The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Chiayi branch yesterday said that since Jan. 1, there have been eight incidents of Taiwan black bears entering construction sites or residential areas on Alishan, highlighting an increasing overlap between bear habitats and human activity.
The office said it has launched monitoring and trapping operations, and urged residents and visitors to take precautions to ensure peaceful coexistence with the bears.
Frequent sightings have been reported around Dabang (達邦), Leye (樂野) and Lijia (里佳) villages, at elevations of 989m to 1,230m, the office said, adding that residents have also reported damage to beehives and food being rummaged from construction site refrigerators.
Photo courtesy of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Chiayi branch
The office said it has installed traps with longan honey, bananas and wild winter honey baits, and set up infrared cameras to monitor bear activity in real time.
While no bears have been captured on camera or in traps, there are about 10 known active bears near the Shihshan (石山) water diversion channel, it added.
Bear hotspots have mainly been concentrated in the Zengwen River (曾文溪) to Tanniku River (塔乃庫溪) basin, it said.
Proper food management is crucial in preventing bears from approaching human settlements, the office said.
Outdoor trash, kitchen waste, fertilizers and pet food should be stored indoors, and food with strong smells, such as barbecued or camping food, should be cleaned up immediately, it added.
People are advised not to leave food in forests to avoid feeding wildlife and to keep a safe distance from bears, it said, adding that any sighting or signs of black bears should be reported to the Forestry Conservation Department at 0800-000-930.
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