Huben-Hushan Butterflies

An early name for Taiwan was the Butterfly Kingdom. Taiwan has a tremendously high density of butterfly species with around 400 butterfly species having been recorded on Taiwan (The continent of Europe and adjacent North African coast has around 440 species). The Huben-Hushan area, while famous for birds, is also home to many butterfly species. The butterflies and other insects of the area have been little studied and have hardly, if at all, been considered in the so-called environmental impact assessments (EIAs) done in the area for the Hushan Dam Project.

While forest and other habitat is fast disappearing due to the construction of Hushan Dam and other so-called development projects, naturalist Mark Wilkie and researchers from the Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute have been recording butterfly species within the area over the past three years. Wilkie says that a butterfly list for the Huben-Hushan area listing around 140 species will be released shortly.

From late March through to about the tenth of April great numbers of Crow Butterflies (Euploea spp) pass through the Huben area on their spectacular journey from southern Taiwan to northern Taiwan. This butterfly migration is amongst the world's most spectacular butterfly migrations. Clearly, butterflies are another reason why the remaining forest within the Huben-Hushan area needs to be protected.

What follows are several photos of butterfly species recorded in the Huben-Hushan area. All photos are courtesy and copyright of Mark Wilkie.


Papilionidae:
Musk Swallowtail Byasa impediens febanus (80-90mm).




Paris Peacock Papilio paris nakaharai (80-90mm).




Common Rose Pachliopta aristolochiae interposita (70-90mm).




Tailed Green Jay Graphium agamemnon (60-80mm).




Common Bluebottle Graphium sarpedon connectens (50-60mm).




Golden Birdwing Troides aeacus formosanus (110-130mm).






Great Mormon Papilio memnon heronus (100-120mm).




Pieridae:
Common Albatross Appias albina semperi (50-60mm).



Grass Yellow Eurema hecabe (35-45mm).



Indian Cabbage White Pieris canidia (45-50mm).




Small Cabbage White Pieris rapae crucivora (45-50mm).




Wandering Snowflake Leptosia nina niobe (40-45mm).




Formosan Brimstone Gonepteryx amintha formosana (55-65mm).





Nympalidae:
Common Jester Symbrenthia lilaea formosanus (40-50mm).




Himalayan Jester Symbrenthia hypselis scatinia (35-43mm).






Asian Comma Polygonia c-aureum lunulata (48-58mm).







Indian Red Admiral Vanessa indica (50-60mm).






Blue Admiral Kaniska canace drilon (58-65mm).




Common Mapwing Cyrestis thyodamas formosana (45-50mm).



Orange Tiger Danaus genutia (70-80mm).






Glassy Tiger Parantica aglea maghaba (60-80mm).




Ceylon Blue Glassy Tiger Ideopsis similis (75-85mm).




Blue Tiger Tirumala limniace (80-90mm).






Blue-banded King Crow Euploea eunice hobsoni (80-90mm).




Striped Blue Crow Euploea mulciber barsine (75-95mm).




Double-branded Black Crow Euploea sylvester swinhoei (70-80mm).




Lemon Pansy Junonia lemonias aenaria (50-55mm).







Orange Oakleaf Kallima inachis formosana (70-80mm).






Formosan Ypthima Ypthima formosana (45-50mm).




Taiwan Wave-eye Ypthima multistriata (35-40mm).




Common Five-ring Ypthima baldus zodina (30-35mm).




Great Egg-fly Hypolimnas bolina kezia (65-100mm).






Common Sailor Neptis hylas lulculenta (47-55mm).




Rustic Cupha erymanthis (55-60mm).




Yellow Coster Acraea issoria formosana (60-75mm).




Common Palmfly Elymnias hypermnestra hainana (55-65mm).




Dark-brand Bush Brown Mycalesis mineus (45-50mm).




Bamboo Tree Brown Lethe europa pavida (55-65mm).





Lycaenidae:
Chinese Saphire heliophorus ila matsumurae (30-34mm).






Metallic Cerulean Jamides alecto dromicus (28-40mm).




Dark Cerulean Jamides bochus formosanus (26-30mm).




Pale Grass Blue Zizeeria maha okinawana (21-27mm).







Common Hedge Blue Acytolepsis puspa myla (24-32mm).




Malayan Megisba malaya sikkima (25-30mm).





Hesperiidae:
Restricted Demon Notocrypta curvifascia (40mm).




Formosan Swift Borbo cinnara (30-36mm).






Yellow Band Dart Potanthus pava (25-30mm).


Dark Palm Dart Telicota ohara formosanus (28-32mm).




Indian Palm Bob Suastus gremius (32-35mm).

Taipei Birdfair 2008

A visitor to a very wet 2008 Taipei Birdfair in Guandu Nature Park


The 2008 Taipei Birdfair hosted by the Wild Bird Society of Taipei was held in Guandu Nature Park over the weekend of November 8-9. Unfortunately it rained through much of the weekend which resulted in a far lower number of visitors than usual. Both local and international birding societies, groups and NGOs were present. The Wild Bird Society of Yunlin provided information on the Hushan Dam-Fairy Pitta issue and the plight of the unique population of Taiwan humpback dolphins.

International groups present were BirdLife South Africa, Golden Gate Audubon Society, Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, Malaysian Nature Society, Singapore Nature Society, Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, Wild Bird Society of Shanghai, Wild Bird Society of Japan, and Bird Conservation Society of Thailand.

COA half-truths and lies:- Researchers use devices to track buzzard eagles

Grey-faced Buzzard researcher Lee Jing-hong preparing to trap Grey-faced Buzzards for satellite tracking near Manjhou in southern Taiwan in October 2007, a full year before the claimed COA first.


On the night of November 1st, the Taiwan governmental mouthpiece, the Central News Agency (CNA) put a story out on the wires titled "Taiwan succeeds in tracking rare bird's migration route." This story was picked up and yesterday appeared in a number of newspapers including the Taipei Times and the China Post.

This story serves as a fine example of why we feel the Council of Agriculture (COA) can't be taken at its word. We'll ask and answer some questions and let you be the judge. The story tells how the COA's Forestry Bureau has tracked three migratory "Gray-faced Buzzard-eagles" Butastur indicus [They can't even get the common name right. "Gray" needs to be spelt using the British spelling, "Grey" because the species occurs in the Old World. "Gray" with the US spelling is used for species occurring in the New World. The genus "Butastur" comes from "Buteo" meaning "buzzard" and "Astur" meaning "hawk" so "Butastur" means "buzzard-hawk." This species is a Grey-faced Buzzard-hawk not a Gray-faced Buzzard-eagle.] to the Philippines during the October migration. Kuan Li-hao, director of the Forestry Bureau's Conservation Division, told the Central News Agency that it is the first time that the migratory movements of the Butastur indicus had been recorded anywhere in the world. The Bureau basically says how much this will aid conservation of this "rare bird" and generally pat themselves on their own back for this alleged first.

Is what Kuan claims to be a first really a first? The answer is no ! In October 2007 a team consisting of Grey-faced Buzzard researcher Lee Jing-hong in association with Prof.C.Wang (Taiwan) and Prof.H.Higuchi (Japan); Taiwan-based conservationist Mark B.Wilkie; National Geographic Channel Asia; and Taiwan Original Vision Communication Company tracked three Grey-faced Buzzards from Kenting using satellite transmitters and then a single Grey-faced Buzzard in April 2008 from Baguashan in Chunghua. The story will be told in the National Geographic Channel production "The Tomb Sweeping Bird" due to be screened in June 2009.

Would Kuan be aware of this? Yes, because his department issued the permits for the capture of the birds by Lee and his team and the birds were inspected by COA veterinarians before the transmitters were fitted.

Kuan calls the Grey-faced Buzzards a "rare" bird. Is this correct? This is not really correct. The species is uncommon but not rare. It becomes abundant on passage when in migrates in great flocks.

Has the government really done a lot to protect the species? The answer would be normally only when they were really under pressure to do so. The hunting of the species was a major problem in the past. In 1978-1979 things got so bad that the plight of the species birthed the Taiwanese environmental movement. Actions by the government to protect the species tended to only follow in the wake of combined intense local and international pressure. The success of the stamping out of the hunting of the species would be largely due to the actions of concerned people and NGOs putting the authorities under pressure to act rather than the authorities acting on their own initiative.

Would you take these guys at their word? Um...?
Now, would you have concerns over their proposed Fairy Pitta Protected Area that they appear to be rushing through and don't seem to want conservationists and environmentalists commenting on?

Also see: A Brief History of Grey-Faced Buzzard Conservation in Taiwan

Proposed Fairy Pitta Protected Area

Hushan forests being cleared for the Hushan Dam Project:- May 2008.


For many years there have been calls for the Huben-Hushan Important Bird Area (IBA) to be proclaimed as a protected area to safeguard this globally important Fairy Pitta breeding area. Calls for this have fallen on deaf ears and efforts have been squashed by the authorities.

First, gravel extraction destroyed areas of valuable habitat within the Huben-Hushan area during the first few years of this decade. After both a local and international outcry gravel extraction was stopped in most of the area. The banning of gravel extraction in much of the area didn't halt the bulldozers and much valuable habitat has since been lost through the infamous Hushan Dam Project and other so-called development and anti-erosion work. Recently a proposal to create a Fairy Pitta Protected Area was made by a legislator that has had no connection to the struggle to save the area for the Fairy Pitta.

The proposal was suddenly announced with barely a week given for comment. Given the huge international outcry over the Hushan Dam Project and concern for the area it would seem rather odd that nothing about this proposal has been put up in English on the Council of Agriculture (COA) website or has the government made any effort to advise the many international environmental groups or individuals that sent their concerns over what was happening in the area to the government.

There is a concern amongst local environmentalists and NGOs that they are being left out of the proposal and the authorities are rushing this through. Some have expressed the view that possibly this is a smokescreen to designate some habitat as a token protected area so that other areas around the Huben-Hushan area can be opened up to development. Given the devious nature of the authorities in the handling of the Hushan Dam Project, with the passing of an original environmental impact assesment that didn't even include the Fairy Pitta, and the highly questionable legality of the entire project [the courts have yet to rule on it].

Our colleagues at Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association (Wild) acted with haste and submitted a document of comments and concerns to the COA by the 28 October deadline so as to create the legal groundwork of an appeal if it should become necessary.

Two of our international coordinators in the UK have submitted a letter to the COA and copied to the Wild legal team briefly outlining their concerns also before the 28October deadline.



The death of a Huben stream in the Pillow Mountain area to make way for a road leading to a single small orchard. This section of stream was a documented Fairy Pitta nesting sight used annually by two-three pairs:- July 2007.


The following is a translated article from the Mandarin language daily, Liberty Times. This article is followed by the letter sent to the COA by two international coordinators.

A translation of the the Liberty Times article:

Fairy Pitta Population Dwindles as Construction Progresses on the Hushan Dam

Liberty Times, 27-10-08

Jhong Li-Hua, Taipei


Environmental groups for years have been calling on the government to announce a key safe habitat area for the protected species the Fairy Pitta. These appeals have grown louder lately in response to the threat posed to the Fairy Pitta's habitat by construction of the Hushan Dam, and the Council of Agriculture (COA) is expected to announce the safe habitat area by the end of the month. In the meantime, however, monitoring by the COA's Endemic Species Research Institute (ESRI) has observed declining numbers of the Fairy Pittas this year and delay in the Fairy Pitta's breeding season.


ESRI Associate Research Fellow Lin Ruei-Sing conservatively estimates the population of the Fairy Pitta in Taiwan in the summer months to reach 2,000 birds, with the highest numbers (approximately 300 to 600) concentrated in Linnei, Yunlin and in the hilly district of Douliu. Fairy Pittas can also be spotted in the areas of Shihmen Dam, Meinong in Kaohsiung, and Miaoli.


The Hushan Dam project passed environmental impact assessment in 2000. Groundbreaking occurred in 2006 and the scope of the project was expanded in 2007. Lin Ruei-Sing notes a downward trend in the numbers of the Fairy Pitta, from approximately 150 to 160 birds in Linnei-Douliu in 2003 to only some 117 spotted this year. In Huben Village to the north of the dam, the population was 100 at its highest observed point in the past, but was only 70 this year.


In preliminary announcements, the COA has said the Fairy Pitta safe habitat area will include a total of 1,737.386 hectares in Forestry Compartments 61-70 of the Alishan area in the Nantou administrative region under the Taiwan Forestry Bureau -- but excludes the Hushan Dam.


Chang Tzu-chien, chairman of the Yunlin chapter of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union, has said that the Hushan Dam construction is driving Fairy Pittas from their original habitat at the Hushan Dam into other areas where they will face competition for survival. He said that the COA announcement is late in coming, but nevertheless is better than nothing.

____________________________________________________

Letter to the Council of Agriculture

International Coordinators:
Taiwan National Coalition against the Hushan Dam,
England,
United Kingdom,
27th October 2008



Dr. Chen, Wu-Hsiung,
Minister, Council of Agriculture,
Executive Yuan, Taiwan, R.O.C.
37 Nanhai Road,
Taipei City,
10014,
Taiwan


Cc: Forestry Bureau,
No.2 Hangchou South Road Section 1,
Taipei City,
Taiwan

Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association,
Secretariat for the Taiwan National Coalition against the Hushan Dam,
12F, 86 Chongcing South Road Section 1,
Taipei,
10045,
Taiwan


Re: Proposed Fairy Pitta Protected Area, Yunlin County.

Attn: Dr. Chen, Wu-Hsiung,
Minister, Council of Agriculture,

Dear Sir,

We have very recently learnt of the proposal for a Fairy Pitta (Pitta nympha) Protected Area in the greater Huben-Hushan area of Yunlin County. This is most welcome news and we commend such a proposal. However, we are deeply distressed to learn that the period given for commenting on this proposal has been very brief. As I’m sure you are aware, the Fairy Pitta is a threatened migratory bird species and therefore crosses international borders and thus requires a multinational international effort to protect it.

In the last decade we have become aware that the Huben-Hushan area of Yunlin County is globally the most important breeding area for this threatened species. The Taiwan Wild Bird Federation together with BirdLife International identified the Huben-Hushan area as a globally Important Bird Area (IBA) and it is listed in BirdLife International’s Directory of Important Bird Areas in Asia as IBA TW17.

In the first two to three years of this decade the gravel extraction threats to the Fairy Pitta with in the Huben-Hushan IBA made international news resulting in both local and international concern for the Fairy Pitta breeding area. Thankfully, and with credit to the Taiwan Authorities, this issue was addressed.

Following the gravel extraction issue the Hushan Dam Project became a major threat to the Fairy Pitta and the area. Despite major concern and protests both locally and internationally the Hushan Dam Project has proceeded amidst claims of its questionable legality. The Hushan Dam Project has resulted in the clearing of large areas of valuable Fairy Pitta habitat for the approximately 400ha dam that is being constructed. The Hushan Dam Project has resulted in a major loss of breeding habitat for the Fairy Pitta. Coupled with this, there have been many other smaller so-called development and anti-erosion projects within the Huben-Hushan area that have destroyed significant areas of valuable Fairy Pitta habitat. This damage is most notable near Pillow Mountain around the Tian-sheng Gong Temple where much of the internationally famous birding area has now been destroyed.

Very little suitable Fairy Pitta habitat remains in the Huben-Hushan area and the remaining areas are in urgent need of protection. We urge the Taiwan Government to proclaim the remaining habitat as a protected area for the Fairy Pitta. We trust that the proposal is a genuine effort on the part of the Government to really address the plight of the Fairy Pitta. There are claims that an area of questionable habitat is being set aside as a so-called protected area so that it would create the impression that something is being done for the species but in reality it would open up other areas of Fairy Pitta habitat to gravel extraction and development. We trust this is not the case.

We urge the Taiwan Government to allow for a longer period for consultation given the international interest in the issue. Letters from concerned individuals and international environmental organizations with memberships totaling several million were received last year, and the Council of Agriculture responded to these letters. It is only fair to allow these individuals and organizations to comment given their interest. We are unable to find any information of the proposed Fairy Pitta Protected Area on the COA English website. Aspects such as the international tourism potential for the area should also be looked at and seriously considered. Foreign birders in the area during the Fairy Pitta breeding season have become a common sight.

Further, as the species remains little studied we urge that for any protected area that is proclaimed that flexibility allowed for the limited knowledge that we have on the species feeding and habitat requirements so that as more is learnt of the species that the protected area will be able to accommodate the real needs of the species.

We thank you for your concern for the Fairy Pitta and trust that this Fairy Pitta Protected Area proposal can proceed with openness, and that the input and concerns of the international community will be considered.

Yours faithfully,



International Coordinators:
Taiwan National Coalition against the Hushan Dam.

Yunlin County Assembly Head Found Guilty of Battery of Robin Winkler during Formosa Plastics Steel Plant Meeting

The unique population of Taiwan Humpback Dolphins is threatened by the Hushan Dam Project. The Hushan Dam will reduce the flow of fresh water into the dolphins' estuarine habitat. This will result in further degradation of what little habitat remains for these IUCN-listed critically endangered dolphins. The Hushan Dam will also supply water to heavy industry development within the dolphins habitat.

In November 2007 Yunlin County Assembly Head, Su Chin-Huang, an outspoken pro-development advocate, allegedly assaulted former Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) EIA Committee commissioner and Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association* director, Robin Winkler, at a meeting at the EPA offices. The poor handling of the incident by the EPA sparked fear among environmentalists that the authorities were looking the other way when blatant intimidation of environmentalists was occurring.

Thankfully, on 9 October 2008 the Taipei District Court found Yunlin County Assembly Head, Su Chin-Huang, guilty of battery against Robin Winkler. See Yunlin County Assembly Head Found Guilty of Battery of Robin Winkler during Formosa Plastics Steel Plant Meeting on the Taiwan Humpback Dolphin Blog.

Dec 2008 Update

*Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association is the secretariat for the Matsu’s Fish Conservation Union and the Taiwan National Coalition Against the Hushan Dam.

New Huben-Hushan IBA Bird List

Grey Treepie (Dendrocitta formosae): Photo - M.Wilkie

A new bird list for the Huben-Hushan IBA has been released. The list now totals 117 species seen in the area.

**The Huben-Hushan IBA Bird List was updated on 7 December 2009 and this updated list will be published shortly. 122 species have now been recorded in the IBA.**

Click to view the new Huben-Hushan IBA Bird List.

Also see:
Hushan Mammal List
Hushan Frog List
Hushan Reptile List
Endemic Species & Subspecies of Hushan: Mammals, Reptiles & Amphibians
Hushan Fish List

Orange-flanked Bush Robin: A new bird species for Hushan; and resightings of the Japanese Flycatcher

Orange-flanked Bush Robin (Tarsiger cyanurus).


On Friday, 10th October, researchers in the Huben-Hushan Important Bird Area (IBA) netted a first year male Orange-flanked Bush Robin Tarsiger cyanurus during a routine banding exercise. This is the first record of an Orange-flanked Bush Robin in the Huben-Hushan IBA. The Orange-flanked Bush Robin is uncommon and winters in Taiwan's mountain forests. The Orange-flanked Bush Robin is listed under the lower risk category of the IUCN Red List.

The Japanese Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone atrocaudata , also a first record for the Huben-Hushan IBA, reported in our 9th September post has been resighted and banded. The bird has been observed twice since the first sighting and then was caught in Friday's routine banding exercise and banded. With the presence of this bird spanning several weeks it may indicate that this bird is wintering in the area. The Japanese Paradise Flycatcher is also listed on the IUCN Red List.

Hushan Dam Update: - The citizen's suit against the EPA

On Wednesday, September 24Th, the first hearing on the citizen's suit against the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) was held -- nearly a year and a half after our first letter! So much for justice.

The application for an injunction had earlier been refused. There was an appeal and on August 29 the Supreme Administrative Court remanded the case for further review. A hearing date has yet to be set by the High Administrative Court which is a little strange given the urgency of injunctions.

At the September 24Th hearing ten groups opposing the dam were represented by George Chen and Sanjia Lin, and the EPA had a lawyer. The hour hearing focused mostly on claims that the EPA's permission for the construction was flawed and that the EPA should cancel the permission based on illegality or in the alternative on the grounds that circumstances have changed (e.g., discovery of the Fairy Pitta's important breeding grounds, 921 earthquake induced geologic changes, and climate change.).

Overall the claim is that the EPA neglected its duty to order the work to stop on the dam -- a project we assert is proceeding illegally -- and that the major violations of the terms of the environmental impact assessment are such that they constitute "major flaws" for purposes of article 23 of the EIA Act and that the EPA therefore has the authority to shut down the project.

Interestingly the EPA's lawyer spent most of the time defending the EPA by saying things like "The EPA has been doing a good job, really it has. We have already fined the developer, the Central Water Resources Agency, twice for their misbehavior".

While it may be very difficult to stop the dam at this point, this action is helping to make a record and also perhaps demonstrate that these agencies can't be so cavalier in the future.

The next hearing on the merits is on October 22ND, 2008.

Some recent photos of the Hushan area

Taiwan is also known as Typhoon Island. Our fourth typhoon of the season has just passed over the island. Typhoons bring heavy rain and strong winds. Landslides are common and bridges get washed away on occasions. During construction of the dam large areas of deforested land lay open to the elements to erode silting up rivers as valuable top soil washes away.

While undoubtedly the construction crews try to minimise this erosion because it causes delays for them, they are pretty powerless against the mighty forces of a typhoon.

Some recent photos of the Hushan area follow showing construction work and some of the damage caused by recent typhoons. Who knows what damage has been caused during the present typhoon? Looking at some of the damage to the bridge and construction work once again highlights the question many have long been asking. Will this dam really be able to stand up to Taiwan's frequent typhoons and earthquakes? Is this not all just a real waste of a very important environmental area?




































All photos courtesy of C.C.Chen

Why are we building dams for new power plants ?

The world's dirtiest ! Wuchi Power Plant through the haze (Taichung).

Read the article titled, Emissions policy doesn't add up from today's Taipei Times and then ask yourself the question, Why are we building dams for new power plants ?

Destroying valuable natural areas like Hushan, part of an internationally recognised important bird area (IBA), so new dams can supply huge quantities of water to new and upgraded power plants, and the new heavy industry that those power plants are supplying power to, and in the process increase emissions by up to 40% and at the same time wreck large areas of coastal habitat through reclamation projects and pollution which will likely result in the extinction of the critically endangered population of Taiwan humpback dolphin when we are trying to reduce emission levels because of the very real threat of global warming just seems insane. Wow! What a mouthful. Well, you get the point. Read the article, ask the question, and if you figure out the logic in this, please let us know.

Also see:
Planting trees a PR ploy

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher seen in Hushan

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher: courtesy of Richard Yu.

Forests being cleared for the Hushan Dam


Ten days ago a Japanese Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone atrocaudata) was recorded in the Huben/Hushan Important Bird Area (IBA) by researchers. The Japanese Paradise Flycatcher is very rare in Taiwan and this is the first record from the area. The Japanese Paradise Flycatcher is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red Data List. This is just another reason why this important natural area needs to be protected not destroyed!

An updated bird list for the area will be issued shortly.

Update: Orange-flanked Bush Robin: A new bird species for Hushan; and resightings of the Japanese Flycatcher.

Being the change we want to see in the world: Robin Winkler Interview

Today's Taipei Times carries an interview with Robin Winkler, founding director of Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association. Robin has been a long-serving Taiwan-based environmentalist and Wild is secretariat for the Matsu's Fish Conservation Union and a member of the Taiwan National Coalition Against the Hushan Dam.

Click Being the change we want to see in the world to read the interview.

Critically Endangered - It's Official !

Yes, it's official! The Eastern Taiwan Strait population of humpback dolphin has been officially classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the Cetacean update of the 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recognised the overwhelming threat to these animals and have classified them as Critically Endangered, the highest category of threat-level on the Red List for wild animals before becoming extinct.

What this means is that unless drastic steps are taken to protect this species, they will go extinct. The reduced flow of freshwater into the humpback dolphins estuarine habitat resulting from the Hushan Dam Project is seen as a major threat to these unique dolphins.

The IUCN refers to the Taiwan humpback dolphins as the Eastern Taiwan Strait humpback dolphin Sousa chinensis and classifies them as a sub-population.

There can be no doubt now over the threat these dolphins face and the need for something drastic to be done to save these unique animals and pull them back from the brink of extinction. The time has come for the Taiwan government to stop dodging the issue of meaningfully protecting these dolphins and to do something concrete to save them. The writing is on the wall now and any failure of the authorities to act will be nothing short of signing the death warrant of this unique population of Taiwanese dolphin.

Our appreciation to the Cetacean Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission for their work in this and our thanks to all at the MFCU and our supporters who have helped bring this about both here in Taiwan and abroad. We eagerly await the government's response to this and trust that they will make a genuine meaningful effort in saving these unique and rare citizens of Taiwan.


Also see:
Press Release: Taiwan’s unique population of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins is on the brink of extinction

Matsu’s Fish seizes “Critically Endangered” title, winning international glory for Taiwan

Summer Dolphin Observation & Surveys - volunteers needed

Photo courtesy of Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association.


August marks the beginning of this summer's sea-based humpback dolphin surveys. Within days, MFCU partner, FormosaCetus Research and Conservation Group, will start this season's sea-based surveys. Other members of MFCU will be conducting land-based surveys and observation in support of the sea-based effort. Volunteers are needed to help with conducting land-based surveys and observation on the central-west coast. If you are interested in volunteering (previous experience isn't a prerequisite as training will be given) for land-based surveys and observation please contact us at: "keephushanwild@gmail.com"


Photo courtesy of FormosaCetus Research & Conservation Group.


Photo courtesy of Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association.

River Dust

A dusty floodplain in the Jhoushui River - Chingshui River confluence area


The problem of river dust has been an ongoing problem in Taiwan. The floodplains of the Jhoushui and Chingshui Rivers in western Taiwan have been particularly bad. Taiwan's rivers are by nature short with a very steep gradient. The westerly-flowing rivers, with their source in the central mountains, with many peaks higher than 3000m, descend rapidly onto the western coastal plain. During typhoons these rivers carry great volumes of water and thus are characterised by a very wide lowland floodplain. This, to a point, naturally creates river dust during the November to December and February to March dry seasons.

In more recent times, with the damming of rivers higher up, the volume of water in rivers on the coastal plains has decreased considerably. This has drastically increased the river dust problem in West Taiwan. With industry demanding more water the problem has increased. To meet the demands of industry the authorities turned to pumping groundwater. This has further aggravated the river dust problem. While the EPA reports some progress in the battle against river dust, we can only expect the problem to increase when water from the Chingshui River is diverted to the Hushan Dam further reducing the volume of water in the lower reaches of the Jhoushui and Chingshui Rivers.

Not only does the reduced volume of fresh water flowing into coastal estuaries create a dust problem, it also has a very negative impact on the coastal ecosystems that depend on it resulting in the degradation of coastal habitat. Probably the most prominent victim of degraded coastal habitat is the unique Taiwan population of humpback dolphins where numbers have declined to around seventy individuals and will certainly become extinct unless drastic measures for their protection are taken now. The EPA needs to seriously consider the implications of the total degradation of the west coast and what that would mean. Is it really within our best interests to sacrifice the west coast for the short term gains of increasing pollution-generating, high water-volume-consuming heavy industry in the area?


EPA reports progress in battle against river dust

Also see:
Air quality worsens from Typhoon Morakot's dust

EPA postpones ruling on Yunlin Sixth Naphtha Cracker plant expansion

Expansion plans for the Sixth Naphtha Cracker in Mailiao Township, Yunlin County underwent a fourth review by the Environmental Protection Administration's (EPA) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Committee yesterday. The EIA Committee requested additional information from the Formosa Plastics Group before it could rule on expansion plans for an Yunlin County plant. The expansion of the Sixth Naphtha Cracker poses a threat to the extremely vulnerable unique population humpback dolphins that inhabit the West-Central Taiwan coast. The controversial Hushan Dam is being constructed at great expense to Taiwan's natural environment to supply water for the development of heavy pollution-generating industry on the west coast.

See today's Taipei Times for the story.

Video Footage of Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins - Right In Front Of Formosa Plastics!

The construction of the Hushan Dam has largely been for the benefit of industry and the further development of Taiwan's already industrialised West Coast, home to the extremely vulnerable rare Taiwan humpback dolphins. Two great film clips of Taiwan humpback dolphins right in front of Formosa Plastics have been posted on MFCU member Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association's website. Clearly visible in the background is Formosa Plastics Mailiao Industrial Park in Yunlin County - where proponents of further development have denied the presence of these dolphins. Thanks to the work of MFCU member FormosaCetus, we are able to disprove such claims and give this population a better hope of survival.

View Taiwan humpback dolphin film clips.


Other Taiwan humpback dolphin film clips:

July 2008 Taichung Port.

January 2008 Wuchi.

UK Birder visits Huben

UK birder, Ann Chaplin, a long-time supporter of Fairy Pitta conservation in Taiwan and opponent of the Hushan Dam project visited the Huben-Hushan area during June. A brief trip report of her Taiwan trip can be found on Birdforum.

Taiwan: A Birder's Paradise

Singaporean birder, Low Bing Wen Albert, has posted a Taiwan trip report on Surfbirds titled Taiwan: A Birder's Paradise. Albert spent a week in the Huben/Hushan IBA area during his Taiwan trip.

See Birding in Taiwan's Yunlin County for more Taiwan Trip Reports.

Tough times call for tough measures

Yesterday the Presidential Office announced a so-called energy-saving program. Today's Taipei Times editorial titled Tough times call for tough measures offers some comment on the government's energy stand.

President announces energy-saving program


Also see: Nuclear power listed as energy option

Planting trees in China and other sorry tales

And the trees are gone! Two shots of the Hushan Dam site after the forest had been cleared-May 2008.


The government could allow industries to plant trees in China and other countries to help reduce greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, an official said yesterday. Well, so claims today's Taipei Times. The article says, "Companies say they cannot find enough land locally to plant trees to offset carbon dioxide emissions, so they hope to plant trees overseas." The reality of the situation is that we are producing more CO2 than any tree-planting campaign can hope to deal with (See: Planting trees to off-set emissions isn't going to do it). These gimmick-type ideas are not going to help. This type of thinking just highlights that industry and the powers that be in Taiwan just refuse to get it. The reality is we need trees. Trees are not going to save us from our CO2 mess. Only a change in how we live is going to do that.

Right now we are cutting down forests in Hushan to build a dam for heavy industry. Industry that will increase our CO2 emissions. In Mailiao they are "reclaiming land" that is valuable humpback dolphin habitat to plant trees in the ocean to offset emissions. Something is wrong with this kind of thinking. This kind of "solution" is seriously flawed. It shows that we in Taiwan are not seriously tackling our emissions problem. We need our forests because they are a cornerstone of what allows are planet to function. Forests should not be see only as sponges for our emissions. In Taiwan vast areas of land under the Forestry Bureau are covered in exotic bamboos and other exotic plants and no attempt is being made to restore areas like this to native original-type vegetation.

Taiwan needs to seriously tackle its emissions problem. It needs to seriously reforest and restore areas in a genuine scientifically sound forest recovery and restoration program. It would seem that regardless of the EPA being Blue or Green it is still clinging to the ideal of everything but protecting the environment.

Reclaiming valuable humpback dolphin habitat to plant trees in the ocean.


A chainsaw-wielding worker clearing vegetation in Hushan