TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Formosan black bear was recently spotted along Hualien's Qingshui creek bed.

A farmer surnamed Pan (潘) spotted the bear while he was working upstream of the creek. Pan recorded a video of the bear and reported the sighting to the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's Hualien branch, per CNA.

The bear, focused on foraging, left the area on its own. The branch urges the public to report any sightings of Formosan black bears to assist conservation efforts.

Branch technical specialist Chu Ho-tsung (朱何宗) explained that, unlike in colder climates, Formosan black bears do not hibernate during the winter in tropical regions like Taiwan, except for pregnant females. Tracking data shows the bears usually limit their activity to smaller areas in winter, staying at mid-elevations with abundant plants like ring-cupped oak.

Chu added that the agency would send personnel to advise on safety measures and provide bear deterrents if a bear approaches a settlement. If a bear enters private property, the agency urges immediate reporting, offering a reporting reward, and will take preventive actions.

The Formosan black bear population has not shown significant recovery since it was classified as an endangered species under the Wildlife Conservation Act in 1989. The main threats to the species today are human-induced, including illegal hunting, habitat loss, road development, and recreational disturbances, according to CommonWealth Magazine.

Encounters between Formosan black bears and humans are rare. The public is encouraged to report sightings or tracks to the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency or the Taiwan Black Bear Conservation Association.

In cases where a bear is trapped, timely rescue can help prevent or reduce conflicts. To better understand the bear’s distribution and behavior, the association has established a reporting platform to gather sightings and other relevant information, it said.

The goal is to clarify bear activity, offer safety advice, and reduce potential conflicts through real-time reporting. The initiative aims to monitor the bear's movements and improve understanding of human-bear interactions through collective efforts.