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C.P. Chen 1,2,3 , S.T. Lin 2,3 , F.L. Wang 1

Coconut Crabs as a Target for Promoting the Establishment of Marine Protected Areas on Green Island, Taiwan. C.P. Chen 1,2,3 , S.T. Lin 2,3 , F.L. Wang 1 1 Institute of Fishery Science, National Taiwan University, Taiwan 2 Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan

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C.P. Chen 1,2,3 , S.T. Lin 2,3 , F.L. Wang 1

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  1. Coconut Crabs as a Target for Promoting the Establishment of Marine Protected Areas on Green Island, Taiwan C.P. Chen1,2,3, S.T. Lin2,3, F.L. Wang1 1 Institute of Fishery Science, National Taiwan University, Taiwan 2 Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan 3 Research Center for Biodiversity, Academia Sinica, Taiwan

  2. Coconut Crabs Local Community Local empowerment Conservation Green Island Marine Protected Area (MPA) MPA establishment combining local community and ecosystem

  3. Green Island introduction Green Island • History • Ecology • Coral reef ecosystem Hard corals:176 spp. Soft corals:27 spp. Fishes:602 spp. Map of Green Island. • 16.2 km2 • 3200 people • Mountain peak of Green Island is 281m Photos available at http://green.taitung.gov.tw/caption/ca_page1.asp

  4. Coconut crab, Birgus latro • A threatened species, list on the Red list of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 1983 • Protected by the Wildlife Conservation Law in Taiwan since 1995. Birgus latro (Linnaeus, 1767) Phylum Arthropoda Class Crustacea Order Decapoda Infraorder Anomura Family Coenobitidae Genus Birgus Coconut crab, Birgus latro .

  5. Ocean Rocky coasts 1 mm Zoeal stages Ⅰ 10cm Ⅱ Ⅲ Spawning Ⅳ Ⅴ Adult Metamorphosis Emergence Glaucothoe Juvenile crab 1 cm 1 mm Life history of the coconut crab, Birgus latro.

  6. Why we choose coconut crabs as an umbrella species of Green Island? • Relationship between coconut crabs and local residents • as children’s pet in early days • The ecological importance of coconut crabs, including: • large body size • Unique ecological niche • long life history • the unique life of this migrating species, as adults occur in terrestrial mountain areas • Successfully conserving the habitat of coconut crabs will not only protect the coastal zones and nearby waters, but also land areas

  7. Threats to coconut crabs on Green Island • Illegal harvesting — population of coconut crabs declined rapidly. • Too many infrastructures — harm its habitats and block its spawning pathway. • Environmental deterioration — habitat fragmentation

  8. Current tourism state of Green Island SARS • Number of tourists visiting Green Island from 1991 to 2003 • Carrying capacity: 2000 persons/day (Calculating by ECG international, 1993) • Number of monthly tourists from 1991 to 2003 • July is the peak • Averaged of last five July is 64,077 persons

  9. Three actions for coconut crab conservation • Basic survey and larval culture of coconut crabs • Habitat conservation • Local community empowerment through education

  10. Ocean Rocky coasts 1 mm Ⅰ Zoeal stages 10cm Ⅱ Ⅲ Spawning Ⅳ Ⅴ Adult Metamorphosis Glaucothoe Juvinile crab 1 cm 1 mm Basic survey of coconut crabs Hard to conduct the population survey!

  11. Capturing female coconut crabs • Spawning area

  12. Larval culture of coconut crabs • Temperature: 24-25℃ • Salinity 34-35‰. • fed with hatched Artemia nauplii

  13. 1 mm Larval culture results in 2004 Glaucothoe of coconut crab hiding in a snail shell. • 20 Zoea metamorphosed to glaucothoes on the 27th to 34th day • 6 carrying the shell on the 37th to 43rd days of its zoeal life. The mean survival rates of zoeae fed with enriched Artemia nauplii are higher than unenriched groups in each zoeal stages.

  14. Habitat conservation • Maintain habitat diversity Adults Juvenile larva

  15. Habitat conservation • Avoid habitat fragmentation The road circling Green Island, cuts the migration routes of hermit crabs

  16. local educational institutions government organizations local residents Environmental education Habitat preservation collecting the culture and history of coconut crabs and local residents Seizure of illegal harvest Coconut crab conservation team work Development the eco-tourism subject to coconut crabs Artificial culture MPA Local community empowerment through education Framework of the coconut crab conservation team's works on Green Island.

  17. Coconut crab conservation team • Team members including teachers from local schools, government officials, police and local residents. • Objectives • Environmental education • Stopping illegal harvesting • Habitat preservation • Artificial culture • Information collection • Ecotourism development

  18. Environmental education at Green Island elementary school in 2003.

  19. Coconut crab booklet, emphasizing the relationship among coconut crabs and their natural environments on Green Island.

  20. (a) (b) Coconut crab postcard. (a) The front of the postcard emphasizes the life history and habitats, (b) The back of postcard states the law and punishment.

  21. Propositions of coconut crabs conservation • Ecological corridors for crabs. • Enforcement of conservation laws. • Promoting environmental education and local communication. • Continuing research on artificial culture • Protecting the entire habitat of coconut crabs, from the mountains to the sea.

  22. Outlook for the MPA and creation of an Eco-island • MPA • MPA proposed emphasizing both ecological and social aspects. • Local participation on the planning and managing process of MPA. • Eco-island • Conservation actions start from protecting coconut crabs. • Maintain biodiversity, and habitat integrity • Develop Ecotourism. • Wise and sustainable use natural resources.

  23. Thank you Girl with coconut crab Painted by Y. W. Ou, 1961

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