Origins

Due to the heavy traffic on roads within Yangmingshan National Park, numerous animals are accidentally killed by vehicles. Far-reaching roads provide humans with a convenient and reliable means of transport, but have wreaked havoc on local ecosystems in the form of animal deaths, habitat fragmentation, hindered movement, gene isolation, and isolated populations, all of which seriously affect the balance of the ecosystem and biodiversity.

The Process and Results

The park began monitoring the most accident-prone segments of roads in 1995. In 2004, the park constructed five underground tunnels, or ecological corridors, for animals to cross safely. The corridors are located at the entrance to the Bailaka Highway （101A county highway） to the Bailaka Highway observation deck and underneath the Headquarters Visitor Center along the Yangjin Highway. The corridors are complete with guiding fences, anti-climbing panels, and other precautions, as well as infrared cameras with motion sensors and a video surveillance system at the exits to monitor the use of the tunnels by the animals. The park also continues to investigate traffic-related accidents involving animals.

Entrance to the ecological corridor

Infrared cameras with motion sensors and a video surveillance system outsidethe corridor

The guiding fence by the corridor entrance

Picture of a Formosan gem-faced civettaken by a corridor camera

Effects

After the corridors were completed, the amount of animals hit by cars was reduced by approximately 35%. This clearly shows the efficacy that these corridors—the first of their kind to be introduced in Taiwan—have for protecting animal life. The compiled surveillance footage can also be used for the promotion of environmental education and as reference material for future road works.

A Formosan gem-faced civet that was hitand killed by a vehicle was mounted andput on display for natural scienceeducation purposes.

A Taiwanese whistling thrush that has been mounted and put on display for natural science education purposes.

Animals killed by vehicles are mounted or reproduced and then utilized as teaching material for natural science instruction.