The Forestry and Conservation Department’s Pingtung Division, in collaboration with the team led by Associate Professor Chiu Yu-Wen from the Department of Biological Resources at National Chiayi University, has been conducting a survey and monitoring of the natural resources and ecological environment of Baoli Creek in Checheng Township, Pingtung County, since 2020, under the “Senchuan Li Hai” project. To the team’s surprise, a recent camera capture revealed the presence of the “cute beast,” the Yellow-throated Marten, marking the southernmost distribution record of this species in Taiwan’s existing biological database.
The Taiwanese subspecies of the Yellow-throated Marten, commonly known as the “Qiangzihou,” measures about 44 to 46 cm in length and is recognized by its yellow throat. It inhabits primary forests at altitudes ranging from 300 to 3900 meters, most commonly found in mid-altitude areas. As a carnivorous animal with a broad diet, it hunts in small groups to prey on larger animals like the Formosan serow and also feeds on small mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, insects, and scavenges on carcasses.
The Chiu Yu-Wen team noted that this record of the Yellow-throated Marten in a low-altitude area is also the southernmost distribution record in Taiwan; the survey site is a frequent habitat for the Formosan serow, indicating a potential association between the two species that requires further research and analysis. It is likely that the hunting habits of the martens have made this area their habitat.
Formosan serow
The Forestry and Conservation Department’s Pingtung Division states that Baoli Creek and the neighboring Lihai area in Checheng Township, Pingtung, form a crucial coastal forest conservation axis on the Hengchun Peninsula. Besides hosting land crabs, it serves as a habitat for lowland species. The team aims to construct a national ecological green network while shaping the “social-productive-ecological landscape” of the lowland and coastal areas.
The Pingtung Division of the Forestry and Conservation Department urges the public, when recreating in the middle and upper sections of Baoli Creek in Checheng Township, Pingtung, to practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid littering, refrain from feeding wildlife, and not use motorized vehicles that could damage the streambed. We can jointly maintain terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems through environmentally friendly actions and move towards a harmonious coexistence with nature.