanese fiddler crabs has expanded as well, and their number has grown to a record high in 10 years, Yang said, adding that he expects the population to keep growing.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS