A Formosan black bear was found trapped in a snare in Miaoli County, marking the first recorded appearance of the species in the area, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's Hsinchu branch said today.
The bear was rescued on a downslope at the 19.5km mark of the Simaxian Forest Road in Taian Township (泰安), but its severely injured left forepaw had to be amputated, the branch said.
The agency dispatched rescue personnel after receiving a report and confirming the bear’s location on Wednesday afternoon, it said.
Photo courtesy of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's Hsinchu branch
It was the first time that a Formosan black bear had been discovered in the Xuejian (雪見) area, while black bears have previously been spotted in areas such as Dasyueshan (大雪山) and Guanwu (觀霧), Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters Director Lin Wen-ho (林文和) said.
After the sighting was reported by a plumbing contractor, the agency’s Hsinchu branch said it launched a joint rescue operation with the park.
The team consisted of agency officials, national park staff, indigenous community members, veterinarians from the Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute and consultants from the Formosan Wild Sound Conservation Science Center, it said.
The bear was anesthetized and given preliminary treatment before being transported to the Biodiversity Research Institute’s Wildlife First Aid Station in Nantou Count’s Jiji Township (集集), the branch said.
The bear, a sub-adult male weighing about 31kg with a severely injured left forepaw, yesterday underwent wound debridement and amputation, it said.
The bear was in a stable condition and would be evaluated for release back into the wild once it has recovered, it said.
The branch said it has conducted annual black bear rescue drills with local agencies and tribes since 2024 to ensure rapid response times.
The person who reported the incident would receive a reward in accordance with the agency’s ecological services payment program, it said.
The branch reminded the public that the black bear population is gradually expanding into low-elevation mountains closer to human settlements.
Residents and campsite operators are advised to manage food waste and trash carefully and to improve preventive measures for poultry and livestock facilities, it said.
Village inhabitants who need to prevent wildlife damage and indigenous residents who need to hunt can contact the agency’s work station to obtain improved hunting equipment free of charge to avoid accidentally catching non-target species, it added.
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