Rising Formosan Black Bears Population Leads to New Management Plan
Posted on 2026-03-23 18:18:13
Forestry officials estimate there are now about 1,200 Taiwan black bears in the wild, leading to a new plan to build a permanent shelter for bears that repeatedly clash with humans.
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency says the bear population is growing and moving into lower elevations, resulting in more reports of bears entering human areas, mostly in Hualien and Taitung.
To manage these conflicts, the agency is planning a long-term shelter in Taitung, expected to be completed by 2028.
Under new rules, a bear that invades chicken coops or farms three times will be kept in permanent captivity instead of being released back into the wild.
Officials say they currently try to retrain bears to teach them to avoid human food.
Until the new center is built, the agency says it will work with the Taipei Zoo and other partners to house bears that can no longer live in the wild.
Customer Service Hotline: 02-8522-7177 | Email: icrtclub@icrt.com.tw Customer Service Hours: Monday-Friday 10AM-6PM nternational Community Radio Taipei 19-5F, No. 5, Sec. 3, New Taipei Blvd., Xinzhuang Dist., New Taipei City 24250