Environmental Conservation

Environmental Conservation
б@Situated in a subtropical zone, Taiwan possesses a warm and moist climate and a large variety of plants and wild life. From lowland areas covered with subtropical broad-leafed trees to high mountains abounding with conifers and grasslands, Taiwan's complex geography has a diversity of plant ecologies. According to statistics, the world has over 300,000 vascular plants, among which Taiwan produces over 4,000. Moreover, one quarter of Taiwan's vascular plants are considered to be species unique to Taiwan. Of the world's 4,500 stocks of mammals, Taiwan has 61, and of the world's 8,000 families of birds, Taiwan has 450.
б@In order to protect these precious natural resources in the face of growing economic development, the ROC government has in recent years actively promoted concepts of and measures for environmental conservation, which have become widely accepted by the general public. The protection of endangered animals has also been quite effective, thanks to conservation and restoration measures taken by various agricultural agencies.
In the international arena, the ROC actively participates in important international treaties and organizations such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The ROC also maintains close ties and exchanges with various conservation groups in order to better understand current international standards and development trends. Consequently, Taiwan has been able to meet the goals of global conservation. б@

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"Images of Taiwan" Home Page

**Environmental Conservation**
No.P1. Photo by Ming-yuan Yeh	44KB A flight of dunlins, which typically flock together in groups of several hundred, display their quick flying skills.
No.P2. Photo by Ming-yuan Yeh	29KB The shy white-breasted water hen can be found in paddies, grasslands, and wetlands. They are protected under law.
No.P3. Photo by Ming-yuan Yeh	35KB The common snipe--a short and sturdy bird possessing a long, pointed beak-is very shy and prefers to reside in grassy, secluded marshes.
No.P4. Photo by Ming-yuan Yeh	31KB Often found hunting from either a high perch or circling in the sky, the black-winged kite is a small bird flying at very high speeds.
No.P5. Photo by Ming-yuan Yeh	26KB The black-faced spoonbill, a large and graceful bird nicknamed the "black-faced dancer," has a flat beak shaped like a p'i-p'a, or Chinese lute.
No.P6. Photo by Ming-yuan Yeh	27KB Every winter, a large number of black-faced spoonbills migrate to the marshes at the mouth of the Tsengwen River in southern Taiwan.
No.P7. Photo by Ming-yuan Yeh	27KB The common kingfisher prefers its solitude, perching on branches near water while waiting to catch fish that swim too close to the surface.
No.P8. Photo by Ming-yuan Yeh	23KB The beautiful golden birdwing butterfly, which is found primarily on the Hengchun Peninsula in southern Taiwan, is listed as a protected species.