Tainan has a remarkably large and well protected wildlife preserve within its city limits. Between the city proper and the Technology Park (not the 'Science' Park further to the east) is an area of over 500 hectares set aside for wetland ecology. Some sections are still having their former salt harvesting and aquaculture apparatus disassembled, other areas resemble a more remote natural world. Access to the main area is, thankfully, difficult.
This area was until 1823 (when it silted-up because of a change in the course of the Tseng-wen river) an inland sea. The development, in 1990, of an industrial zone on the site of abandoned saltpans and fish ponds was a cause of concern to environmentalists. The compromise was the establishment of Sihcao Wildlife Preserve.
One of the best places to go exploring is in the area of the Ta-chung temple in Sihcao (four grass), just to the north of the city proper. Boat tours leave from next to the temple traveling into the 'green tunnel' and larger channels near the reserve. Be sure to visit the dolphin rescue center, and the famous exploding whale at createan museum at the old salt village just to the north. Note: public transport to the blackfaced spoonbill reserve in Chiku (Chigu, Ciku) listed in the Taiwan Lonely Planet is actually to Sihcao, not Chiku
Birds
Resident - all year.
Moorhen
Little Egret
Black-winged Stilt
Common Kingfisher
Black-crowned Night Heron
White-breasted Water Hen
Spotted Dove
Plain Prinia
Scaly-breasted Munia
Chinese Bulbul
Summer Visitor
Great and Intermediate Egret
Wood Sandpiper
Common Greenshank
Gray Heron
Gray-tailed Tattler
Dunlin
