Duozi Ping Intertidal Zone Introduction
Xiao Liu Qiu's intertidal zone is a very popular ecological live show in the area, with a wide variety of performances during the day and night. There are several days each month when the low tide occurs at night, and exploring the vast ocean under the dark night sky, alongside the moonlight and the glow of flashlights, brings a unique thrill. Although visibility is not as clear as during the day, visiting the intertidal zone under a crescent moon allows one to gaze at the grayish wave light and the shadows of coral reefs, while listening to the gentle flow of tides. Strolling on the rocks of the intertidal zone by the moonlit sea unexpectedly reveals a deep sense of romance. The Duoziping intertidal zone is located on the northwest side of Liuqiu Island, adjacent to the southern side of the camping area, about 300 meters apart, with a gently sloping intertidal platform that is approximately 1,600 meters long. To reach Duoziping, one can take the road towards the Shamaqi Ecological Camping Area and walk down about 50 meters to arrive. Along the path extending from the camping area, one can faintly see birds such as the spotted pigeon, white-browed bulbul, red-tailed shrike, and sparrow greeting you. This area features a wide range of natural landscapes, including coastal erosion platforms and beaches, nurturing a diversity of benthic creatures, including coral clusters in shallow areas, countless fish, shellfish, sea urchins, sea hares, various species of hermit crabs, and tide pool organisms such as the Long-spined Sea Urchin and I. meyeri. If you are guided by local eco-tour leaders, you might spot small sea snakes and shrimp activities at night; however, remember to safely return them to their original spot out of respect for local natural resources. Light-fingered Hermit Crab: The light-fingered hermit crab's carapace can reach up to 1.5 cm in length, with a body color ranging from light olive green to dark gray. Blue Finger Starfish: Currently, in Dapeng Bay, webbed fiddler crabs, white-fan fiddler crabs, northern fiddler crabs, and triangular fiddler crabs have been discovered. Male fiddler crabs have one claw that is significantly larger and can extend about three times the length of their body shell. The color of fiddler crabs changes with time and tidal variations, being darker during the day and lighter at night. Fiddler crabs cannot adapt to excessively dry environments and are mainly found in the intertidal zones of Dapeng Bay, along mangroves, bay mouths, and beaches. I. meyeri: Mangroves are a group of trees or shrubs that grow along coastal rivers or where rivers meet the sea, mostly found in tropical and subtropical regions. These plants typically serve functions such as salt tolerance, windbreaks, sand stabilization, flow reduction, wave dissipation, water purification, coastal protection, providing wildlife habitats, and creating beautiful environments. This area marks the southern boundary of mangrove distribution in Taiwan, and currently, only the Acanthaceae family’s sea plum is present. The distribution is primarily concentrated in the first drainage of Donggang, the Qimei township area, and along part of Dapeng Bay's coastline.
