TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hualien fish farmer Kao Shu-hui (高淑惠) has agreed to delay scheduled maintenance of her fish ponds to protect pheasant-tailed jacana habitat during the species' April-to-September breeding season.
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency Hualien Branch said recent conservation efforts and habitat restoration have produced encouraging results in the East Longitudinal Valley, recording 53 adult and 49 juvenile pheasant-tailed jacanas in Yuli Township's San Min Aquaculture Zone and Shoufeng Township, per CNA. The branch said the discovery of 18 nests in the aquaculture zone makes it one of Taiwan's most important breeding sites for the species.
Under the Wildlife Conservation Act, the pheasant-tailed jacana is classified as a rare and valuable species, per Liberty Times. The bird inhabits ponds, lakes, and marshes with floating vegetation. In addition to natural wetlands, man-made habitats such as water chestnut fields in Chiayi County also provide suitable breeding grounds.
After learning that several ponds in the aquaculture zone were scheduled to be drained for maintenance, the Hualien County Government and Yuli Township Office persuaded Kao to postpone the work. Kao agreed to adjust the maintenance schedule to accommodate the breeding season and said she hopes more fish farmers and members of the public will help protect Taiwan's wetland habitats.
Observer Ecological Consultant, commissioned by the Hualien Branch to assess its habitat restoration efforts, identified 18 pheasant-tailed jacana nests in the San Min Aquaculture Zone. The Hualien Branch said a bird identified as C0, originally from Kaohsiung's Meinong District, successfully raised chicks for the third time since arriving in the area in 2024, per UDN.
