The development project is located in the Chienpu River basin between the Kinmen Forestry Bureau reserve and Nanju Lake. The area is a watering hole for indigenous Eurasian otters, a protected rare species, according to the Taiwan-based Chinese Wild Bird Federation.
“Kinmen is the only ROC territory left where a viable community of the mammals exists in the wild,” a conservationist said, adding that the species is virtually extinct along Asia’s coasts. “The resort development will cut the local wetland system in half, impacting the otter population.”
In April and June this year, two pairs of otter pups were found abandoned near construction sites in Kinmen. Three of the animals lived long enough to be transferred to Taipei Zoo for better care. Conservationists said the abandoned youngsters showed that local otter lodges were at increasing risk.
“Zoologists from National Taiwan University advised builders to avoid compromising the otters’ natural lake and riverside habitats,” the conservationist said. “Kinmen National Park Administration should join hands with the local government to establish a monitoring mechanism to ensure the species’ survival.”
In response to the concern, Kinmen County Government said the resort poses no additional risk to local otters. As the 4.5-hectare project is situated on the forestry bureau’s seed ranch, it is already subject to a high level of human activity and unlikely to be frequented by the animals.
At its closest point, the development is about 70 meters away from water used by the otters, and the developer has not recorded any otter activity on the site so far, according to the local government. (YHC-SDH)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw