TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (林業及自然保育署), Taiwan's wildlife protection authority, reported Friday (May 16) a significant rise in the endangered Formosan Black Bear (台灣黑熊) population, raising new concerns about potential conflicts between rural communities and Taiwan's largest native predator.
Agency monitoring data shows the Formosan Black Bear occurrence index — a key measurement of population density — has surged from 1.8% in 2018 to 8.9% in 2024, with the iconic species now established in 27 townships spanning 11 counties, a significant expansion from its previous range of 17 townships. Lin Hwa-Ching (林華慶), who heads the conservation agency, stressed the critical need for harmonious human-bear relations as the recovering population spreads across diverse elevation zones throughout the island's mountainous regions.
Lin presented data showing increased bear appearances at lower elevations below 500 meters, with annual sightings ranging from 26 to 31 over the previous two years and 16 encounters already recorded in 2025. The conservation official emphasized that this population expansion stems from successful natural reproduction rather than habitat loss forcing bears into human areas. Supporting this assessment, Lin noted that since 2018, over one-third (38%) of observations involving mother bears have occurred below 1,200 meters, confirming the establishment of breeding populations in these lower-elevation habitats.
Lin Liang-kong (林良恭), a wildlife ecology professor at Tunghai University (東海大學) in central Taiwan, warned that public misconceptions regarding bears' fear of humans could dangerously increase confrontations as the animals expand their range. In response, agency director Lin Hua-ching outlined a multifaceted strategy involving community partnerships, upgraded hunting equipment, and reinforced protective barriers around vulnerable livestock and beekeeping operations. The conservation authority also plans to evaluate risks associated with releasing rehabilitated bears and will expand specialized care facilities for injured or orphaned animals.
The urgency of developing effective wildlife management protocols was underscored by an April incident in the remote Zhuoxi Township (卓溪鄉) of Hualien County, eastern Taiwan, where authorities were forced to shoot a problem bear that had repeatedly attacked domestic dogs and poultry despite deterrent efforts. This confrontation exemplifies the growing challenges as Taiwan's conservation success story increasingly intersects with rural livelihoods. ◼
