Chiku (14295)
Taiwan, China, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Chiku
Central coordinates: Latitude: 23.1333, Longitude: 120.0833
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 94.24004
Protected area coverage (%): 30.73
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Extent of this site: north to Chingkunsheng; south to the Tsengwen River; east to Yancheng, County Road 176, and Provincial Highway 17; and west to a line between Wangtsiliaoshan and Dingtouoshan. Habitats at this site can be classified as estuarine wetlands, lagoons, fishponds, grassy marshes, and salt fields. On the north edge along the sea are the sand flats of Chingshangangshan, Wangtsiliaoshan, Dingtouoshan, and Hsinfulunshan together making up an area of about 1,600 ha of the Chiku lagoon; these are remnants of the Taichiang Inner Sea. Because the water quality here is excellent, the cultivation of fish and the fisheries are abundant. Research indicates that the productivity based on the volume and the fisheries’ catch of Chiku lagoon is very high- some 45 times that of the offshore ocean and coral reef ecosystems. On the southern side on the mud flats of the Tsengwen River Estuary, the benthos and plankton are abundant. Each winter, this area attracts vast quantities of migrants which roost here. Of the 800 or so Black-faced Spoonbills in the world, an average of 2/3 of them winter on the tidal flats of the Tsengwen River Estuary. In addition, the wind protection forest of the sand flats of Wangtsiliaoshan is a rookery with about 1,000 egrets.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: IBA A1 criterion species: this IBA site is a globally important wintering site for the Black-faced Spoonbill: Time 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997/Jan. 1998/Jan. 1999/Jan. 1999/Dec. 2000/Jan. 2001/Jan. No. of BFS 189 204 286 276 283 327 363 530 472 367 • At this site 220 species of birds have been recorded, among which are the following protected species: Chinese Egret, Oriental White Stork, Black Stork, Black-faced Spoonbill, White Spoonbill, Oriental Ibis, Tundra Swan, Red-breasted Merganser, Baikal Teal, Besra Sparrow Hawk, Grey-faced Buzzard Eagle, Grey Frog Hawk, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, Common Kestrel, Spotted Greenshank, Black-winged Stilt, Eastern Collared Pratincole, Little Tern, Short-eared Owl, Black-billed Magpie and Brown Shrike. Non-bird biodiversity: • On both sides of the Chiku River Estuary are large stands of mangroves with the dominant species being the Black Mangrove Avicennia marina. • There are 30 species of crabs and nearly 200 species of molluscs. • In the lagoon area, oyster cultivation is the dominant economic activity. In addition, Chiku is an important site for high-quality fish and fry breeding in Taiwan.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (61%) | not utilised (19%) | urban/industrial/transport (3%) | water management (8%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 32 | |
| Artificial - Aquatic | 5 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 32 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 32 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: • In 1994, the Tuntex and Yieh Loong Groups proposed the development plan of the Binnan Industrial Zone. Problems with this plan associated with the Chiku Wetlands, the Black-faced Spoonbill and water resources have caused it to be continued over the administrations of three Directors of the EPA, extending for over 6 years. Finally on 17 December 1999, the second stage of the Binnan Industrial Development plan was passed conditionally by the EPA. On 29 November 2000 during the Binnan EIA meeting No. 66, eight supplementary corrections were recommended and discussed. The EIA committee indicated that the explanations for the location of the northern tidal outlet of the lagoon and the use purposes were not clear, and so the final version was not certified. The developers must present supplementary information at another meeting. • Erosion on the north bank of the Tsengwen rivemouth is quite obvious, and Hsinfulun sand flats retreat 100 m each year. The sand flats at Dingtouoe have retreated 25 m, and the area of the lagoon is decreasing year by year. • On weekends, crowds of birdwatchers bring large volumes of trash, and cause traffic jams, and general disturbance. • Between May and September 2000, the Tainan County Government spent NT$30 million (about US$1 million) to start a large-scale construction on the edge of the important habitat for the Black-faced Spoonbill, including expanding the two-lane road to four lanes, and paving a parking lot. • Construction of the West Coast Highway is affecting this area. • The Tainan County Government plans to build the Chimei Chronic Disease Treatment Center in the eastern fishpond area. • There is currently a plan being formed for the development of an international airport at Chiku. • There is a plan of constructing the Hsibei incinerator. • The Marksmen Society engages in illegal hunting of waterbirds.
Additional information
References: • Wetlands Conservation Workgroup. 1994. 1994 Planning Examples of Environmentally Sensitive Areas at the Coast of Taiwan- Investigations on Bird, Mangrove, and Wetland. Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan, Taiwan. • Wild Bird Society of Tainan. 1994. Investigation of the status of the Black-faced Spoonbill 1992-1993. Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan. • Wild Bird Society of Tainan. 1995. Investigation of the status of the Black-faced Spoonbill 1993-1994. Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan. • Wild Bird Society of Tainan. 1996. Investigation of the status of the Black-faced Spoonbill 1994-1995. Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan. • Wild Bird Society of Tainan. 1997. Investigation of the status of the Black-faced Spoonbill 1995-1996. Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan. • Wetlands Taiwan. 1996. Report on the results of the 1996 training of wetland interpretation and education. • Yuan, H. Y. 1998. Plan of investigation amid research on the qualified wildlife refuge on the coastal area of western Taiwan from the ecological standpoint. Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan. • Zoology Institute, Academia Sinica. 1999. Report on interactions of the land and sea at the coastal area of Tsengwen River Estuary. National Science Council. Wetlands Taiwan. 1999. Instructive Manual of the Coastal Wetlands of Southwestern Taiwan. Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan. • WBFT. 2000. Black-faced Spoonbill Bulletin. Swinhoe’s Pheasant Quarterly. No. 9. • Wei, M. L. 2000. The complete story of the Black-faced Spoonbill satellite tracking project- Taiwan edition. Biodiversity Quarterly.