The Maolin Biennial Butterfly Season kicks off with millions of purple crow butterflies fluttering gracefully.

Every winter, thousands of purple crow butterflies migrate from the north to Maolin Township, settling in the warm valleys for a two-month overwintering and breeding period. Although Kaohsiung County suffered major damage from Typhoon Morakot this year, fortunately the local purple crow butterfly habitats in Maolin remain unharmed. It is estimated that the number of butterflies entering the valley could reach up to one million.

Maolin National Scenic Area is the only overwintering habitat for purple crow butterflies in Taiwan. The famous "Purple Butterfly Valley" ecological park in the area showcases this spectacular phenomenon every year. Alongside Mexico's "Monarch Butterfly Valley," the "Purple Butterfly Valley" is recognized as one of the world's two largest overwintering butterfly valleys—a rare and remarkable occurrence that has drawn significant attention from ecologists and international media. This year, the Maolin National Scenic Area Administration has designated December 12, the opening day of the biennial butterfly-watching event, as "Maolin Purple Crow Butterfly Day." Visitors are invited to sign a pledge to cherish these precious butterflies and join in expressing their love and care for the species.

This ecologically focused and conservation-themed "Biennial Butterfly-Watching" event held its opening ceremony on December 12 in front of the Maolin Township Office plaza. From 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM on the opening day, activities included interactive games, a Rukai tribe butterfly dance performance, and guided walks in the ecological park. To raise public awareness about the conservation of purple crow butterflies, the Maolin National Scenic Area Administration created thousands of "Cherish Purple Crow Butterflies" painted stickers this year, encouraging people to stick them and sign their names on the commemorative "Love Maolin, Admire a Million Butterflies" edition to show their commitment to butterfly protection.

The Maolin "Biennial Butterfly-Watching" event runs from December 12, 2009, to March 6, 2010. Those wishing to visit should plan accordingly. Participants in the opening day’s interactive games have a chance to win a digital camera. Free meal boxes will be given to the first 200 attendees on the opening day (limited quantity), and five free guided tours will be offered every weekend during the butterfly season in the ecological park. Online reservations come with an additional purple crow butterfly sand painting. For more details, contact the Maolin National Scenic Area Administration at (08)799-2221 or visit the official Maolin National Scenic Area website.

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