Nov 28, 2021
35th Anniversary of Taroko National Park
This Doodle’s Key Themes
In the language of Taiwan’s indigenous Truku people, taroko means magnificent or beautiful. Taroko Park—the Truku people’s ancestral home—reflects the grandiosity of its title as one of Taiwan’s nine national parks. Today’s Doodle celebrates this protected park on the 35th anniversary of the day it was established to formally conserve the nation’s natural beauty and biodiversity. The Doodle artwork depicts the Taroko Gorge Waterfalls and the Eternal Spring Shrine.
From the precipitous white marble walls of Taroko Gorge to the active steam vents of Taiwan’s tallest volcano Mount Qixing, Taroko Park serves as an epicenter of scientific research and environmental education. The reserve spans over 350 square miles, ranging across an expansive Pacific shoreline to 140 rugged mountain peaks—27 of which stand among the nation’s 100 tallest mountains! These peaks were formed by the collision of two massive tectonic plates over millions of years, and the Central Mountain Range continues to be elevated by several millimeters annually.
As a gathering place for outdoor adventurists and wildlife enthusiasts alike, Taroko’s widely varied geography creates several climate zones that provide habitats for hundreds of species of flora and fauna. The alpine forests of the park’s higher elevations support tree-dwelling mammals like the Formosan rock macaque, Taiwan’s only indigenous primate. Its lower regions harbor an exceptional collection of plant and animal life, including over 300 butterfly species.
Happy 35th Anniversary, Taroko National Park!
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