Taiwan

Summary: I visited Taiwan in 2005 (birding) and in May 2026 (lowlands and whale-watching), without much time at the higher elevations. The highlights of the 20+ mammal species seen were Siberian Weasel, Dwarf Sperm Whale and a Beaked Whale (tentative ID as Cuvier’s).

Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris). Hualien, 21 May 2026. Image # 20260521-105.

Paul Carter:   paulcarter@pacapix.com
First posted: 2026 June.

Contents
a)  Sites and Reports
b)  Mammal List
c)  Reptile List
d)  Logistics
e)  References

A.   Sites and Reports

TRIPS:
– 2005 March-April: A birding trip with Clide Carter and Loretta Carter (my parents).
– 2026 May: Taipei region, Toucheng and Hualien; with Chi Phan.

SITES:
Sites visited include the following:
– Ren’ai Township including Blue Gate Trail. 2005 March.
– Taroko Gorge, 2005.
– Mount Shamao area (Yangmingshan NP), 2026.
– Chengu Farm (Miaoli District), 2026. Report pending.
– Taipei, 2025 May. Report pending.
– Wulai, 2025 May.
– Toucheng (whale-watching), 2026 May. Report here.
– Hualien (whale-watching), 2026 May 21-23. Report here.

REPORTS:
– Hualien (Taiwan) whale and dolphin records (May 2026). Posted . https://www.pacapix.com/taiwan-hualien-cetacea/
– Toucheng (Taiwan) whale and dolphin records (May 2026). Posted . https://www.pacapix.com/taiwan-toucheng-cetacea/

B.   Mammal List

Abbreviations: PH – Photographed. NP – Not photographed. AUD – Audio.

  1. Great Round-leaf Bat (Hipposideros armiger). PH. At Miaoli.
  2. Formosan Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus formosae). PH. At Miaoli.
  3. Japanese Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus abramus). PH +AUD. Widespread e.g. Hualien.
  4. Oriental Serotine (Eptesicus pachyomus). AUD.
  5. Siberian Weasel (Mustela sibirica). NP. Blue Gate Trail in the Ren’ai area (2005).
  6. Masked Palm Civet (Paguma larvata). PH. At Miaoli and Taipei.
  7. Formosan Ferret-badger (Melogale subaurantiaca). PH. At Miaoli and Wulai.
  8. Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor). NP. At Miaoli.
  9. Reeves’s Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi). PH. Widespread e.g. Miaoli and Toucheng.
  10. Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus). PH. At Hualien.
  11. Dwarf Sperm Whale (Kogia sima). PH. At Hualien.
  12. Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis). PH. At Toucheng.
  13. Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris). PH. At Toucheng and Hualien.
  14. Pantropical Spotted Dolphin (Stenella attenuata). PH. At Hualien.
  15. Risso’s Dolphin (Grampus griseus). PH. At Hualien.
  16. Cuvier’s Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris). PH. At Hualien.
  17. Pallas’s Squirrel (Callosciurus erythraeus). PH. Widespread e.g. Yangmingshan, Taipei, Toucheng.
  18. Taiwan Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista grandis). PH. At Miaoli and Taipei.
  19. Eastern Striped Squirrel (Tamiops maritimus) aka Maritime Striped Squirrel. At Ren’ai area.
  20. Taiwanese Macaque (Macaca cyclopis). PH. At Miaoli.

Bat Audio: This list includes bat audio records that were made using an “Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro” ultrasonic module and the Echo Meter app, noting that taxonomy in the app is not up to date and that audio records may not be definitive. I only show audio records where there was a sighting and the size, behaviour and habitat fit the audio ID.

C.  Reptile List

Reptiles photographed include:

  1. Taiwan Japalure (Diploderma swinhonis). At Yangmingshan, Toucheng.
  2. Kuhne’s Grass Lizard (Takydromus kuehnei). At Yangmingshan.
  3. Green-spotted Grass Lizard (Takydromus viridipunctatus). At Wulai and Toucheng.
  4. Brown Anole (Anolis sagrei). At Hualien (common, introduced).
  5. Shanghai Elegant Skink (Plestiodon elegans). At Wulai.
  6. Brown Spotted Pitviper (Protobothrops mucrosquamatus). At Toucheng.
  7. Chinese Green Tree Viper (Trimeresurus stejnegeri). At Wulai and Toucheng.
  8. Red-banded Snake (Lycodon rufozonatus). At Toucheng.
  9. Pond Slider (Trachemys scripta). At Toucheng.

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D.  Logistics

2026:
eSim: We used Airalo for a local package; it worked well.
Uber: Useful around Taiwan. The app was of no use in the Hualien area.
Taxis: Pricing was similar to Uber.
Train: We only used it once for Hualien to Toucheng, buying the tickets online and printing them at a small FamilyMart.

E.  References and Links

  • Hu C-H, Yu HY, Hoh DZ, Lin DL (2023). The observation records from whale and dolphin watching inshore of Hualien, eastern Taiwan. Biodiversity Data Journal 11: e109649. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.11.e109649
  • Kuroshio Ocean Education Foundation (2025 July 8). Longman’s Beaked Whales Sighted off Hualien, Taiwan (Northwestern Pacific Ocean). https://www.kuroshio.org.tw/newsite/article02.php?info_id=1057
  • Li W-T, Chou L-S, Chiou H-Y, Chen I-H and Yang W-C (2021 June 18). Analyzing 13 Years of Cetacean Strandings: Multiple Stressors to Cetaceans in Taiwanese Waters and Their Implications for Conservation and Future Research. Frontiers in Marine Science 8:606722. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.606722
  • Lynx Edicions (2020 Oct). Lynx Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of China. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.
  • Wu HW, Lu DJ, Lin CL, Cheng HC, Juan CH, Shen TJ, Lin HC, Chen SF (2022). Population and conservation status of the flying fox Pteropus dasymallus in Taiwan. Zoological Studies 61:34. https://doi.org/10.6620/ZS.2022.61-34

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