No need to go to the suburbs! These spots in Taipei City are great for spotting “fireflies.”

▲Fireflies fluttering among the grass are the highlight of summer nights. (Illustration / Photo by reporter Ji Xiangru)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

No need to trek deep into the mountains — you can see “fireflies” right in the heart of Taipei City! The Taipei City Parks and Street Lights Office announced that at Da’an Forest Park in Da’an District, located in the city center, ecological engineering methods have successfully brought back fireflies that had disappeared from Taipei for 24 years. Residents no longer have to venture to the suburbs to enjoy the breathtaking sight of fireflies dancing at night. Meanwhile, Taiwan has also secured the hosting rights for the 2017 International Firefly Symposium, showcasing the nation’s efforts in ecological restoration to the world.

▲Flashing yellow-greenin the grass,the yellow-bordered firefliesglow brilliantly. (Photo / Provided by Taipei City Parks and Street Lights Office)

Huang Liyuan, director of the Parks and Street Lights Office, said that Da’an Forest Park is Taipei’s most distinctive firefly conservation area. Since the year before last, the office, the Da’an Forest Park Friends Foundation, and the Department of Entomology at National Taiwan University have worked together to improve the existing ecological pond environment, remove invasive species, and plant native vegetation. These efforts have led to the return of fireflies that had been gone for 24 years and have made Taipei the only highly urbanized city in the world where fireflies have completely disappeared and then been successfully reintroduced.

▲Being able to admire glowing fireflies at night in the heart of Taipei is the result of ecological conservation — a miracle of life. (Illustration / Photo by reporter Huang Kexiang)

In addition to Da’an Forest Park,Yungxing Garden Park in Zhongshan District and Muzha Park in Wenshan Districtare also great for family nighttime visits due to their convenient transportation. Additionally, fireflies can also be spotted in mountainous areas such as the Shuiche Liao Trail in Beitou District, the Cui Shan Trail in Shilin District, the Nei Gou Creek Riverside Trail in Neihu District, the Hu Shan Nature Trail in Xinyi District, and the Osmanthus Hanging Bridge Trail in Nangang District.