Ape Hill

Shoushan
Shoushan as seen from the National Sun Yat San University
Highest point
Elevation	356 meters
Coordinates	22°38′19″N 120°15′54″E / 22.63861°N 120.26500°E / 22.63861; 120.26500
Geography
Location	Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Parent range	Tzaishan
Geology
Age of rock	More than 1000 ka
Climbing
Easiest route	hiking

Shoushan (Chinese: 壽山, also commonly known in English as Monkey Mountain) is a mountain located in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to the north of the main entrance to Kaohsiung Harbor. It was named Ape Hill by the Dutch in the 17th century to describe many monkeys on this mountain. It is also called Chaishan (柴山) and actually includes the Snake Hill (蛇山 - a 17th-century term) in its northern part, and Long Life Hill (壽山^?) – named by Japanese in 1911-1915 for the crown-prince Hirohito – in the southern part. In some old maps, the peak of the hill is called Saracen's Head. Now it is a nature park where biological diversity can be seen.

Shousan is currently one of the oldest ruins of civilization founded in Kaohsiung, dating back 4000 to 5000 years ago. Military installations were constructed through both Qing rule throughout the 17 and 18th century and Japanese rule from 1895 to 1945. It is now formally under the preservation of the National Environment Preservation Unit of Taiwan, and serves as a tourism attraction.

Despite its status as a secondary forest, there are over 800 species of plants residing within Shoushan, with its tropical climate providing a suitable place for growth and species diversity. Notable species include:

Shoushan hosts a total of 5 amphibian species, 24 reptiles, 106 birds and 8 mammals. Notable species include:

Shoushan is located in southern Taiwan within the vicinity of Kaohsiung stretching across the Gushan district. 5.5 Kilometres long from North to South and 2.5 kilometers wide from East to West with and overall landmass of around 1200 acres. In terms of height, Shoushan reaches a maximum elevation at around 365 meters from above sea level. Stretching from the Zhuoying northern district to the southern peak of Sizihwan, Shoushan is the largest and most prominent landmark in Kaohsiung.