TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A rescued mother Formosan black bear and her cub were released back into the wild in Hualien County on Wednesday after a year of care and rehabilitation, marking Taiwan’s first same-day release of a rehabilitated mother and cub.
The Hualien branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency said an adult female bear was found caught in a snare trap in Zhuoxi Township’s Taiping Village in March last year and was rescued and treated, per CNA. Villagers later reported a cub lingering nearby, which was captured the same month after monitoring confirmed its presence.
The mother recovered well after surgery, while the cub, which weighed just 11.5 kg and had not yet been weaned, was taken in by the WildOne Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. DNA testing later confirmed they were mother and daughter.
Officials said attempts were made between June and July to reunite the pair and allow them to live together. However, limited interaction and the absence of clear maternal bonding led to separate care and training.
The cub entered a forest training enclosure in October for rewilding, including foraging, climbing, adapting to the environment, and avoiding humans. It later passed evaluations for release.
After a year of care, the cub’s weight increased to 46 kg by March and it was deemed capable of surviving in the wild. The mother’s condition also stabilized, reaching 74 kg and meeting release criteria.
The Hualien branch held a pre-release briefing on March 11 in Zhongping Village to explain the rescue process, evaluation standards, and monitoring plans. Residents expressed support and agreed to assist with post-release reporting and response.
Before the release, local Bunun tribe members named the mother bear “Uli,” meaning “virtuous wife and good mother,” and the cub “Mua,” meaning “cute and gentle little girl,” symbolically welcoming them into the community and wishing them well in the wild.
Following the ceremony, the team first released the cub at the end of a forest road without leaving their vehicles to minimize human contact. The mother was released about 30 minutes later.
Both bears quickly disappeared into the forest after leaving their cages. This marked the first time a mother bear and her cub had been released on the same day after rehabilitation in Taiwan.
The agency said the bears will be monitored via satellite collars and an electronic geofencing system, with a reporting mechanism established with the Taiping Village chief to keep residents informed. If the bears enter designated zones, alerts and preventive measures will be activated.
Authorities urged the public to report any sightings or disturbances and not to attempt to capture or handle the animals. Sightings can be reported via the Forest Protection Hotline at 0800-000930.
