The "national treasure-level mythical beast" appears! Taichung Snow Mountain Small Sacred Tree Trail is temporarily closed

Tourists reported the presence of Taiwanese black bears in the Daxueshan National Forest Recreation Area. (Photo taken from the Facebook page of the Taichung Branch of the Forestry and Conservation Department)

First published 11-04 23:01

Update time 11-05 07:32

Be careful when a bear appears, and it is also a subspecies unique to Taiwan, the "Formosan black bear"! In the Daxueshan National Forest Recreation Area in Taichung, tourists witnessed the appearance of a Taiwanese black bear on the Little Shenmu Trail on the 4th. The authorities immediately announced the temporary closure of the sighting area and called on tourists to cooperate.

On the 4th, the Taichung Branch of the Forestry and Conservation Department stated through its official fan page that it received a report from tourists on Wednesday afternoon that a Formosan black bear was seen on the Little Sacred Tree Trail in the Snowy Mountains. After receiving the report, they immediately initiated safety measures. In order to maintain the safety of tourists, the Little Sacred Tree Trail was temporarily closed from now on and is expected to reopen on the 7th.

The branch office stated that forest rangers will conduct regular inspections every day during the closure period to understand the situation on site. At the same time, they will set up 4G infrared automatic cameras to monitor black bear activities in real time. "Black bears are part of the natural ecology of the mountain forest. We will continue to take into account wildlife conservation and tourist safety through patrol monitoring and safety management." The public and accommodation tourists are also reminded to pay more attention to their surroundings to reduce the risk of human-bear encounters.

What to do if you encounter a black bear. The branch recommends three things to do. The first is to properly collect food and garbage to avoid attracting black bears. The second is to travel in groups, carry bear bells and anti-bear spray, and sound the sound at the right time to avoid sudden close encounters with black bears. The third is to stay calm. If you encounter a black bear, do not scream, run or get close to take pictures. You should retreat slowly to avoid startling the black bear and then attacking.

Finally, the branch office said, "To avoid unexpected encounters between humans and bears, the 35K Toll Station, 43K Visitor Center, and 49K Xiaoxueshan Information Station in the Daxueshan National Forest Recreation Area provide free bear bell borrowing. We also ask everyone to cooperate with the trail closure measures, maintain your own safety, and practice the peaceful coexistence of humans and bears!"