Taiwan's Pink Dolphin's get some exposure at the Jeju Wildlife Center Workshop, South Korea

Dolhareubang in the snow. The Dolhareubang totem can be seen all over Jeju.


In late February our colleagues at Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association sent two delegates to the Annual Jeju Wildlife Research Center Workshop on Jeju Island, South Korea. Jeju Island, along with Taiwan, Southern Japan, and Southern China are the breeding areas for the IUCN Red Listed Fairy Pitta Pitta nympha. Dr Lin Reuy-shing of the Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute and Mark Wilkie of Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association delivered presentations on the Fairy Pitta in Taiwan.

Dr. [Scott] Lin Reuy-shing, Assistant Senior Researcher at the Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute has studied the Fairy Pitta for the last decade and is considered an international expert on the species. Dr. Lin delivered a presentation titled, "A review and perspective of Fairy Pitta research in Taiwan."

Mark B. Wilkie, a South African expat, works as a naturalist for Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, Taiwan. He has been involved with Fairy Pitta conservation in Taiwan for the past five years. He also serves as a super moderator on Birdforum the net's largest birding community dedicated to wild birds. Mark Wilkie delivered a presentation titled, "Conservation and threats to the Fairy Pitta: The Huben IBA, Taiwan." The presentation included the likely negative impact that the Hushan Dam Project will have on the Fairy Pitta and other threatened species such as the Swinhoe's Pheasant Lophura swinhoii and the unique Taiwan population of humpback dolphins Sousa chinensis.

Literature on the Taiwan humpback dolphins was also distributed at the workshop.

See the Jeju Wildlife Research Center Workshop report on the Stop Hushan Dam Blog.