Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
Extent of this site: includes Jishan, Dinggou, Little Baisha, Beijiao, Chugua Islets, and Pengpeng Beach. These islets are 2-6 nautical miles to the northeast of Baisha Island.
Three types of landforms make up these 6 islets: 1. square terrace: including Jishan, Dinggou, and Little Baisha; 2. rocky reef: including Beijiao and Chugua; and 3. sand flat: including Pengpeng Beach.
Jishan, Dinggou, and Little Baisha are square basaltic terraces. All of the cliffs have distinct columns. The top of the terrace is covered with weathered basalt gravel and a little weathered soil. Surrounded by the sea, this area faces a piercingly cold northeast monsoon each winter, and salt levels in the air and soil are quite high. Only a few types of plants can survive under these extreme conditions, and the ground cover is dominated by Sesbania cannabiana, Limonium sinense, Formosan Peacock-plume Chioris formasana, Zoysia matrella and Saltwater Smut Grass Sporobolus virginicus. Basaltic reefs surround the islets which provide plentiful layer to harvest producing income for the locals in winter.
Beijiao and Chugua Islets are basalt reef islets and are about 5 m above sea level in average. No plants can survive on this flat terrain. Pengpeng Beach was formed by broken coral. To date, only 3 species of plants have been recorded in this area. These islets provide roosting and breeding sites for the gulls and terns in summer.
IBA A4iii Criterion Species: many species of gulls and terns breed here in summer.
• Roseate Terns breed and roost on Jishan Islet in summer. Average Counts from 1995 to 1997 were 350 birds. In 1998, the number rose to around 500.
• Greater Crested Terns mainly roost on Beijieao and Pengpeng Beach during July and August. Occasionally they were found on Dinggou Islet in late August. The population of the bird is about 300. There are few records of Black-naped Terns roosting and breeding on different islets with the largest group of about 50 or 60 on Little Baisha Islet. In general, there are only about 180 Black-naped Terns in this IBA site, which are fewer than other species. Little Terns are breeding at Pengpeng Beach. Sometimes a few of them fly to Little Baisha Islet and Chugua Islet; there are about 400 birds in total.
• In 2000, the Penghu County Government passed a law restricting tourist activities on Little Baisha Islet. After that, almost 1,000 Roseate Terns returned here for breeding.
• In addition to the terns and gulls, 41 other species have been recorded. There are 5 protected species: Peregrine Falcon, Little Tern, Bridled Tern, Black-naped Tern, and Brown Shrike.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
• Tourists to Jishan and Little Baisha Islets have caused environmental damage and pollution.
• Illegal hunting and gathering have threatened the wild animals and plants.
• Fishermen and tourists collect bird eggs.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Research activities:
• The 1994 Planning examples of environmentally sensitive areas at the coast of Taiwan considered Little Baisha and Tiechen Islets Basalt Reserves to be the secondary sensitive areas, and Jishan and Dinggou Islets Basalt Reserves to be sensitive areas.
• Investigation of birds, animals, and plants was conducted by the Wild Bird Society of Penghu from July 1996 to June 1997.
• In 2000, the Penghu Islets Gull and Tern Conservation Association was established. Its main goal is to protect the northeast islets where the gulls and terns commonly roost and breed.
Legislation:
• In 1992, the Council of Agriculture announced the creation of the Penghu Columnar Basalt Nature Reserve. The area is 19.13 ha at high tide and 30.87 ha at low tide. The conservation target is the basaltic landscape.
(PA)
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Northeastern Sea Islets (Taiwan, China). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/northeastern-sea-islets-iba-taiwan-china on 23/11/2024.
