Hsinchu City Coastal Wildlife Refuge

Sianshan wetland is the largest intertidal zone in northern Taiwan. Rich in natural resources, it breeds countless fish, shrimps, crabs, and mollusks, and serves as a migratory site for waterbirds. Over 40 crab species inhabit the area, and two hundred and seventy-seven migratory bird species, more than half of all seen in Taiwan, have been recorded here. In 1996, Sianshan wetland was officially included as part of the East Asian Waterbird Protection Network in the Ramsar Convention. In addition to animals, artificially planted mangroves thrive near the Keya river mouth, and plenty of salt-tolerant, drought-resistant, and sand-binding plants, such as Suaeda nudiflora, Sesuvium portulacastrum, and Ipomoea pes-caprae, grow on nearby sand dunes.