CHIAYI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA) Chiayi Branch has captured stunning images of the island's wildlife bathing, feeding and even posing for the camera. The footage, caught on cameras set up in the mountain regions, reveals the full diversity and vitality of Taiwan’s natural world.
Since 2017, the agency has been monitoring wildlife populations using remote cameras in the mountainous regions of Chiayi and Tainan. Now, for the first time, it has filmed a mother Formosan black bear in heat, followed by her two cubs.
Long-term monitoring has shown that Reeves's muntjac is the most abundantly represented species. Next is the Formosan rock monkey. The Reeves's muntjac, wild boars, Chinese ferret-badger, masked palm civet, and rock monkeys are distributed widely from low to high-altitude areas.
Meanwhile, Formosan black bear, yellow-throated marten, and Formosan sambar deer are mainly found at mid to high altitudes. However, the marten and deer are now expanding into lower altitude regions.
The digital infrared trail cameras operate continuously both day and night, recording a vast array of animal behaviors. The footage assists in evaluating population trends, developing conservation strategies, and providing material for wildlife conservation.
Beyond mammals, the cameras have also captured various bird species. The Swinhoe's pheasant, a native Taiwanese bird, is commonly sighted, and there are spectacular images on record of the black-naped monarch flaunting its flight. This monitoring initiative is giving a window into the biodiversity and life patterns of Taiwan's wildlife.