Two corals listed as endangered species / 台灣兩特有種珊瑚 將公告列一級保育類　　　　　　　　　　

The Council of Agriculture yesterday listed two unique corals as category 1 endangered species. Many researchers believe this is an important milestone for the protection of Taiwanese coral reefs and marine ecology. This unique Polycyathus chaishanensis lives two to three meters under the waters of Kaohsiung's Sizihwan Bay. Another new type of coral, found in Kenting, Orchid Island and Taitung, is Pseudosiderastrea Formosa. Finally they are being protected as endangered species after much effort by researcher Chen Chao-lun. This is the first time coral has been listed as endangered wildlife species by the Taiwan government. ==CHEN CHAO-LUN, Researcher, Biodiv. Res. Cent., Academia Sinica== This is a very important point. Corals are important as they are endemic species. They are also important because they are the architects of the coral reefs, which sustain a vital ecology. Thirty years ago, when Chen Chao-lun studied at National Sun Yat-sen University, he discovered these two endemic corals. However many researchers thought that this was not possible. Chen continued his research and worked with the Shoushan Association to halt several construction projects around the seashore. The two types of corals are listed as endangered species, but civil groups criticized Kaohsiung City Government for not being pro-active. ==YANG PING-YU, Exec. Sec., Kaohsiung Shoushan Assoc.== Even though the quantity of Polycyathus chaishanensis is small, the city government has taken no action to protect them. We can't understand this. So far the Kaohsiung City Government only exerts itself on using the sea and beaches as a tourist resource and makes no effort at all for environmental protection. The two unique corals were introduced in reports in international periodicals in 2012. They are facing extinction, but were not protected by local and central government. TRANSLATED BY：ANTHONY LIN 生長在水深2到3公尺，這是高雄柴山西側海域的台灣特有種"柴山多杯孔珊瑚"，還有不只在柴山，也在墾丁萬里桐、蘭嶼耶油村和台東基翬海岸，發現的另一個特有種"福爾摩沙偽絲珊瑚"，終於經過中研院研究員陳昭倫多年的努力，獲得農委會重視，即將列為一級保育類物種，而這也是國內首度將珊瑚列為保育類野生動物。 ==中研院生物多樣性研究中心研究員 陳昭倫== 這個其實是一個很重要的起始點 珊瑚是一個很重要的介面 珊瑚它本身 自己本身是一個特有種之外 它另外一個概念就是 它其實是建構 整個珊瑚礁生態體系 一個很重要的建築師 30年前，陳昭倫在中山大學就讀時，發現這兩種特有種珊瑚，但學界普遍認為不可能，經過他不斷研究，更和高雄柴山會擋下部份西子灣的圍堤造陸開發，只是事隔6年列入保育，柴山會指出，官方保育態度依舊不夠積極。 ==高雄柴山會總幹事 楊娉育== 即便柴山多杯孔珊瑚 數量已經這麼少 他們始終沒有任何積極的動作 這是讓我非常百思不得其解的 那到目前為止 高雄市政府 它還是想盡辦法 去運用海洋資源要去做海洋觀光 但是它沒有做相對的保護 柴山會同時也認為相當諷刺，兩種珊瑚2012年在國際期刊發表，如今就面臨瀕臨絕種，從中央到地方生態保育作法，仍有進步空間。 記者 李淑蘭 孟昭權 高雄報導