A short film shot by a local wildlife research team featuring a Formosan black bear in its natural habitat was screened on Monday, thrilling bear enthusiasts.
A professor from National Dong Hwa University in Hualien County, Wu Hai-yin (吳海音), and a team of researchers came across the bear on May 20 as they were conducting a field survey along a mountain trail in Yushan National Park’s Walami-Dafen area, park rangers said.
The film was shown at the Yushan National Park Administration office in Nantou County.
PHOTO COURTESY OF YUSHAN NATIONAL PARK ADMINISTRATION
“This marked the first time in recent memory that researchers have managed to capture dynamic images of this rare animal on a mountain trail in the park,” said Su Chih-feng (蘇志峰), a section chief at the park administration.
The researchers were quoted as saying that they did not disturb the shy animal when they spotted it because they were walking quietly along the Walami Trail.
Hiding themselves in trees and bushes, the researchers shot the bear’s movements from about 10m away.
BUMP IN THE NIGHT
The four researchers stayed overnight in a Walami mountain hut and heard an animal wandering outside, but did not see it when they left the following morning.
Su said the Walami-Dafen region has been a center for research on the Formosan black bear, which is an endangered species.
The park administration has spared no effort over the past decade in helping with research on the Formosan black bear by catching and tagging the animals and installing automated video equipment in their habitats, Su said.
Researchers hope to learn more about the endemic animal species, whose survival is threatened by poaching and habitat encroachment.
OTHER EVIDENCE
A research team from National Pingtung University of Science and Technology took pictures from a distance of a mother bear leading two cubs through a river in the Dafen area in January, Su said.
Earlier this month, Su said some park rangers detected fresh bear dung in a Walami hut and that some tourists also reported to the administration that they spotted fresh bear dung at a bridge near the start of the mountain trail, indicating that the animals are thriving in the region.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS