NTU's Direct Conservation Work to Maintain and Extend Taiwan's Ecosystems and Biodiversity (2025)

NTU's Direct Conservation Work to Maintain and Extend Taiwan's Ecosystems and Biodiversity (2025)

National Taiwan University conducts direct, hands-on conservation work—through both scientific research and engagement with government and industry partners—to maintain and extend Taiwan's terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and their biodiversity, with particular focus on species and habitats currently under critical threat.
 

National Policy & Data Repositories (Government Partnerships)

Marine Wildlife Conservation Advisory Committee
Professor Tzung-Su Ding of the School of Forestry and Resource Conservation and Professor Chia-Yin Ko of the Institute of Fisheries Science serve as members of the Ocean Affairs Council's Marine Wildlife Conservation Advisory Committee for the 2024–2026 term. Their responsibilities include the classification of protected marine wildlife species, designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), review and approval of major national offshore development projects, and marine habitat preservation.
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Inaugural Marine Conservation Advisory Committee Membership
Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council established the inaugural Marine Conservation Advisory Committee in December 2025. Composed of government officials, experts, academic scholars, conservation groups, Indigenous representatives, and fishermen's organizations, the committee deliberates on designating Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and regulating marine species conservation. Professor Chang-Feng Dai of NTU serves as an academic expert representative on the committee, leveraging NTU's scholarly authority in marine conservation governance.
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Ministry of the Interior Wetland Review Panel
Professor Pei-Ing Wu of the Department of Agricultural Economics serves as a member of the Ministry of the Interior's Wetland Review Panel. She assists in reviewing the evaluation, alteration, and abolition of international and national-level wetlands of importance, evaluating wetland conservation and utilization plans across all tiers, and promoting policy research related to wetland preservation.
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Publication of Monograph Series on Marine Protected Areas
Professor Ji-Ting Tsai of NTU's Ocean Center collaborated with the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) to publish the two-volume book series "Coexisting with the Ocean" . Integrating domestic expertise in marine conservation, law, spatial planning, and governance, the monographs guide readers through the origin, policy evolution, design, and practical implementation of Marine Protected Area (MPA) frameworks.
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International Practice and Local Capacity-Building Workshop on Marine Protected Areas
Professor Ji-Ting Tsai of NTU's Ocean Center partnered with the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) to host an international workshop, inviting global experts to Taiwan for knowledge sharing and field visits. The workshop bridged international experience with local governance challenges through field inspections of bay resource conservation areas, algal reef wildlife sanctuaries, and windbreak forests in national-level wetlands.
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Taiwan Ocean Alliance (TOA)

As a key member of the Taiwan Ocean Alliance (TOA), NTU actively participates in specialized working groups: Ocean Observation Technology, Marine Environmental Sustainability, Marine Databases and Research Vessels, and Marine Engineering Technology

2025 Taiwan Ocean Alliance General Assembly
Themed "Smart Ocean, Sustainable Future," the 2025 Alliance General Assembly convened hundreds of domestic experts across government, academia, industry, and research institutes. The assembly comprehensively explored new directions for Taiwan's marine sustainability and governance—spanning ocean observation, blue carbon, net-zero initiatives, marine engineering, digital governance, and AI applications. Distinguished Professor Sen Jan of NTU's Institute of Oceanography delivered a keynote on leveraging marine monitoring and data for Taiwan's ocean governance.
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National Marine Science Database (Ocean Data Bank, ODB)
NTU assists the government and TOA in constructing and maintaining the national-level marine database, aggregating domestic marine news, archiving oceanographic survey results, promoting marine knowledge, and providing data support for nationwide research. The database archives physical and chemical oceanographic metrics (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity), ocean currents, bathymetry, sub-bottom profiles, and sediment data. In 2025, ODB launched BioViewer, integrating biological survey and research data across Taiwan's surrounding waters to officially establish the ODB Biological Database.
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BioViewer
 

Salamander Conservation Initiatives (Corporate / Government Partnerships)

Taiwan is home to five endemic species of salamanders (amphibians)—including the Nanhu Salamander (Critically Endangered, CR), Formosan Salamander (Endangered, EN), Taiwan Hynobiid Salamander (Endangered, EN), Guanwu Salamander (Endangered, EN), and Alishan Salamander (Vulnerable, VU)—all of which are listed as protected wildlife on the Red List of Taiwan's Species. A research team led by Professor Yu-Ten Ju of NTU's Department of Animal Science and Technology conducts long-term monitoring on their distribution, habitats, population dynamics, and genetics. In addition to partnering with the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (MOA) to introduce salamander conservation action plans, the team collaborated with corporate partners to launch the Taiwan Salamander Conservation Research Project. This multi-faceted initiative focuses on Taiwan's five native high-mountain salamander species through captive breeding, field breeding habitat trials, and genetic resource preservation. Building on years of research, the team successfully documented the complete lifecycle of the Alishan Salamander in 2025—including aquatic hatching, parental egg-brooding behavior, embryonic metamorphosis, and the transition out of water to terrestrial life—releasing video footage to deepen public understanding of the species' ecology.
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Salamander Conservation Action Plan (2nd Edition, 2025)
In collaboration with the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (MOA), the team released the second edition of the Salamander Conservation Action Plan. The plan covers biological profile data, spatial distribution, reproductive life history, dietary habits, environmental habitats, threat analyses, as well as conservation strategies and actionable measures.
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Taiwan Salamander Conservation Research Project (2025)
In 2025, NTU signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Salamander Conservation with the Yushan National Park Headquarters (National Park Service, MOI), Chiayi Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (MOA), and Taiwan Mobile. This partnership brings together corporate, academic, and public sectors to inject technological and sustainable energy into high-altitude salamander habitats across Taiwan.
Scope of Cooperation: Talent cultivation, technological applications (remote monitoring and automated data collection), captive breeding observation facilities (documenting parental care as well as precious embryonic and larval developmental behaviors), field breeding habitat experiments, and genetic material preservation
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Cetacean Conservation Actions (NGO / Government Partnerships)

Among the world’s 90+ cetacean species, over one-third have been recorded in the waters around Taiwan. Professor Wei-Cheng Yang of the Department of Veterinary Medicine established the Cetacean Investigation Bureau, which actively performs stranding rescues, leads specialized research projects, and tracks stranding events to enhance public awareness of cetaceans.
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Marine Animal Rescue Network (MARN)
The School of Veterinary Medicine at NTU serves as a key member of MARN, responsible for forensic analysis, sample custody, and pathological autopsies to strengthen Taiwan’s rescue mechanisms and conservation framework for protected marine species. Comprising the Coast Guard Administration, local municipal governments, research institutions, and NGOs, the alliance operates under the 4R Principles—Research, Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Release—to establish standardized operational procedures for wildlife rescue.
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Member of the Ocean Affairs Council’s Taiwanese White Dolphin Expert Advisory Group
Professor Wei-Cheng Yang serves as a member of the Taiwanese White Dolphin Expert Advisory Group under the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA). He provides professional consultation and policy recommendations on habitat utilization and conservation strategies for the critically endangered Taiwanese white dolphin (Sousa chinensis), aiming to restore population sustainability and reproduction.
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2025 International Conference and Workshop on Cetacean and Sea Turtle Conservation
Professor Wei-Cheng Yang of the Department of Veterinary Medicine was invited to Hong Kong to attend the 2025 International Conference and Workshop on Cetacean and Sea Turtle Conservation. During the conference, he shared expertise with an international audience on stranding investigations, clinical diagnostics, and rehabilitation treatments for cetaceans and sea turtles.
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Development and Application of Physical and Psychological Assessment Tools for Captive Cetaceans
Professor Wei-Cheng Yang constructed a multi-layered monitoring framework integrating behavioral, physiological, and microbiological data to assess the physical and psychological well-being of captive cetaceans. By compiling this data into a centralized database, the tool identifies highly sensitive or vulnerable individuals and establishes stress early-warning systems to elevate the welfare and health standards of captive cetaceans.
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Aquatic Protected Species Conservation Plans (Government / Zoo Partnerships)

Formosan Striped Dace (Squalidus iijimae) Conservation Plan
Status: Taiwan Red List of Species: Nationally Critical (NCR)
Associate Professor Chi-Chang Liu of NTU's School of Forestry and Resource Conservation participated in the editorial team for the second edition of the Formosan Striped Dace Conservation Action Plan, published by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (MOA) in 2025. The plan covers conservation status, biological profiles, spatial distribution, breeding and life history, dietary habits, competitors, predators, habitat requirements, and threat analyses, while establishing monitoring frameworks to safeguard critical habitats and stabilize population distribution. In 2025, Associate Professor Liu also partnered with the Taipei Zoo to conduct artificial propagation of the species and launch environmental education outreach campaigns to enhance public awareness of protected freshwater aquatic species.
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Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) Conservation Plan
Status: Taiwan Red List of Species: Nationally Critical (NCR)
In Taiwan, stable populations of the Eurasian Otter remain exclusively in the aquatic and coastal environments of Kinmen Island. Professor Ling-Ling Lee of the Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Professor Hsiao-Wei Yuan of the School of Forestry and Resource Conservation served on the editorial board for the second edition of the Eurasian Otter Conservation Action Plan, published by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (MOA) in 2025. The plan comprehensively addresses conservation status, biological attributes, distribution patterns, reproductive history, feeding habits, ecological functions, genetics, habitat quality, and threat drivers. It sets forth targeted conservation strategies and actionable measures to improve habitat quality, minimize anthropogenic non-natural mortality, and foster gradual population recovery.
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Red-Belly Water Snake (Trimerodytes annularis) Conservation Plan
Status: Taiwan Red List of Species: Nationally Critical (NCR)
The Red-Belly Water Snake is a semi-aquatic species, with stable remaining populations in Taiwan restricted to stagnant water bodies (paddy fields, calla lily fields, water bamboo fields, abandoned marshlands, ponds, and canals) in the Yangmingshan area. In 2025, while promoting the value of farmland ecosystem services in Yangmingshan National Park, Professor Cheng-I Hseu of NTU's Department of Agricultural Chemistry integrated habitat creation for the endangered Red-Belly Water Snake into agricultural management recommendations, assisting local farmers in transitioning toward eco-friendly farming practices.
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Yellow-Margined Box Turtle (Cuora flavomarginata) Conservation Plan
Status: Taiwan Red List of Species: Nationally Critical (NCR) (Category I Protected Wildlife)
As a native species in Taiwan, the Yellow-Margined Box Turtle primarily inhabits low-elevation broadleaf forests as well as humid environments near mountain ravines and ponds. In recent years, it has faced severe threats such as habitat loss. A research team from NTU's Department of Life Science executed Taiwan's first population monitoring and juvenile release-tracking program for the species. In 2025, in continued collaboration with the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (MOA), the team monitored post-release population parameters—such as survival rate, abundance, density, and dispersal rates—and identified distribution hotspots to strengthen future conservation planning and strategic action.
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Seabird Monitoring Programs (Government / Local NGO Partnerships)

Situated at a crucial node along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF), Taiwan has recorded 88 seabird species, serving as a pivotal stopover for migratory foraging and breeding. Professor Hsiao-Wei Yuan of NTU's School of Forestry and Resource Conservation has long dedicated her research to seabirds, utilizing satellite telemetry to decipher migration routes, foraging grounds, and breeding sites across open oceans.

International Seabird Conservation Action (2025)
In 2025, in partnership with the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA), NTU launched Taiwan’s first Albatross Satellite Tracking Study. Focusing on the movement and behavioral patterns of Black-footed and Short-tailed Albatrosses, the initiative strengthens domestic scientific capacity, aiming to position Taiwan as a key hub for Asian seabird research while elevating conservation awareness among frontline personnel and fishing communities.
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Transiting Seabird Satellite Telemetry — Streaked Shearwater (2025)
Collaborating with the OCA in 2025 on satellite tracking of transiting Streaked Shearwaters, researchers identified a stable breeding colony on Mianhua Islet—currently Taiwan's sole breeding site for Procellariiformes. Tracking data revealed that these birds forage across thousands of kilometers spanning Taiwan, Japan, and the Ryukyu Islands.
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Nationwide Seabird Population Survey (2025)
In 2025, NTU assisted the OCA in conducting a nationwide seabird census, updating the protected seabird list, refining marine protected wildlife assessments, optimizing management strategies for the tern conservation platform, and strengthening the national seabird conservation network.
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2025 Southern Taiwan Bird Forum: Pelagic Wanderers
Invited by the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society in August 2025, Professor Hsiao-Wei Yuan and Assistant Research Fellow Chong-Hang Hong of the Hydrotech Research Institute delivered keynote speeches on seabird population dynamics and the spatial distribution of seabirds relative to offshore wind farms in Taiwanese waters, engaging the public in dialogue on marine conservation action.
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2025 Study on Climate Change Impacts on Seabird Population Dynamics and Foraging Ranges
Through long-term data monitoring, this research evaluates climate risk exposure for Taiwan's threatened seabirds and projects future shifts in population dynamics and foraging ranges under various climate scenarios. Findings inform timely updates to Taiwan’s marine protected species list, enabling proactive policy adjustments and adaptive conservation strategies .
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Coastal Wetland Conservation Corridor Bird Monitoring in Taichung (2025)
Taiwan represents a critical corridor for migratory birds, with coastal wetlands serving as vital stopover habitats. In 2025, Assistant Professor Da-Li Lin of the Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology conducted bird monitoring across central Taiwan's coastal wetlands to track key species of concern and assess endangerment risks. The monitoring data was uploaded to an open-access ecological survey repository, providing a scientific foundation for eco-friendly agriculture, Nature-based Solutions (NbS), and co-existential conservation management.
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Ecosystem Surveys of Island & Marine National Parks

Orchid Island Aquatic & Vascular Plant Survey (In Collaboration with NMNS and KBCC)
As part of the survey team for the "Radiant Orchid Island Ecological Conservation Project," a research group led by Professor Jer-Ming Hu of NTU's Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology conducted a field survey in March 2025 focusing on Orchid Island’s aquatic plants and associated vascular flora. This initiative integrates natural science with Indigenous culture, partnering with local residents to safeguard the island’s natural ecosystem.
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Integrated Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research on Seamounts and Marine Islands
From 2024 to 2025, Professor Wei-Jen Chen of NTU's Institute of Oceanography conducted long-term investigations into deep-sea ecosystems across waters surrounding Taiwan and the northern South China Sea, as well as the impacts of anthropogenic activities on these systems. The research focuses on mega-benthos biodiversity, including deep-sea fishes, corals, and sponges.
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Research on Target Species and Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Strategy Planning in Kinmen National Park
In 2025, Professor Tzung-Su Ding of the School of Forestry and Resource Conservation assisted the island-based Kinmen National Park in conducting surveys on target species, including the nocturnal roosting behavior of Great Cormorants and habitat usage of Eurasian Otters in aquatic environments. Based on survey findings, locally feasible Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) strategies were introduced—providing tangible incentive mechanisms to encourage public participation in protecting target species and critical habitats.
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Freshwater Aquatic Monitoring & Management

Baseline Survey and Long-Term Monitoring Management for the Ecological Reserve of Dream Lake National Park
Dream Lake National Important Wetland is the sole natural habitat of Taiwan‘s endemic plant, Isoetes taiwanensis (a perennial aquatic herb that can grow submerged, emergent, or terrestrial, classified as Critically Endangered, CR by the IUCN). To develop suitable conservation and management strategies for Isoetes taiwanensis, Professor Shang-Shu Shih of NTU's Hydrotech Research Institute assists the national park in conducting long-term ecological surveys and habitat monitoring. The collected data will serve as a reference for wetland management.
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Preliminary Ecological Study of Characteristic Aquatic and Terrestrial Species in Taiwan‘s Shallow Mountain Ecosystems (2025)
Professor Jer-Ming Hu of the Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, in collaboration with domestic universities, conducted research on Taiwan's characteristic aquatic plants. Because these plants are mostly distributed across low-elevation shallow mountain areas lacking designated protected zones, and given the absence of a dedicated plant conservation law for policy implementation, this project provides actionable recommendations for future conservation strategies.
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