TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Leopard cats in Taichung, Taiwan, are expanding their habitat from mountainous regions to farmlands, reflecting a critical shift in their range that underscores the success of conservation efforts and community collaboration. This expansion, announced by the Forest and Nature Conservation Agency's (林業及自然保育署) Taichung Branch on Friday (Oct. 3), signifies a noteworthy development in the species' survival strategy and biodiversity enhancement in the region.
Monitoring data over the past decade shows sporadic appearances of leopard cats in the Da'an River (大安溪) basin and the mountainous border of Dongshi and Heping. The Agency's Taichung Branch noted a slight increase in sightings from 2018 to 2020. In the last two years, leopard cat activity surged along Dongshi's foothills and the Dajia River's (大甲溪) banks, with Dongshi being a key corridor for the population.
The Taichung Branch observed that the activity rise corresponds with areas under the "Friendly Leopard Cat Farming Label" (友善石虎農作標章). This label, promoted with local farmers, saw 36 certifications by September's end. In Ruanbikeng (軟埤坑), farmer Tian Chia-jui (田家瑞) used cameras in his shiitake field to capture leopard cat footage, while farmers Liu Chi-chung (劉其忠) and Lu Chiao-lan (陸巧嵐) recorded leopard cat presence in their orchards for two years.
For the first time this year, the Damaopu (大茅埔) community documented frequent leopard cat activity in the Dajia River basin. They employed a GIS database to track migration routes. Concurrently, the Ruanbikeng community captured leopard cats on farmland and started monitoring training. The Taichung Branch continues to hold workshops on eco-friendly agriculture, helping farmers deploy automatic cameras and conduct ecological surveys.