A Living Migration

Located in southern Taiwan, Sections 38K–42K of Provincial Highway No. 26 are home to the country's highest diversity of land crab species within a tropical coastal forest ecosystem. During the breeding season, female land crabs migrate from inland forests to the coast to release their larvae, connecting terrestrial and marine ecosystems through a unique ecological cycle. Over time, coastal development, habitat fragmentation, and road infrastructure disrupted these migration routes, resulting in population decline and frequent road mortality. In response, the project combines ecological surveys, long-term monitoring, roadway improvements, and landscape design to establish a comprehensive land crab passage system. Implemented through three phases, the project transformed conventional infrastructure into ecological corridors by enhancing existing culverts, constructing dedicated land crab crossings, and creating naturalized micro-habitats with local materials such as coral limestone and driftwood. These interventions transformed conventional infrastructure into ecological corridors that support wildlife movement and habitat connectivity. After more than a decade of continuous effort, road mortality has been significantly reduced, migration routes have been restored, and biodiversity connectivity has been strengthened. The project demonstrates how ecological infrastructure can support biodiversity conservation, enhance ecosystem resilience, and create a sustainable coastal landscape where nature and people coexist.