How to Save the Critically Endangered Formosan Landlocked Salmon

How to Save the Critically Endangered Formosan Landlocked Salmon

The Formosan landlocked salmon (Oncorhynchus masou formosanus) is a rare species inhabiting high-altitude cold streams in Taiwan, the southernmost range of salmonids in the Northern Hemisphere. A relic of the Ice Age, its population declined drastically in the 20th century, reaching only 200 individuals by the 1990s, leading to its Critically Endangered status on the IUCN Red List.

In 1994, Shei-Pa National Park initiated a conservation program combining in-situ and ex-situ strategies, including artificial breeding and habitat restoration. Over 30 years, these efforts have boosted the population to over 10,000, reestablishing it in lost habitats.

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