Mon, Feb 16, 2004 page2

• Bird flu could spare spoonbills

  UNTOUCHABLES The rare birds are being closely monitored by a team of environmentalists in Tainan County, while locals put their faith in ecotourism

  • By Chiu Yu-tzu / STAFF REPORTER
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  The bird flu outbreak has not affected black-faced spoonbills wintering in Tainan County's Chiku Lagoon, county government officials said yesterday.

  Environmental agencies at the lagoon have stepped up monitoring measures in an effort to keep the disease, which is threatening poultry stocks throughout Asia, away from the endangered spoonbills.

  According to head of Tainan's environmental bureau Lee Mun-she (李穆生), a realtime water-quality monitoring system has been established to transfer data to the local environmental bureau. The system was established after 73 black-faced spoonbills in Chiku died after being infected with C. botulinum toxin in December 2002.

  "If we found anything unusual after reading the data and analyzing samples we collect from habitats, a warning would be sent to both on-site conservationists and agriculture officials to take preventive measures," Lee told the Taipei Times.

  Lee said that water experts from Tainan's National Cheng Kung University were also involved in the task of preventing the spread of animal diseases.

  According to Lin Ben-chu (林本初), an advisor to the Tainan-based Wild Bird Society of Happy Family (黑琵家族野鳥學會), the society's staff carefully inspects the lagoon to ensure the birds are safe.

  Wang Jeng-jyi (王徵吉), a photographer who has been taking pictures of the birds for 12 years and a member of the society, said that sometimes the society needs to mobilize volunteers to wade through the chilly waters of the lagoon to collect dead fish and animals.

  Wang said that the 2,300-hectare habitat was divided into 14 divisions, with different groups taking care of each division.

  Tainan County Commissioner Su Huan-chih (蘇煥智) said Chiku Township deserves a higher level of governmental management, which could upgrade the quality of services needed to boost ecological tourism.

  Su said more resources were needed for the promotion of environmentally friendly technologies, which suit ecotourism.

  "For example, we hope bamboo rafts or entertainment boats here can be powered by solar energy and create no noise pollution," Su said.

  Lin Ming-teh (林明德), a Chiku native running entertainment boats to show tourists mangroves near the estuary of the Tseng River, said well-designed regulations on ecotourism were needed.

  "I don't know about others, but I myself have joined five local conservation groups to improve my knowledge about ecotourism which a good tour guide should have," Lin said.

  Chang Juu-en (張祖恩), head of the Environmental Protection Administration, said more government resources were needed for community-based development in Chiku.

  At Lungshan Village, which has a population of only 2,230, hundreds of elderly people take advantage of the area's natural resources, such as its oyster shells and seashells, and use them to pave pedestrian walkways and redecorate abandoned pig farms to attract tourists.

  Cheng Mu-shuen (鄭木順), 83, a retired school principal, said Chiku has much to be proud of.

  "I feel happy when I see trees we planted grow well in our hometown," Cheng said.
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