Cetaceans of Taiwan

30‑second snapshot

Taiwan sits on the edge of the northwest Pacific, where deep trenches, a wide continental shelf, and the Kuroshio Current (黑潮) converge. Its blessed geographic position and complex undersea terrain have nurtured a diverse marine ecology. The east coast is fed by the Kuroshio; the west sits on a wide continental shelf.

In these waters, more than 32 species of whales and dolphins have been recorded—over a third of the world’s known cetaceans.¹ From playful spinner dolphins to elusive sperm whales, and the critically endangered Indo‑Pacific humpback dolphin ("Mazu Fish"), Taiwan is a global hotspot for marine biodiversity.

Why it matters

Cetaceans sit at the top of the marine food web. Their presence indicates ocean health, reflecting the abundance and balance of the entire ecosystem. Taiwan’s relationship with cetaceans also mirrors a deep change in the island's values: from the post‑war whaling history of the 1950s, through the full hunting ban of the 1990s, to the first whale‑watching boat launching in 1997, Taiwanese society moved from "using the ocean" to "drawing close to and protecting the ocean." This trajectory clearly records the awakening of Taiwan’s environmental consciousness.

Two seas, two worlds

Taiwan’s east and west coasts are oceanographically different, creating distinct cetacean habitats.

East coast: a deep‑sea corridor

The eastern shoreline drops steeply into deep water (more than 1,000 meters not far offshore). The Kuroshio Current runs close to shore, delivering warm water and large quantities of migratory fish and squid. This is prime habitat for deep‑diving and offshore species: sperm whales, beaked whales, and large dolphin pods.

West coast: a shallow‑sea nursery

The Taiwan Strait is broad and shallow (average ~60 m). Its coastal waters nurture nearshore species, including the island’s most fragile treasure: the Indo‑Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis taiwanensis), locally called 「媽祖魚」 ("Mazu Fish") because sightings historically clustered around the Mazu festival season.

Taiwan’s cetacean “stars”

Below are some of the most recognizable neighbors in Taiwan’s waters:

Spinner Dolphin

Often called the “ballet dancers of the sea”, spinner dolphins leap and spin above the surface, frequently riding boat waves; they are among the most commonly sighted species on the east coast, playful, energetic, and often appearing in large groups.

Risso’s Dolphin

Known for their scar‑covered bodies, these dolphins bear white scratches that function like social “badges,” with blunt rounded heads. They tend to be calmer and prefer deeper waters, and stranded individuals are periodically documented along Taiwan's coast.

Sperm Whale

The largest toothed whale in the world, with a blocky head and deep‑diving abilities. Sightings off Hualien and Shitiping are treasured moments for whale‑watchers. Their angled blow is a classic signature.

Indo‑Pacific Humpback Dolphin (Mazu Fish)

A critically endangered subspecies endemic to Taiwan’s west coast, inhabiting waters from Miaoli to Tainan; the name "Mazu Fish" comes from the fact that sightings cluster around the Mazu festival (lunar third month) when sea conditions are calmer. The entire population is now estimated at about 45–50 individuals (latest 2025 survey), and more than 60% of identified animals have external injuries—facing a severe survival crisis.²

From whaling to whale‑watching

1950s–1980s: the whaling era

Post‑war Taiwan had active whaling sites. In Banana Bay (香蕉灣) near Kenting, whales and dolphins were hunted for meat and oil—an era when survival outweighed ecological concern.

1990: a conservation turning point

In 1990, a mass dolphin killing in Penghu shocked the public and drew international attention. The government responded by listing cetaceans under the Wildlife Conservation Act, banning hunting, capture, and trade.

1997: whale‑watching begins

In July 1997, Taiwan’s first whale‑watching boat, Hai Jing Hao, launched from Shitiping in Hualien. This marked Taiwan's shift from "hunting" to "watching" cetaceans. Whale‑watching subsequently expanded along the east coast (Wushi Harbor in Yilan, Hualien Harbor, Shitiping Harbor in Hualien, Chenggong in Taitung), bringing more people into contact with marine ecology.³

Science and citizen participation

From the 1990s onward, Taiwan's cetacean research took deep root, with the main contributors including:

• Academia: National Taiwan University (Prof. Lien‑Hsiang Chou’s team), National Cheng Kung University (Prof. Jian-Ping Wang's team; Prof. Hao-Wen Wang now serves as director of the cetacean center), National Chiayi University (Prof. Wei-Cheng Yang's team, now at NTU), and others.
• Museums: National Museum of Natural Science (Associate Researcher Chiou-Ju Yao), National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium.
• NGOs: Kuroshio Ocean Education Foundation (Hualien), Taiwan Cetacean Society (New Taipei), TWSOUSa (Taiwan Sousa Conservation Association).

These institutions conduct long‑term offshore sighting surveys, photo‑ID individual identification, acoustic monitoring, stranding pathology analysis, and population ecology research. In recent years they have also incorporated citizen science, encouraging whale‑watching tourists and fishers to report sightings and building a large cetacean database.

The urgent threats

Even without hunting, Taiwan’s cetaceans face serious human‑driven risks:

1. Habitat loss and fragmentation: offshore wind farm development and coastal land reclamation on the west coast directly compress the living space of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin.
2. Fishing conflicts: gillnets and longlines cause accidental bycatch and entanglement.
3. Underwater noise: shipping lanes, pile‑driving, and construction disrupt cetacean communication and echolocation.
4. Pollution: plastics, heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants accumulate through the food web.

The Ocean Conservation Administration has announced an "Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Conservation Plan" and is advancing a broader "Cetacean Conservation Plan," seeking to save these marine creatures through designating critical habitats and regulating the impact of development.

A cultural lens: what the “Mazu Fish” signifies

The nickname 「媽祖魚」 isn’t just folklore. It reflects Taiwan’s coastal culture, where Mazu—the sea goddess—is a guardian of fishermen and sailors. Seeing these dolphins during the Mazu season became a sign of protection and blessing. Today, saving the “Mazu Fish” is also about protecting a living piece of Taiwan’s maritime identity.

Closing perspective

Taiwan’s cetacean story is ultimately a story about learning to see.

Once, whales were viewed as oil and meat. Now, they are seen as intelligence, kinship, and living proof of a healthy ocean. When a pod of spinner dolphins explodes out of the water off the east coast, Taiwan is reminded of what it stands to lose—and what it still has the power to protect.

To safeguard whales and dolphins is to safeguard the blue world that sustains the island itself.

References