00:02Here in Qilan Nature Reserve, one of Taiwan's most vital ecological sites,
00:07researchers are returning lab-growing seedlings to their natural forest habitat,
00:12securing them in cultivation containers.
00:24From the forest floor to the canopy high above,
00:27the team is conducting a first-of-its-kind experiment.
00:31They're working to reintroduce the Taiwan Pleoneae,
00:34an endemic species of orchid, back into the wild.
00:39Growing in clusters, each Taiwan Pleoneae produces only a single leaf.
00:44These orchids thrive in the cool, misty forests of the high mountains all over Taiwan,
00:49but they are at risk.
00:52Now listed as a near-threatened species,
00:54their numbers are shrinking due to climate change and habitat loss.
00:59In the Qilan area alone,
01:01it's estimated that a quarter of the population has disappeared.
01:31The popularity of these flowers has also come to the wild.
01:35they've contributed to their decline.
01:37A mountain photographer remembers
01:39perching his soil in the wild about 15 years ago.
02:10The
02:17To save these orchids and better understand how they are affected by climate change,
02:22experts are growing wild seeds in labs before moving them to Alishan in central Taiwan
02:26to get used to the new environment.
02:29Located in the same misty forest zone,
02:32Alishan was once a natural home for the species.
02:42I think it's a very good time to do it.
02:44You can't think it's so good.
02:48I think it's a very expensive one.
02:52She's a very hard one.
02:54She's a very hard one.
02:55She's really hard.
02:56When I was in the same place,
02:57she had a very warm winter.
03:01And many other animals.
03:03The wild birds were very happy.
03:07And the only thing is that they are not good.
03:10The remaining seedlings were planted in both the canopy and on the forest floor.
03:16The team is now monitoring how different temperatures and humidity levels affect their survival.
03:40It is more effective.
03:41But now we have to point out,
03:44If you are growing these plants,
03:49how to grow these plants,
03:52this is a big challenge.
03:54Why put so much effort into a single orchid?
03:57Because in the eyes of science,
03:59no species is too small to save.
04:02Because Yeran is a very important goal in the forest.
04:06Yeran has become less.
04:08This is because we are very easily able to observe.
04:11But the other species are not easily able to observe,
04:14you don't really know how much it is.
04:15According to wildlife scientists,
04:17every species is the same.
04:20Because every species in the field has its ability.
04:23It is the ability to replace its ability.
04:25The team will be closely watching
04:27to see if these orchids can truly thrive in the wild once again.
04:31Saving one species could be the start of saving more
04:34and restoring a more resilient ecosystem.
04:37Pichidrong and Sunny Chi for Taiwan Plus.
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