HUALIEN (TVBS News) — A Taiwan black bear wreaked havoc in Zhuoxi Township (卓溪鄉) last week, damaging over 20 beehives. The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Hualien Branch (林業及自然保育署花蓮分署) stated on Monday (Jan. 20) that it launched a containment effort after receiving the report. The agency discovered bear droppings and a den near the hives, suggesting unusual behavior from the bear, which seemed unafraid of humans.
The bear's proximity to a previously raided plum vinegar workshop, just 830 meters away, led officials to suspect it might be the same animal. They advised beekeepers to relocate their hives and set up automatic cameras for monitoring. A team encountered the bear last Monday night. On Tuesday, the agency installed a mobile electric fence and a trap outside the apiary to prevent conflict, though the bear did not trigger the trap. By Friday night, all beehives had been moved, prompting the agency to remove the trap on Saturday.
They plan to compensate the beekeeper under the "Taiwan Black Bear Ecological Service Payment" scheme (台灣黑熊生態服務給付). Last Thursday, the beekeeper, surnamed Chih (池), had a close encounter with the bear, which refused to leave the hives. Chih used bells and a horn to scare it off and is now considering installing sturdy electric fences to prevent future incidents.
The agency has alerted nearby poultry and livestock farms, offering bear-deterrent tools and fence reinforcement advice. It has also urged the public to properly manage outdoor food and waste to avoid attracting bears and strengthen protective measures at apiaries and farms.