Taiwanese black bear "Bagan" lost his left paw after being trapped in a lasso and returned to the mountains after 9 months of recovery

In February this year, a Formosan black bear was found trapped in a noose trap on Simaxian Forest Road in Miaoli County. After an overnight rescue, it was sent to the Institute of Biodiversity for care. The left forepaw underwent an amputation surgery due to serious injuries. After several months of medical treatment and field adaptation training, the bear is recovering well. The Hsinchu Branch of the Forestry and Conservation Department held a wild release operation today (10th), and with the blessings of the Meiyuan and Tengu tribesmen, the black bear named "Bagan" by the Tengu tribe returned to the mountains and forests.

The Hsinchu Branch of the Forestry Conservation Department stated that the black bear was found trapped in a noose trap on the afternoon of February 4 this year. The rescue team rescued it overnight and sent it to the Institute of Biodiversity Wildlife Emergency Station in the early morning of the next day. After examination, the black bear was about 1 year old and weighed 30 kilograms. His left forelimb was seriously injured and he underwent surgery to amputate his palm. After several months of medical care, he has fully recovered and his weight has increased to about 50 kilograms.

In order to help the black bears adapt to life in the wild, the medical team has been conducting field adaptation training since April, including natural foraging, climbing and environmental adaptation. The Forestry Conservation Department workstation and tribal people have assisted in collecting wild plants such as persimmon and green oak, so that the black bears can learn to forage on their own. Since July, it has further observed its human-avoidance behavior. After evaluation by experts, scholars and the medical team in October, it was confirmed that its physical condition and survival ability in the wild meet the conditions for release, and the forest road mountainous area of ​​Simahan, far away from the tribes, was selected as the release site.

The Hsinchu branch pointed out that before the release, it continued to communicate with the Meiyuan and Tengu tribes, established a local black bear patrol team, promoted the conservation of mandarin stores and improved hunting equipment, and also held briefings to let the tribesmen understand the release operation, follow-up monitoring and contingency measures in the event of human-bear encounters, so as to reduce the risk of human-bear conflicts.

Early this morning, the release team was led by Hsinchu Branch Director Xia Rongsheng, and carried out the release in conjunction with the Institute of Biodiversity, Taipei Municipal Zoo, Sheipa National Park Management Office, the Fifth Brigade of the Seventh Protection Corps, and Yesheng Environmental Ecology Co., Ltd. Ke Hongxian, the leader of the Tengu tribe, offered his blessings in the Atayal language, and the elders of the tribe named the black bear after "Bagan", which means "summer" in the Atayal language, which means a good harvest and safety, and also hopes that it will grow up healthily and adapt to life in the mountains and forests smoothly.

The Hsinchu Branch stated that after the release, Bagan's movement trajectory and habitat utilization will be continuously tracked through satellite collars and electronic fences. If it enters the warning range, notification and prevention mechanisms will be activated, and contact with surrounding tribes will be maintained to ensure community safety and the coexistence of humans and bears.