In a recent incident in the Luntian Tribe of Zhuoxi Township, Hualien County, a black bear entered a plum pickling workshop, prompting local tribe members to capture video footage and report the event to the Hualien Forestry Bureau. This marks a continuation of increasing black bear sightings in the area, with another tribe member witnessing the bear's intrusion into the workshop.
The Hualien Forestry Bureau confirmed that the bear had left the premises but noted the presence of bear hair and feces. They plan to continue monitoring the situation and will provide protective equipment to assist the workshop owner in safeguarding against future bear encounters.
At around 10 AM yesterday, officials at the Yuli Work Station received a report from three tribe members, including one with the surname Gu, who were cutting grass at an altitude of 317 meters in the Shihping section. They observed a black bear inside the plum pickling workshop, initially believing it to be injured as it was sitting on the ground. However, it later stood up and moved around, indicating it was unharmed.
Upon inspection by Yuli Work Station personnel, no signs of the bear were found at the scene. However, they did discover bear hair and droppings on the ground, suggesting that it had already left by climbing over a diamond-shaped fence. The Forestry Bureau plans to reward the three informants under Taiwan's black bear ecological service compensation program.
After contacting the workshop owner, Mr. Lin, it was confirmed that there was no damage to ceramic jars, diamond nets, or iron gates caused by the bear, resulting in no financial loss. With permission granted, six large firecrackers were set off at the site to deter future bear visits, and four cameras were installed for ongoing monitoring. The bureau will continue patrolling to prevent further incursions and has also provided bear spray and large firecrackers as protective measures. They recommended replacing the top diamond net with an iron net for enhanced security.
Zhuoxi Township is known as an active area for Formosan black bears. The Hualien Forestry Bureau has commissioned an ecological company to monitor these bears and has recorded 79 sightings over three years. Recently, there was also an incident where a fruit orchard was invaded by a black bear, likely fleeing from barking dogs while hiding in trees.
Bureau Chief Huang Qun-ce urged residents of mountain villages to properly store outdoor garbage, kitchen waste, feed, fertilizers, or pesticides. If a black bear is spotted, residents should immediately report it to the Hualien Bureau at 0800000930. The bureau will promptly send personnel to assist in setting up infrared automatic cameras for monitoring and provide bear bells and spray to ensure resident safety.
