TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Pingtung Branch announced Monday it will expand its Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) program to Pingtung’s Shinpi and Fangliao townships following the discovery of the southernmost known eastern grass owl nest near the Linbian River.

Taiwan’s eastern grass owl, also known as the monkey-faced owl because of its appearance from a distance, is an endangered endemic subspecies, per Our Island. It is the only terrestrial owl species in Taiwan and primarily feeds on small mammals, especially rodents.

Eastern grass owls can catch up to 12 rodents a night while feeding their young. Consuming nearly 1,000 rats annually exposes them to secondary poisoning from rodenticides used in agricultural areas. Shalun Farm in Tainan is currently the easiest place to spot the species, but its habitat there faces pressure from commercial development, per Our Island.

National Pingtung University of Science and Technology Assistant Professor Hung Hsiao-yu (洪孝宇), who leads long-term conservation efforts for the owl in Kaohsiung and Pingtung, said his team located the southernmost known nest in early December near the Linbian River, per CNA.

Hung said the nest initially contained four eggs, but only two chicks survived to fledge by the end of January. While eastern grass owls typically lay four to six eggs, he said adults may abandon or sacrifice smaller chicks to ensure the survival of stronger offspring.

He added that most nests are found along the Gaoping River in grasslands dominated by cogongrass. By contrast, the Linbian River nest was located in scattered cogongrass patches within grassland dominated by the invasive species jack-in-the-bush.

Hung said the parent owls may have had little choice but to remain in the suboptimal habitat.

In response to the discovery, the Pingtung Branch said even seemingly unremarkable grasslands can serve as critical habitat for highly endangered species. Because eastern grass owls depend on farmland, hills, and mountain foothills, the agency will extend PES coverage to the Shinpi and Fangliao areas.

Under the program, farmers who commit to avoiding herbicides and rodenticides and refrain from feeding stray cats and dogs can receive incentive payments of up to NT$20,000 (US$632) per hectare. The agency also plans to create additional eastern grass owl habitat north of Pingtung County.