A 77-year-old man and his 66-year-old wife, who have raised four Formosan black bears, were attacked by one of the animals at their home in Changzhi Township (長治), Pingtung County, on Wednesday.
Lee Teng-cheng (李籐正) and his wife, Chen-Lin Pao-kuei (陳林寶貴), were hospitalized after being bitten and clawed in the face and on their arms and legs by a bear called Pipi (皮皮).
They were taken to Pingtung Christian Hospital, but Lee was later moved to Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital because he required plastic surgery.
The couple was attacked while they were feeding the bears, which have been in their care for more than 20 years.
National Pingtung University of Science and Technology Institute of Wildlife Conservation associate professor Hwang Mei-hsiu (黃美秀), an expert on Formosan black bears, said the bears are wild animals and people should keep a safe distance from them — even ones they have raised.
However, Formosan black bears tend to be afraid of humans and usually run away from people in the wild, Hwang said.
The couple raised Pipi, his mate and two male cubs.
Lee once told reporters that the food consumed by a Formosan black bear is 10 times what the average person would eat and that it cost nearly NT$30,000 per month to feed the two adult bears.
After Lee was diagnosed with cancer last year, the Pingtung Agriculture Department suggested that he transfer the bears to a shelter, but Lee’s son said that he would care for the animals.
Lee bought Pipi and his mate Guaiguai (乖乖) from Aborigines in Nantou County about 28 years ago.
Since then, Guaiguai has had seven cubs, two of which were given to Taipei Zoo.
Lee has been successful in reproducing the Formosan black bear in captivity, while Taipei Zoo has not.
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