Did you miss our land crab series stories? If so, today we have a new story about crab conversation in Kenting, but this time, interestingly enough – it is about the Houwan area in Checheng Township, instead of more familiar crab areas, such as Banana Bay, or Sail Rock.
The Pingtung Environmental Alliance Extends a Helping Hand to Land Crabs Threatened by Road Mortality on the Coastal Highway from Fu’an Bridge to Guishan Bridge in Checheng Township.
Due to the impact of typhoon Haikui, the road closure and land crab rescue, initially scheduled for the 1st to the 3rd of this month, only took place for 2 days as planned.
Dozens of volunteers, including children and adults, organized into teams for investigation, guidance, rescue, and mobile photography. They collaborated to document and assist the land crabs’ reproduction and rescue efforts. This initiative aims to rectify the ecological damage caused by the government’s initial lack of thorough environmental assessment and the erroneous construction methods that severed the land crab habitats from the sea.
The issue of ‘roadkill’ involving land crabs in Kenting National Park has been a matter of concern. However, beyond the park’s boundaries, the wetlands between Checheng’s Sichong River and Baoli Creek estuaries are also crucial habitats for land crabs.
The coastal highway between Fu’an Bridge and Guishan Bridge has been cutting through the coastline and wetlands for the past decade. Tragically, every year, female crabs carrying eggs meet their demise on the road, posing a serious threat to the local land crab population. Last year, the Pingtung Environmental Alliance collaborated with the local community to conduct road closures on full moon nights during the summer to protect the crabs. This year, the crab protection efforts have become even more finely organized.
The enthusiastic participation of volunteers, both young and old, is truly moving and fills us with pride!” said Zhu Yuxi, a director of the Pingtung Environmental Alliance.
On the day of the event, traffic control and guidance were managed by students from Kenting Elementary School, families from three households in Kaohsiung with students from Nanrong Junior High School, Jugwang Elementary School, and Xinjia Elementary School, as well as non-profit kindergartens from Okul and Liqun, students from Datong High School, and even volunteers from Taichung.
They all proactively interacted with incoming vehicle passengers, explaining the reasons for traffic diversion. Several interns from the Marine Science Museum also joined the investigation team to assist in research and documentation, contributing essential data for the baseline study.
He mentioned that on that day, adults brought their children, teachers brought their students, social volunteers and retired friends enthusiastically participated in environmental conservation efforts.
This is a sign of progress in Taiwan’s environmental awareness. In the process of advancing environmental consciousness, it also highlights the greed of the public sector in environmental development and the aftermath caused by the public sector’s unlimited development mindset. Crossing the ecologically rich wetlands between Sichong Creek and Baoli Creek, if there had been a rigorous environmental impact assessment at that time, the design would not have allowed two large bridges and a road to block the connection between wetland organisms and the ocean, leaving behind irreparable ecological scars.
The Pingtung Environmental Protection Alliance stated that road closure to protect the land crabs demonstrated the value of public education on protecting land crab life.
Participants took practical action to save distressed lives and compensate for past government mistakes. This spontaneous ecological caring force will gradually become an important foundation for conserving Taiwan. It will also empower local communities in land crab ecology guidance and economic industries, hoping to develop into a seasonal ecological tourism model.