The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency today said it did not use a tranquilizer gun or blow dart on a Formosan black bear that was shot and killed on Monday in Hualien County, as they require the supervision of a veterinarian licensed to administer anesthetics.
A hunting rifle was used, as human life must remain a priority in emergency situations, it said.
The bear is also no longer at risk of extinction, as their numbers have increased over the past 20 years, it added.
Photo courtesy of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency
Following public concern, the agency posted an explanation to its Facebook page.
The bear was spotted attacking a dog in Jhuosi Village (卓溪) at about 9pm on Monday.
After the animal ran toward agency personnel who were conducting a patrol, the responding officer fired a single shot before contacting authorities, the agency’s Hualien branch said.
Foresters said they transferred the bear to the WildOne Wildlife Hospital in Taitung County.
However, as the bear sustained multiple spinal fractures, a collapsed lung and internal bleeding, it ultimately had to be euthanized, it added.
Since April 11, a bear wearing a GPS collar affixed by researchers had been observed near the Bunun village of Sinkan, eating chickens, a goose and several dogs.
In response, the agency personnel and village patrols took turns conducting night patrols of the area, with agency personnel carrying firearms due to the bear’s unusually aggressive behavior.
A hunting rifle was used, as the bear weighed more than 100kg, the agency said today, adding that attempts to drive it away had already failed.
The bear was not shot “just to protect dogs,” but as its aggressive behavior had escalated from chickens to dogs, prompting concern for the safety of children and elderly residents, it added.
The officer responded in self-defense, and as mountainous communities are on the front line of protecting Taiwan’s biodiversity, they must be able to protect themselves from wild animals, the agency said.
Only when residents feel safe can they also help toward biodiversity and conservation efforts, it added.
Moreover, compared with estimates from 20 years ago, the Formosan black bear population has increased several-fold, with monitoring data across Taiwan showing a marked increase in sightings and overall biodiversity, it said.
Their habitat has expanded from mid to high-level elevation into lower mountain regions, with more sightings at areas below 1,200m in the past five years, it added.
The species is still listed as endangered, although it is no longer in imminent threat of extinction, it said.
More information on Formosan black bear populations would be released at a later time, it added.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) departed for Europe on Friday night, with planned stops in Lithuania and Denmark. Tsai arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday night, but did not speak to reporters before departing. Tsai wrote on social media later that the purpose of the trip was to reaffirm the commitment of Taiwanese to working with democratic allies to promote regional security and stability, upholding freedom and democracy, and defending their homeland. She also expressed hope that through joint efforts, Taiwan and Europe would continue to be partners building up economic resilience on the global stage. The former president was to first
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not
RSS