Caomei Wetlands Wildlife Refuge

Information

Date of foundation	September 29, 2004
Area( hectare )	701.3
Primary Object for Protection	River mouth and swamp ecosystems
Scope of Administration	Along the coast of Qingshui District, Taichung City, with the northern coast of the Dajia River as the north border and the west side of the West Coast Expressway as the east border, along the Qingshui Dikes. The Fanzhailiao Dike and Gaomei 1st and 2nd Dikes, till the average subtidal line, make up the west boundary. The area’s south border is the northern sand-proof dike of the Taichung Port.
Authority in-charge-of	Taichung City Government

Gaomei Major Wildlife Habitat, or Gaomei Wetlands as most people are familiar with, is an important ecological conservation area located at the south of estuary of Dajia River in Qingshui District, Taichung City. This place used to be a beach for summer leisure since the Japanese Colonial Period. However, the establishment of Taichung Port caused the groin effect which eventually led to the beach’s official shutdown. Increasing sediments attract fewer tourists, but support diverse wildlife. Despite its smallness, Gaomei Wetlands encompass mud and sand flats as well as swamps, perfect habitats for numerous species of bird, fish, crab, and other invertebrates. Over 120 bird species have been recorded and this is where the largest Bolboschoenus planiculmis population grows in Taiwan. Migratory birds that either rest or winter here further enrich the ecosystem and catch bird lovers’ eye.