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Site description (2001 baseline):

Extent of this site: situated at the southern half of the Hengchuen Peninsula. This area faces the sea on three sides. To the east is the Pacific Ocean, to the south is the Baisha Strait, to the west is the Taiwan Strait, and to the north directly connects to the Hengchuen longitudinal valley plain, Santai Mt., Manchou city, and the Gangkou and Jiubeng Rivers. Geographically, Kengting is within the tropical area, characterized by year-round mild temperatures, and flourishing tropical vegetation. The area is surrounded by oceans with crystal clear and little-polluted waters which have been inhabited by prolific coral reefs and varied schools of tropical fish. This area is far away from urban areas, so it has not been unduly influenced by urban culture. Five ecological protection areas are classified on land, including Hsiangjiao Bay. Nanren Mt., Shadau, Lungkeng, and Sheding raised coral reef with the total area of 6218.68 ha, occupying 34.39% of the terrestrial area. Four marine ecological protection areas of 474.72 ha occupy 3.13% of the marine area within the park. Among these, the Nanren Mt. Ecological Protection Area (5800 ha) is a natural tropical monsoon rain forest, one of the few surviving virgin lowland forests in Taiwan.

IBA A4iv Criterion Species: Numerous migrating raptors pass through this IBA site each fall. Date/ Species 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Grey Frog Hawk 32,548 61,297 67,071 103,107 56,104 70,585 64,574 42,006 65,711 Grey-faced Buzzard Eagle 7,403 8,011 11,013 10,490 9,054 10,076 14,294 17,869 18,079 Oriental Honey Buzzard 87 470 138 292 80 325 150 115 • At this site, 195 species have been recorded. Each year from May to the beginning of September, large numbers of Barn Swallows pass through this area. The peak season for passing migrants begins in September, in addition to raptors, there are also Brown Shrikes and Cattle Egrets which come in close succession; after October to the following March, numerous waterfowl can be found wintering at Lungluan Lake.

Non-bird biodiversity: • There are 320 species of coral (stony corals, 250 species; soft corals, 50 species; Gorgonian fans, 20 species). • There is a recovery plan for the Formosan Sika Deer Cervus nippon taiouanus. • There is research on the endemic butterfly Troides aeacus. From 1992, research has been conducted on the cultivation of this species.

• There is a history of several hundred years of hunting migrating birds such as the Brown Shrike and the Grey-faced Buzzard Eagle. According to verbal descriptions, in former times passing migrants were so abundant that they would cover the sky blocking the sun. But data from recent years show that only several tens of thousands of raptors pass through annually. • There is competition from exotic animal species. • There is increasing pressure from tourist activities, such as traffic, trash, wastewater, destructive tourist activities (like water jet skis, barbecuing, treading on coral while scuba diving, etc.). Currently the national park is working on the educational campaign of refusing the activity of water jet skis. • The Third Nuclear Power Plant is located here. • In March 1999, the people of Hengchuen, Manchou, and Checheng mounted united opposition demanding the national park return the Hengchuen Peninsula to the people, because the national park laws have restricted the activities and benefits of local residents. • On 14 January 2001, a Greek-registered cargo ship ran aground in waters off of Lungkeng. Leaking oil led to serious pollution of the marine and coastal ecology.

Legislation: • In 1973, the area was made a protected area by the Taiwan Forestry Bureau and the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute. • On 1 January 1983, the Construction and Planning Administration, Ministry of the Interior established the first national park in which marine areas were included in the scope of the park. Facilities, such as the Tourist Center at the Kenting Administrative Headquarter, the Lungluan Lake Nature Center, Sand Island Shell and Sand Exhibition Hall, the Hsiaowan Dive Training Center, the Nanren Mt. Research Station, the Sheting Research Station, the Marine Research Station, the Nanren Mt. Administration Station, and the Lungkeng Administrative Control Station, were established for educational, recreational, and administrative purposes. • In January 1994, according to the Cultural Heritage Conservation Law, the Ecological Protected Area of Sheting Uplifted Coral Reef with the area of 539.48 ha was announced. Most of the included land was under the administration of the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, with a small portion of national land.

PA

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kenting National Park (Taiwan, China). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kenting-national-park-iba-taiwan-china on 23/11/2024.