Located in Nantou County, Taiwan, Zhonggua River was once heavily impacted by river engineering projects that disrupted the natural relationship between the stream and its surrounding environment. As habitats became simplified, native species declined while invasive species spread, and the river gradually lost much of its ecological vitality.

With growing environmental awareness and conservation advocacy, restoration efforts supported by Taiwan’s Agency of Rural Development and Soil and Water Conservation, together with National Chung Hsing University, helped restore the river’s natural landscape by removing concrete barriers and reopening the riverbanks to nature. The area has since evolved into a space for biodiversity conservation, environmental education, and community engagement, earning “OECM” (Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures) certification in Taiwan’s first competition.

As biodiversity returned, the need for a long-term, low-impact monitoring system created an opportunity for smart security solutions to support ecological conservation.

Background

Climate change, extreme weather, and changing land use patterns have increased the importance of river conservation and water management. Zhonggua River and its surrounding wetlands provide important habitat for Taiwan’s native wildlife.

After restoration, the River’s natural floodplain regained its ability to regulate floodwaters, replenish groundwater, and rebuild ecological habitats during typhoons and heavy rainfall.

VIVOTEK partnered with National Chung Hsing University and AI startup team DATAYOO to introduce an intelligent video monitoring solution, creating a 24/7, non-intrusive ecological observation system that supports both conservation and sustainable environmental management.

Challenge

Previously, ecological surveys relied on field inspections, manual observations, and conventional infrared cameras with limited recording capabilities and fixed viewing angles. Researchers entering the site could also unintentionally disturb wildlife.

In addition, the river experienced wastewater pollution incidents from upstream of the restoration site that damaged water quality and aquatic life. Traditional monitoring methods made it difficult to quickly identify pollution sources or track environmental changes over time. These challenges highlighted the need for a smarter and more environmentally friendly monitoring solution.

Solutions

Remote Ecological Monitoring

As part of its “Safety Map” initiative, VIVOTEK mobilized employees to participate in local ecological restoration, including wetland creation, invasive plant removal, and native vegetation recovery. The company also deployed high-resolution PTZ cameras integrated with the VORTEX cloud surveillance platform, enabling remote live monitoring, centralized video management, and cloud-based data access to improve ecological research and environmental management efficiency.

Researchers can now remotely observe wildlife without disturbing natural behavior, documenting species such as the protected crab-eating mongoose, kingfishers, spot-billed ducks, turtles, and wild boars. The footage also supports the development of a local biodiversity database for long-term conservation research.

Environmental and Disaster Monitoring

The system monitors water levels, water conditions, and surrounding environments in real time, helping authorities manage flood risks during typhoons and heavy rain while reducing the need for personnel to enter hazardous areas.

If pollution incidents occur, recorded footage can help trace contamination sources and assess ecological impacts.

Environmental Education

Time-lapse footage and recorded videos are also used as educational materials for schools and local communities, helping raise awareness of biodiversity and ecological restoration.

Result and Customer Feedback

Since the deployment of the smart monitoring system, Zhonggua River has achieved significant ecological and environmental benefits:

• Improved efficiency in biodiversity monitoring and long-term ecological research. Documentation of at least 13 species, including protected crab-eating mongooses, spot-billed ducks, kingfishers, turtles, and wild boars, validating the success of habitat restoration.
• Enhanced pollution tracking and water environment management capabilities
• Stronger flood and disaster monitoring during extreme weather
• Creation of a growing environmental education and ecological resource database

Customer Feedback

Since deployment, PathCare has significantly enhanced its security and operational oversight. With VIVOTEK’s high-quality cameras, advanced VSS Pro monitoring, and responsive local support, PathCare now operates a future-proof surveillance system that protects valuable assets, enforces SOP compliance, and strengthens overall safety.

VIVOTEK’s smart security solutions empower researchers to observe ecosystems over longer periods and across wider areas without disturbing wildlife. Combined with wetland restoration efforts, the system has helped document the return of many native species once displaced by human activity.
- Chiou-Rong Sheue, Professor, Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University

VIVOTEK will continue leveraging AI and smart security technologies to support environmental protection, public safety, and sustainable development, creating a future where technology and nature coexist in harmony.