TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s critically endangered Formosan landlocked salmon population remained stable last year despite multiple typhoons and earthquakes, the Shei-Pa National Park Administration said Tuesday.

A survey conducted from June to October recorded 16,020 salmon in the wild, the third-highest total on record, following 18,630 in 2023 and 16,897 in 2024, according to park officials. While not a new high, the figure indicates a stable population over the past five years, per a press release.

Liao Lin-yan (廖林彥), director of the Wuling Station, said the findings show that three decades of habitat restoration have resulted in a mature and resilient population. He said the salmon have withstood the impacts of typhoons, earthquakes, and even broader climate pressures linked to global warming.

In addition to long-term habitat improvements, Liao said artificial breeding and release programs have played a key role in reducing extinction risk.

Last September, the park administration partnered with Ginger Aviation to conduct Taiwan’s first helicopter-assisted release of salmon fry into the upper reaches of Sijielan Creek. Officials said the airlift sharply reduced transport time to remote areas, improved survival rates, and created a more efficient model for releasing fish into high-altitude streams.

The park administration also announced plans to establish a dedicated educational classroom at an existing ecological center, allowing the public to observe the species up close and learn about conservation and restoration efforts. Construction is expected to begin this year.

Park officials said the salmon’s long-term stability is the result of a comprehensive watershed conservation strategy that combines habitat restoration, public-private partnerships, long-term population monitoring, artificial breeding and release management, as well as measures to reduce human disturbance.

They said the model, which integrates scientific research with hands-on management, could serve as a reference for conserving other endangered species and high-altitude stream ecosystems in the future.