Bat Ecology Museum Introduction
The Alishan Railway Tunnel No. 33 was abandoned due to a landslide many years ago. Because of its secluded location, it has become a cave for bats. To prevent human interference, a fence has been erected at the cave entrance, and the old Shui She Liao train station has been transformed into a Bat Ecology Education Center. Through a real-time imaging system, visitors can learn about the living conditions of bats and promote conservation concepts. The bat species found here include the Taiwan leaf-nosed bat, the formosan bat, and the small-footed bat, all of which are endemic to Taiwan. It has been noted that besides the abandoned Tunnel No. 33 of the Alishan Railway, the Forest Service has also discovered traces of bats in other caves. To understand the habits and population changes of the Alishan bats, the Forest Service has allocated special funds and commissioned a private professional company to conduct bat ecological photography and activity monitoring, thoroughly documenting their daily roosting, emergence from the cave, nighttime foraging, reproduction, and hibernation behaviors. On holidays, local residents serve as volunteer guides at the explanation station, providing tours and insights about the natural environment of Shui She Liao and bat ecology, allowing visitors to gain a deeper understanding of the area.
