Taiwan is one of the world’s major biodiversity hotspots. Now an archipelago, it was once connected to the Eurasian continent during glacial periods by a land bridge, allowing megafauna to migrate to the island. As the climate warmed and sea levels rose, Taiwan became isolated: some species went extinct, while others evolved independently, becoming endemic.
Today, this remarkable biological diversity faces growing threats from human activity.
This work seeks to raise awareness of Taiwan’s rich yet fragile natural history. The frieze traces four pivotal periods — the early and late Pleistocene, the Holocene, and the Anthropocene — highlighting extinct species and lost landscapes from each era. By juxtaposing these reconstructed environments, the illustration reveals not only ecological fragility, but also the interconnection between nature and culture.
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