Feitsui Reservoir (翡翠水庫) in New Taipei City has the largest and most stable population of yellow-margined box turtles in Asia, administrators said on Monday.
About 1,296 hectares of the reservoir are designated as conservation zones for the reptile also known as the Chinese box turtle, Taipei Feitsui Reservoir Administration Commissioner Lin Yu-i (林裕益) said in a news release.
Specialized rangers patrol and survey the reservoir to ensure long-term protection of the turtles, he said through the news release regarding the World Ranger Day.
Photo courtesy of the Taipei Feitsui Reservoir Administration
World Ranger Day was established in 1992 by the International Ranger Federation to honor forest rangers’ quiet dedication to protecting nature and to remind the world of the importance of preserving forests, the news release said.
The dense forests surrounding the reservoir are significant for carbon reduction, water and soil conservation, and they provide an important habitat for many species, Lin said.
The administration hired one additional ranger after the box turtle conservation zones were designated to help with supervision of the area, patrols and clearing illegal traps, Management Division Director-General Liang Yi-fan (梁逸帆) said.
Rangers are also responsible for box turtle rehabilitation, reintroduction of the turtles into the wild and public education, Liang added.
The job comes with a certain level of risk, considering rangers’ limited numbers and dangers associated with working outdoors, Liang said.
Ranger Chen Tai-yu (陳泰佑) said that one time he fell more than 10m into a ravine and was lucky not to land on a rock.
One time when setting up a wildlife camera, he accidentally disturbed a hornet nest and was stung 13 times, mainly on his head, Chen said.
Although the work can be difficult, he said that every time he sees a box turtle living happily in the park, he feels a sense of joy and accomplishment in the knowledge that his sacrifices are worthwhile.
The yellow-margined box turtle is Taiwan’s only terrestrial freshwater turtle, the administration said.
Although its Chinese name is “snake-eating turtle” (食蛇龜), it actually does not eat snakes, it said, adding that the species actually loves eating earthworms.
When frightened it sometimes emits snake-like sounds, which is potentially the source of the misunderstanding, it said.
The administration also manages a “halfway house” for endangered turtles, where they can convalesce before being reintroduced to the wild, the administration said, adding that the administration does not accept turtles from outside the area to avoid diseases and genetic mixing.
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
BACK TO WINTER: A strong continental cold air mass would move south on Tuesday next week, bringing colder temperatures to northern and central Taiwan A tropical depression east of the Philippines could soon be upgraded to be the first tropical storm of this year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the next cold air mass is forecast to arrive on Monday next week. CWA forecaster Cheng Jie-ren (鄭傑仁) said the first tropical depression of this year is over waters east of the Philippines, about 1,867km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), and could strengthen into Tropical Storm Nokaen by early today. The system is moving slowly from northwest to north, and is expected to remain east of the Philippines with little chance of affecting Taiwan,
RSS