The champion of 2018 National Geographic international photo contest in Taiwan entitled <Fly vs Leap> showed a breathtaking picture of an invasive species Striped Snakehead leaping out of the water to capture the Pheasant-tailed Jacana. The awarded photographer Sharon Wu, mother of SINGTEX employee Sydney Chen, has dedicated her retirement years in outdoor photography. Sharon generously shared the story behind the scene: “The mother Jacana was flying low surveying the territory surrounding her eggs when suddenly, a striped snakehead leaped out of the water grabbing her right feet. Luckily, the Jacana managed to escape after struggling for 3seconds.”
This photo, with its perfect shot on the graceful flight of the Jacana as well as the powerful strike from the Striped Snakehead, serves as distressing evidence on the serious consequences of human activities-importing invasive species. According to the Convention on Biological Diversity, invasive species is the third factor that affects biodiversity, after the destruction of habitat and hunting. Special species could evolve on an island due to its geographical isolation disturbing the native’s biodiversity. Advancement in transportation systems rapidly accelerates the severity of the invasive species reducing the native species’ population. Many experts are calling Taiwanese government to quickly set a legislation to combat the issue.
