A light show at Yehliu Geopark (野柳公園) would disturb bird habitats during peak migration season, bird enthusiasts said this week.
The North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area Administration is holding Yehliu night tours until May 1 at the area in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里).
Centered around the Queen’s Head (女王頭) rock formation, the tours feature multiple light displays, as well as a show on the water every half hour.
Photo courtesy of the North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area Administration
However, members of Birds Taiwan and the Bird Photography Club said that they had concerns about potential environmental effects of the large-scale event.
The park is an area of international renown, but the event’s organizers are using a lot of plastic flowers and are running wires around the Queen’s Head formation, they said.
The tours would harm bird habitats, including those of the blue rock thrush and Pacific reef heron, they said.
The Yehliu area is an important habitat and stopover area for many migratory birds, especially in April, Birds Taiwan chairman Lee Chin-hsing (李進興) said.
The Ryukyu robin and Indian paradise flycatcher have been spotted in the geopark, he said, adding that it was rare to see those birds.
Yet the park administration is planning a massive light show that is bound to disrupt the area’s ecology at this sensitive time, Lee said, adding that organizers showed a “lack of consideration.”
Huang Shu-ting (黃蜀婷), who leads the photography club, said she was moved by the response from birders, who have hotly debated the issue.
People are more aware of ecological issues than ever, Huang said, calling on the organizers to take greater care when arranging large events.
The park administration defended the event, which has been held annually since 2018.
The night tours have been conducted every year and have minimal ecological impact while improving public sentiment toward the park, it said.
Only the first two zones of the park have light fixtures, while the third zone — which is the most important of the three for birds — is only minimally affected, it said, adding that it would maintain communication with concerned parties.
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