Giant sea turtles have an extremely important role in the religious belief and culture of the people of Penghu  Provided by Loukebai team

Winter in Penghu lacks the excitement of water sports, however on the plus side Magong Island in winter is quiet and the beaches are empty. Penghu has a well known Cross-Ocean Bridge and Tongliang also has an ancient banyan tree, the mass of twisted aerial roots of the single tree forming a large canopy and creating an unusual sight. At the side of the tree vendors sell cactus ice, a local specialty. Other sights not be missed when visiting Penghu are the oldest Mazu temple in Taiwan, Four Eyes Well in the center of Magong, Erkan’s old houses, classic examples of Southern Fujian houses, and the Lord Guan-worshipping Dayi Temple.

Several giant sea turtles, a protected species, are kept in the basement of Dayi Temple. They are green turtles, the species most commonly seen around Taiwan. According to the records of the National Museum of Natural Science’s digital museum, four species of turtle can be seen around Taiwan: the green turtle, loggerhead, Pacific turtle and Hawksbill turtle. In Taiwan, the building of sea walls, coastal defences and coastal roads has resulted in a dramatic reduction in beach area, where the turtles lay their eggs. Turtles are also very timid creatures and are easily disturbed by human activity. In the past food supplies were not easily obtained in Penghu and the people relied on the ocean for their food, turtle being one of the things they ate. Sea turtles also have a number of natural enemies, snakes for example. For a sea turtle, hatching from an egg, growing into an adult turtle and surviving in the ocean is no easy task. The aforementioned factors combined to bring about a significant drop in the sea turtle population and they were given protected status in Taiwan more than 20 years ago. As part of conservation efforts, for the last few years in succession Penghu Scenic Area Administration has held the “Wang An Green turtle Ecology Camp ” to give the public an understanding of the ecology of Penghu’s green turtles and teach them how to protect the turtles and their environment. The camp also involves observing the beach habitat of the turtles, during which a sea turtle ranger will explain how the mother turtles and their eggs are protected.

The digital museum of National Museum of Natural Science has a databank that introduces Taiwan’s living creatures. It contains information about sea turtles and where they occur in Taiwan, allowing people to learn about these precious animals from the comfort of their own home. Next you have a chance to visit Penghu, if you encounter a sea turtle, while being careful to protect it and care for it, you can stroke its head gently. There is an old adage that says turtles bring luck:“Stroke the turtle’s head, build a big house!”

Tour guide resource about Penghu islands and its' turtles (in Chinese) 

An introduction to the Turtles, National Museum of Natural Science (in Chinese)