Under the expansive skies of Kenting, international minds congregated for a singular purpose at the 2023 International Grey-faced Buzzard and Migratory Raptors Summit, weaving a tapestry of shared commitment toward avian conservation across East Asia. Embracing the pulsating heartbeat of migratory paths, the summit aimed to forge alliances and share wisdom among nations, ensuring the protection of crucial habitats that these magnificent raptors traverse during their awe-inspiring journeys.
Group Photo of Domestic and International Participants
The Kenting National Park Management Office of the National Parks Administration of the Ministry of the Interior, the Pingtung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Taiwan Birds of Prey Research Association jointly hosted the “2023 International Grey-faced Buzzard and Migratory Raptors Summit” on the 13th and 14th. Deputy Director Chen Zhenrong 陳貞蓉 of the National Parks Administration stated that the summit, primarily initiated by the Asian Birds of Prey Research and Conservation Alliance and the Japan Nature Conservation Association, is alternately hosted by Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
Taiwan, as the host country for the third summit this year (2023), invited government representatives, non-governmental organizations, and academic experts from Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, and South Korea to share and exchange experiences. The goal is to connect East Asian countries along the migratory path of migratory birds to share experiences in conserving migratory raptors, jointly safeguarding precious and rare raptor resources through international actions.
Sharing Grey-faced Buzzard Conservation Education Experience with the World
Deputy Director Chen pointed out that Taiwan is situated on an important route for migratory raptors in East Asia, mainly concentrated in the spring and autumn seasons. Each year, hundreds of thousands of migratory raptors pass through Taiwan, utilizing the low mountain environment for rest and foraging.
Taiwan is an important stopover point for a migratory raptors in their journey
The grey-faced buzzard migration to the Hengchun Peninsula in October is a notable ecological spectacle. Raptors are crucial indicator species in ecosystems, and migratory raptors are esteemed guests in Taiwan. Whether they can migrate stably through Taiwan reflects the richness of biodiversity in Taiwan’s rural areas. Therefore, the conservation of migratory species’ breeding, wintering, and stopover sites has become a common goal for international cooperation.
In 2023, Lin Simin, president of the co-hosting Taiwan Birds of Prey Research Association, pointed out that the grey-faced buzzard connects people looking up at the sky along the migration route and also brings about a new generation conservation trend.
The “Biodiversity Convention” meeting in 2022 established a new “Global Biodiversity Framework,” aiming to incorporate 30% of each country’s terrestrial and marine areas into conservation by 2030. Future conservation scopes are not limited to traditional protected areas; biodiversity-sensitive environments in rural areas, villages, and towns should also be addressed.
This summit specially invited several figures, including Deputy Mayor Kazukazu Yoshida of Miyakojima City, Japan, Mayor Masaki Irino of Kaibecho, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, Deputy Mayor Minoru Ueda of Uken Village, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, President Yumiko Nagai of the Amami Wild Bird Association of Japan, Junji Higashi, Lecturer at Iwate University, Japan, Chairman Toru Yamazaki of the Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network, Representative Koichi Endo of the Sōryō Conservation Foundation, Carla Pulido OCAMPO, First-class Tourism Officer of Sanchez Mira, Philippines, Alex TIONGCO, Representative of the Philippine Raptor Watch Network, Chukiat NUALSRI, Director of the Office of Municipal Administration of Monan, Chonburi Province, Thailand, and Assistant Professor KIM Hankyu of Kyung Hee University, South Korea, to share conservation and management results, challenges, and experiences of various countries. They also provided suggestions for Taiwan’s future grey-faced buzzard conservation, community management, and tourism.
Deputy Director Chen concluded that through the hosting of this summit, the international community could witness the conservation achievements of Taiwan’s public and private sectors for the grey-faced buzzard and migratory raptors.
There are also expectations to continue connecting various places in Asia in the future, jointly enhancing biodiversity conservation, sustainable natural resources, and progressing towards the vision of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.
Final thoughts and conclusion
As the echoes of discussions and collaborative strategies from the 2023 International Grey-faced Buzzard and Migratory Raptors Summit linger over the landscapes of Kenting, the collective aspiration of safeguarding our migratory avian wonders takes a fortified flight into the future.
Through the amalgamation of international expertise, community engagement, and conservation initiatives, a pathway is being sculpted, ensuring the skies remain alive with the enigmatic presence of raptors, symbolizing the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature in our shared earthly home.