Once considered exotic, Taiwan Quinoa is in fact a native species familiar to indigenous people in Taiwan for centuries. Known as "djulis" in Paiwan, "mukun" in Bunun, this brightly colored red and yellow quinoa grows well in dry, barren soil, making it suitable for hard times, and it is considered as nutritious as quinoa from South America.

The Taiwan Rosefinch, once considered a subspecies of the Vinaceous Rosefinch, is only found in nature in Taiwan. The male has striking red wine colored feathers, while the female has a simple brown appearance. These birds can be spotted in mountain ranges at about 2,000~3,000 meters. There they feed mainly upon seeds and small worms .

Formosan Sambars are Taiwan's largest herbivores, with a head and body length approximating 180 cm. They are also known as “four-eyed deer” because of their suborbital glands, which are situated just below their eyes. They rub the glands on tree trunks to mark their domain and open them when they are excited.

Unlike most of their relatives, Taiwanese fiddler crabs dwell in viscid sandy habitats. They can easily be found in the wetlands of Xiangshan, Hsinchu.
Male crabs have an enlarged fiddler claw that resembles a pair of white scissors. This characteristic distinguishes them from other species in the area.

The Formosan serow, also known as the Taiwan serow, is Taiwan's only known native bovid. It is widely distributed throughout the island's mountainous regions.
This species is adapted to steep and rugged terrain, where its special hoofs enable it to move freely about rocky slopes and cliffs.

Named after Yushan where it was first discovered, the Yushan Barberry mostly grows at high-altitude mountain areas of the Central Mountain Range. In late spring and early summer, mountain hikers may find bright yellow flowers blooming on this shrub and glossy red berries during autumn. Be careful while approaching it, it has thorns to protect itself.

In late spring and early summer, mountain hikers may find bright yellow flowers blooming on this shrub and glossy red berries during autumn. Be careful while approaching it, it has thorns to protect itself.

The Taiwan Firecrest, which has an average size of 9 cm in length and 7 grams in weight, is the tiniest of Taiwan's endemic birds. Its name comes from its most distinguishing feature, a flame-like orange-yellow crest that stands on top of a male bird's head when it gets excited.

Alishan Gentian is an alpine plant you may encounter during a hike in the mountains of Taiwan's Central Range. The plant, which sprouts from the rocks of scree-covered slopes, can be recognized by its trumpet-shaped blossoms of various colors, usually deep blue or azure, but sometimes purple or violet.