A Formosan black bear cub found alone in Hualien County in July has been sent to a forest area for skills training, bringing it a step closer to its release into its natural habitat next year, the Council of Agriculture’s Forestry Bureau said yesterday.
The cub was on July 10 found walking alone near Nanan Waterfall (南安瀑布) in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) when it was about three or fourth months old, the bureau said.
As the cub’s mother did not show up and it was found to be undernourished, the bureau in August sent the cub to the council’s Endemic Species Research Institute in Nantou County.
Photo: CNA
On Dec. 6, institute veterinarians examined the cub and found that it was 112cm tall and 27.5kg, up from 102cm and 21.3kg on Oct. 23.
They placed a radio transmitter on the cub and moved it to the institute’s forest enclosure for wildlife training, where it has been learning how to hunt for food and avoid natural enemies, the bureau said.
The cub’s rescue and release involved the efforts of the council, police officials, the Taipei Zoo, the Taiwan Black Bear Conservation Association and experts from National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST), National Taiwan University and National Taiwan Normal University, the bureau said.
As one of the cub’s caregivers, the association last month started raising funds for preparations to release it, conservation documents and follow-up tracking of its adaptation in the wild.
The association used crowdfunding instead of raising funds from a few wealthy people to engage more people in the release project and boost public awareness of wildlife conservation, association founder and NPUST associate professor Hwang Mei-hsiu (黃美秀) wrote on Facebook on Saturday.
Hwang has been nicknamed “Bear Mother” for her long-term involvement in bear conservation.
The association had hoped to raise NT$3 million (US$97,094) by 10am today, but it had raised more than NT$4.3 million as of 4pm yesterday.
Funding for the cub’s care is not entirely covered by the association, given that many agencies have made contributions, a valuable experience that can help improve rescue work for large animals, bureau Conservation Division head Hsia Jung-sheng (夏榮生) said.
The cub might be released in April or May, when it is one year old and more food is available in its natural habitat, Hsia said, but added that scenarios need to be carefully evaluated by experts.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
The age requirement for commercial pilots and airline transport pilots is to be lowered by two years, to 18 and 21 years respectively, to expand the pool of pilots in accordance with international standards, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced today. The changes are part of amendments to articles 93, 119 and 121 of the Regulations Governing Licenses and Ratings for Airmen (航空人員檢定給證管理規則). The amendments take into account age requirements for aviation personnel certification in the Convention on International Civil Aviation and EU’s aviation safety regulations, as well as the practical needs of managing aviation personnel licensing, the ministry said. The ministry
RSS