TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Officials with the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency in Hualien captured a Taiwan black bear suspected of damaging nearby farms in search of food on Saturday.
At around 10 a.m., a beekeeper in Zhuoxi Township reported that a bear had intruded into his apiary and damaged 10 towers housing bees, according to a press release. The animal is suspected of being involved in two similar incidents reported in the area earlier this month.
On Jan. 9, Indigenous residents spotted a bear breaking into a plum pickling workshop, reported UDN. Several days later on Jan. 13, another beekeeper photographed a black bear knocking over bee colonies for honey at an apiary about 3.4 km from where the bear was spotted on Saturday.
On Jan. 13, forestry agents were dispatched to capture the animal but could not locate the bear. However, when agents responded on Saturday, they discovered an elderly female black bear approximately 10 meters from the damaged bee farm, trapped in a snare designed for wild boars.
A team of 21 forestry agents set to work to administer anesthesia, free the bear from the trap, and provide medical treatment. The bear was transported to the Wild One Conservatory and Animal Hospital for treatment and observation.
At the time of capture, the bear reportedly weighed 53 kg and was dehydrated and malnourished. The animal also suffered from an injured paw missing one toe.
Despite being weak and underfed, the Hualien Forestry Agency reported that the animal’s vital signs were stable. She is expected to recover and will be released back into the wild after she recuperates, per CNA.
To confirm whether the bear was scavenging for younger family members, cameras were installed in the region to monitor for other black bears. No other bears were sighted within 24 hours after the initial report.
