Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
Extent of this site: located in Taitung County’s Chenggong Township, encompasses Forest Compartments 41, 42, and 44 of the Chenggong Division of the Taitung Forest Administrative District.
Because the land is not easily accessible, and precipitous mountains render communications inconvenient, there has been little disturbance from the outside. The native vegetation has been completely preserved, and for this reason, it supports an excellent diversity of wildlife habitats. The dominant tree species below 700 m in the low-elevation zone are those typical of tropical rainforests like Machilus spp. and Ficus spp.; above 700 m in the mid- to high-elevation zone, the predominant species in the subtropical forest formation are members of the families Lauraceae and Fagaceae.
A2 criterion species: Nine endemic species are commonly seen here: including White-throated Hill Partridge, Formosan Bulbul, Formosan Whistling Thrush, Formosan Blue Magpie, Formosan Yuhina, Steere’s Liocichia, and White-eared Sibia.
• In 1992, 51 species in 21 families were recorded here including the protected species: Maroon Oriole, Asian Crested Goshawk, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Crested Serpent Eagle, Yellow-throated Minivet, Little Forktail and the Melodious Laughing Thrush.
• At least 57 species occur here.
Non-bird biodiversity: • There are 13 species of mammals here including the Formosan Serow Capricornis crispus swinhoei. This is the lowest elevation where the Formosan Serow occurs in Taiwan. There are 7 species of amphibians, 7 of reptiles, and 20 of butterflies.
• In the virgin low-elevation broadleaf forests there is the protected Betal Tobago Cinnamon Tree Cinnamomum micranthum.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
• There is illegal hunting, cutting of camphor trees, and collection of the Betal Tobago Cinnamon Tree and the mushroom grown on the tree species.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Legislation:
• In 1981, the Taiwan Forestry Bureau announced the Taitung Coastal Mountain Range Broadleaf Forest Nature Protected Area. Important Conservation targets were low-elevation broadleaf forests, Betal Tobago Cinnamon Tree, Maroon Oriole, and the Formosan Serow.
• Because the provincial government was disbanded, in October 2000, the Council of Agriculture based on the Wildlife Conservation Law again announced the Coastal Mountain Range Wildlife Major Habitat.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Middle Section of Coastal Mountain Range (Taiwan, China). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/middle-section-of-coastal-mountain-range-iba-taiwan-china on 22/11/2024.
