Chihben Wetlands (14308)
Taiwan, China, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1d
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Chihben Wetlands
Central coordinates: Latitude: 22.6833, Longitude: 121.0500
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 1.68362
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Extent of this site: situated in a marshy wetland area on the north side of where the Chihben River empties into the sea. It was formerly the main channel of the Chihben River, and carries the water from the Shemagan River. The current aquatic area is more than 20 ha; in addition, the scope of the site includes protection forests, sea beaches, and the Chihben Estuary. The Chihben wetlands are at an early successional stage of a marshland ecosystem. Dominant wetland plants include Phragmites communis, Typha SP., Barect Grass Leersia hexandra, Broad-leaved Bow Grass Cyrtococcum accrescens, and Armgrass Oplisrnenus compositus. Because development by the Jiedier Company has not proceeded, the sand and gravel brought by estuarine waves and tides have closed the Chihben Wetland’s outlet channel, and the wetland has begun to recover. The marsh again shows vitality; fish, molluscs, and bird species are breeding in this area. It is a surviving natural treasure on the southeast coast of Taiwan.
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 Al criterion species: Chinese Egrets are passage migrants with a maximum count of 22 birds (April 1996). • At this site. 207 species have been recorded. The maximum number of the endemic Formosan Bulbul recorded here was 162 birds. • This site provides an excellent wetland habitat for waterbirds and in addition to the resident birds, stable numbers are recorded annually of Spoon-billed Sandpiper and other migrants. The maximum number of Violet-backed Starling passing through is over 1,000 birds. Non-bird biodiversity: • At this site, 18 of protected species have been recorded.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (73%) | not utilised (1%) | water management (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | 33 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 33 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 33 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: • In 1985, the Taitung County Government and the Jiedier Company signed a contract for the development of the Chihben Recreational Area, with a total area of 285.1163 ha. The plan called for filling in the Chihben Wetlands in order to build a golf course and a recreational leisure area, which would have completely altered the natural ecology, posing a serious threat to the birds and ecological environments of this site. In the end, this development plan was suspended due to land problems. In 1997, the National Property Bureau agreed that the Taitung County Chihben Recreational Development Plan to use 73,746 ha of national land at the site which resolved the development plans land use problems. In January 1998, the National Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the Executive Yuan Issued the permit for the golf course plan. • At the estuary there is illegal extraction of gravel. • Tourists and aboriginals use this area for fishing and harvesting oysters.
Additional information
References: • Su, H. J. and M. G. He. 1982. Investigations and analysis of the flora of the Lanyu and Green Island Special Scenic Areas. National Taiwan University (investigation data) • Severinghaus, L. 1975-1998. Research on the Ryukyu Scops Owl. (ongoing research) • Severinghaus, L., et al. 1997-2000. Research on the forest biodiversity of Lanyu.