202511/20
The Chiayi Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA Chiayi) collaborated with the Chiayi County Tsou Hunter Association and the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) to promote the monitoring of Formosan black bear distribution hotspots in Alishan Township. In early November this year, infrared camera traps unexpectedly captured images of a leopard cat (
Prionailurus bengalensis) in the national forest area surrounding the Niae’ucna Tribal Community in Alishan Township. The discovery site was located at an altitude of 1,752 meters, setting a new record for the highest altitude sighting in the Chiayi-Tainan region. This marks the first time a leopard cat has been sighted in Chiayi since records were made in Zhongpu Township, Chiayi County in 2018 and at the Chiayi Interchange on National Freeway 1 in 2022. Furthermore, it is the first time a leopard cat has been sighted in Alishan Township in 31 years since records were first reported there in 1994, making this discovery particularly significant.
Taiwan Ecological Network: Linking Habitats for Low-elevation Mountain Species, Including the Leopard Cat
Currently, apart from Miaoli, Taichung, and Nantou, where there are stable leopard cat populations, there have only been sporadic sightings in Hsinchu, Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi, and Tainan in recent years. Taiwan’s national forests are well protected, but more than 60% of protected species inhabit areas outside of national forests. The leopard cat is one such typical Satoyama species that is found in low-elevation mountainous and hilly regions where farmland and forests overlap. The leopard cat was once widely distributed in western Taiwan. However, due to the high overlap of their habitats with human living areas, it is now listed as a protected species. This is the result of multiple factors, including land development, the use of pesticides and rodenticides, roadkill incidents, and attacks by stray dogs and cats. The FANCA promotes the Taiwan Ecological Network (TEN), which connects various types of ecological habitats and biodiversity hotspots through the construction of spatial blueprints and conservation strategies, resource integration, and cross-domain cooperation. This allows Satoyama species such as leopard cats to successfully breed, migrate, and expand their distribution range through various conservation corridors, thus balancing conservation work and local development.
Tsengwen River Basin Conservation Corridor Connects National Forests to Downstream High Riverbank Habitat Corridor
This leopard cat sighting took place in a mid-altitude mountainous national forest area, located in the upper reaches of the Tsengwen River basin. In July 2023, FANCA Chiayi discovered leopard cats on the high riverbank of the lower reaches of the Tsengwen River in Tainan, demonstrating the importance of the Tsengwen River Basin Conservation Corridor of the TEN in the Chiayi-Tainan region in connecting habitats. This confirms that rivers serve as important activity corridors for wildlife, and that the establishment of TEN conservation corridors is effectively helping wildlife to expand their activity range. This discovery also demonstrates the results of close cooperation between FANCA Chiayi, the Tsou people, and academic units. FANCA Chiayi stated that it will maintain cross-sector collaboration with relevant units and local community groups to restore habitats in the Tsengwen River Basin Conservation Corridor and monitor various indicator species. Furthermore, FANCA Chiayi will continue to enhance habitat connection within the TEN through environmentally friendly production practices and habitat patrols.