At the Taijiang National Park Headquarters, Director Chang Teng Wen led employees to suppress the growth of the sprout of autumn maple trees in the inland sea of the Shifen Black-faced Spoonbills Ecological Protection Area on May 12, 2022. He was surprised to find tri-spine horseshoe crabs during his work. The Taijiang National Park Headquarters expects to keep actively managing the ecology in the protection area and offer a diverse, stable habitat for creatures.
The Shifen Black-faced Spoonbills Ecological Protection Area is located in the north bank of the estuary of Tsengwen River. The artificial seawall embankment is used to form a broad intertidal area and mud flat. For many years it has been an important habitat for black-faced spoonbills and other migratory birds to winter. In recent years, the Taijiang National Park Headquarters has found out through research surveys in the protection area that there is a rapid expansion and growth of black mangroves, water exchange in the wetland, and degradation of soil substrate. To maintain the quality of the habitat in the protection area, this year we will continue to conduct the black mangrove vegetation management and microhabitat regulation.
Based on the ideas above, employee volunteers of Taijiang National Park Headquarters gathered at the Black-faced Spoonbills Bird-Watching Pavilion on May 12, 2022. Chiu Yu Wen, associate professor of National Chiayi University, explained the purpose and practice in detail before volunteers entered the water. Director Chang Teng Wen led them to the protection area and surprisingly found tri-spine horseshoe crabs while wading. It was the first time since the founding of Taijiang National Park Headquarters that tri-spine horseshoe crabs were found in the protection area. It is evident that the Shifen Black-faced Spoonbills Ecological Protection Area, aimed at the conservation of black-faced spoonbills, has the umbrella species function that allows a great diversity of creatures to perch here. The Taijiang National Park Headquarters will continue to actively conduct various operating management of the habitat when black-faced spoonbills are not overwintering. We hope that, with everyone’s effort, we can meet the black-faced spoonbills and many other wetland creatures such as the horseshoe crab again.