Endemic salmon airlifted to mountain river for conservation

Endemic salmon airlifted to mountain river for conservation

2026-01-13

The number of wild Formosan landlocked salmon, a species endemic to Taiwan, has reached the third-highest level in history thanks to over 30 years of conservation efforts. The Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters is now using helicopters to airlift and release juvenile fish upstream, helping them reach their habitats quickly and safely to increase their survival rate.

A helicopter slowly lowers a box of juvenile fish into a river up in the mountains.

The Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters cooperated with Ginger Aviation to airlift 240 juvenile Formosan landlocked salmon to the upper reaches of the Sqeran Creek. Using helicopters keeps the fish safe during transport.

Liao Lin-yen
Park official
We hope that by releasing the fish quickly like this, we can establish a healthy and steadily growing population in the Sqeran Creek, completing the final piece of the puzzle for Formosan landlocked salmon in the Dajia River.

Formosan landlocked salmon are an endangered species endemic to Taiwan’s mountain rivers. Despite multiple typhoons and earthquakes, the fish’s wild population reached the third-highest level in history last year.

Liao Lin-yen
Park official
The population for the last five years has remained at around 15,000, showing that the overall population is relatively stable.

Releasing fish in upper reaches of the Sqeran Creek is the final piece of the puzzle in restoring the Formosan landlocked salmon’s habitat, marking a milestone in conserving this nationally treasured fish.

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