Marine National Park Headquarters

 

Dongsha Atoll National Park is Taiwan’s first “marine-type” national park, featuring world-class atoll landscapes and rich biodiversity. Its breathtaking natural resources are precious, unique, and filled with mystery. Formed over millions of years through the growth and accumulation of corals, Dongsha Atoll has taken on a nearly circular shape, resembling a brilliant ring set upon the South China Sea. Vibrant Dongsha Island, flourishing with life, is like an emerald embedded within this ring—beautiful and profound. To help more people appreciate the precious ecology of this shining “Ring of the South China Sea,” our Headquarters spent two years planning and filming “Ring of the South China Sea – Dongsha Atoll.” Captured from sea, land, and air, and presented through a narrative storytelling approach, the film comprehensively documents Dongsha Atoll National Park, bringing its magnificent scenery closer to all.

The film follows the journey of life as species arrive at Dongsha Atoll through ocean currents, winds, and even human influence. Each species strives to continue its lineage, awaiting the next drift of life. Through these recurring life journeys, the film reveals the ocean’s enduring vitality and its vital connections to global marine ecosystems. This 20-minute production begins with Dongsha Atoll’s geographical location and environment, gradually introducing the diverse marine ecology found within its inner and outer lagoons, shipwreck areas, seagrass beds, and island lagoon. During filming, rare footage was captured in the shallow lagoon waters of juvenile lemon sharks swimming in groups—over a dozen sharks moving together in a spectacular sight. Ocean currents and tides also bring fiddler crabs to forage in the intertidal zone, while drift plants wash ashore. Birds ride the winds to Dongsha Island, this oasis at sea, where migratory species from all directions gather, thrive, and reproduce—nurturing Dongsha’s boundless vitality. Since the establishment of Dongsha Atoll National Park in 2007, the Headquarters has been committed not only to habitat monitoring and protection but also to actively pursuing species restoration efforts. The Marine Research Center, completed and inaugurated in 2014, has become an important base for domestic and international scholars exploring the deeper mysteries of the atoll.

Premiere events for the film were held in Taipei and Kaohsiung on September 30 and October 2, 2016. Audiences were amazed by the beauty of Dongsha’s ecology and deeply moved. The film has since become the best ambassador for Dongsha Atoll National Park. To share Dongsha’s beauty with the world, the “Ring of the South China Sea – Dongsha Atoll” DVD has been released not only in a 20-minute Chinese version but also in English and Japanese editions. These versions will serve as valuable environmental education materials, enhancing international visibility and aligning with global marine conservation efforts.

Interested members of the public may purchase the DVD at the National Bookstore (Songjiang branch) in Taipei, Wunan Cultural Plaza in Taichung, and the Marine National Park Headquarters in Kaohsiung. The retail price is NT$250, with a 10% discount available for purchases made at the Headquarters. We invite everyone to care about our ocean and join us in protecting it.