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Name competition launched for newborn black bear

A four-month-old Formosan Black Bear, the third of its kind born at Shoushan Zoo in Kaohsiung, is fed yesterday as the zoo introduced her to the public. PHOTO: CNA

The Shoushan Zoo in Kaohsiung City yesterday launched a name competition for a four-month Formosan Black Bear (台灣黑熊) as she made her first public appearance at the zoo.

The cub is the zoo’s third success at breeding the bear naturally, zoo officials said.

Zoo keeper Chiu Shih-chu (邱石柱), who is in charge of taking care of the cub, said the cub is in good health.

“Maybe because this is her first time seeing so many people, she is so nervous that she doesn’t notice the fruit and honey-water that she enjoys so much,” Chiu said.

The cub later returned to acting herself as she got used to the crowd and the surrounding ear-blasting music.

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) also took part in the activity, feeding the cub fruit and water mixed with honey from a baby bottle.

Chen pointed out that both Formosan Black Bears and pandas are listed as protected animals because of their endangered status.

Chen called on Kaohsiung citizens to treat the bears with the same respect that China’s pandas enjoy.

“Formosan Black Bears are as rare as China’s pandas,” she told the crowd. “In fact, Formosan Black Bears are very precious considering the number of them left [in the wild].”

Chen went on to pledge that she would support the zoo fully by making sure the cub is provided with a comfortable environment at the zoo and “grows up happily in Kaohsiung City.”
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