Taiwan's endangered grass owl is spreading its wings, and habitat, to other parts of the country's main island as conservationists try to protect the species' breeding grounds.
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00:00With its strong wings, this eastern grass owl launches itself back into the wild.
00:05But the bird's numbers don't have the same strength in Taiwan, where it's listed as an
00:09endangered species.
00:11Last February, conservationists rescued one of the birds after it got tangled in a net
00:16in central Taiwan, and ecologists later only found rare traces of the owl in the region.
00:21Biologists say climate change, loss of habitat, and pesticides have been putting pressure
00:26on the species' population, making them limited to Taiwan's southern areas.
00:30But now, researchers have carried out a survey that found signs of the owls taking back some
00:35of their habitat in central Taiwan, where they have not been seen in decades.
00:39The latest survey by the Department of Environment and Forestry found that in addition to the
00:46southern areas, there are also a small number of grass owls in the central areas.
00:51Best estimates put the number of these owls in Taiwan at only about 500, though global
00:56populations are strong, but also under pressure in places like Australia.
01:01Civic groups in Taiwan are doing what they can to protect the birds' breeding grounds.
01:04Through our years of hard work, we have been able to keep the birds in Taiwan, and we hope
01:11that people will cherish the birds that we have been able to keep in Taiwan.
01:26The survey shows that conservation efforts have been helping the eastern grass owl return
01:31to some of its old territory.
01:33Conservationists warn that this majestic bird is still very much under threat.
01:37Klein Wong and Jaime Okon for Taiwan Plus.