Rescuing the mountain children - leopard cats

Though the leopard cat is a protected species in Taiwan, today, there are less than 500 remaining, 300 of which live in Miaoli County. Of the 40 reported cases of leopard cat road deaths, 30 have occurred in Miaoli. In spite of this, Miaoli is currently promoting a number of development projects, including road widening projects on County Highway 128 and Provincial Highway 36-1, the building of Expressway 61 through the Bhaishatun - Tongwan section, and Houlong Funeral Home, all of which are directly located in leopard cat populated territory. Once the leopard cat’s habitat is fragmented, it is effectively homeless and faces the risk of death at any time
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Around 70 years ago in Taiwan, the leopard cat was a commonly seen species. Today, however, due to changes in the environment, it has become endangered. This crisis has awakened conservationists and environmental organizations in Miaoli, who have become actively engaged in supporting leopard cat conservation work through raising awareness about the leopard cat and its preciousness. Zhuolan, one of Miaoli’s 18 townships, has joined the leopard cat conservation ranks, and the township office has been working hard to draw up measures that will transform the area into a “Home of the Leopard Cat.”
 
Though leopard cat numbers have seen a gradual decline in recent years, diligent efforts by local conservation groups, citizens, and the local government are beginning to show results. The future goal is to further raise public awareness about the leopard cat and create a friendly environment where people and leopard cats can live in harmony.  

Rescuing the mountain children - leopard cats 

URL：https://www.peopo.org/news/343443

(以下是中文對照)

搶救淺山之子 石虎

照片

台灣保育類動物石虎目前剩不到500隻，其中有300隻棲息在苗栗縣，石虎遭路殺通報中，目前已知的40件，苗栗就佔了30起。苗栗縣目前推動的開發案，包括128縣道拓寬、苗36-1線拓寛、台61線快速道路白沙屯-通灣段、後龍鎮殯葬園區，都位於石虎出沒的密集區。石虎的棲地將遭分割破碎化，牠將無家可歸，而且隨時都有生命的危險。
 
70年前石虎在台灣是普遍可見的物種， 但到環境的變遷的今日，石虎卻已成了瀕臨滅面絕的保育類動物。這危機喚醒了苗栗在地保育人士和團體，他們積極投入石虎保育行列，希望讓更多人認識石虎 ，了解牠的珍貴 ，進而支持石虎的生態保育。苗栗有18鄉鎮，其中卓蘭鎮是第一個響應加入保育石虎的行列，鎮公所也規畫相關措施，將卓蘭鎮打造成石虎之鄉來努力。
 
近年來苗栗縣的石虎數量雖一直下降中，但透過在地的保育團體、民眾以及公部門的努力，保育石虎有了初步的成果，接著要讓更多人知道石虎，接受石虎以及打造居民與石虎共存的友善環境，這是要繼續努力的目標。