Formosan black bear encounters with humans are on the rise in Taiwan as the animal’s population expands to habitats at lower elevations, leaving public agencies scrambling to figure out how to prevent such encounters from becoming more frequent.
隨著台灣黑熊族群數量增加，並逐漸擴展至較低海拔棲地，台灣人熊相遇事件持續增加，也讓政府部門急於尋找方法，避免此類事件變得更加頻繁。
Lin Hwa-ching, director-general of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA), said the agency has been aware of the issue for years and has tried to address it with measures such as reward programs for voluntary reporting and patrol monitoring.
農業部林業及自然保育署署長林華慶表示，該署多年來已注意到這項問題，並透過通報獎勵機制及巡護監測等措施加以因應。
Now, however, more steps are needed to achieve the goal of “safe coexistence” between people and the endangered endemic animal, the largest native terrestrial carnivorous mammal in Taiwan, Lin said, and what to do and how to handle captured bears remain challenges.
林華慶指出，若要達成民眾與這種瀕危特有種、也是台灣最大原生陸域食肉動物的「安全共存」，仍需採取更多措施，而如何處理遭捕捉的黑熊，至今仍是一項挑戰。
Trend lines
趨勢變化
Just getting a handle on the size of Taiwan’s Formosan black bear population has been difficult, but there is evidence suggesting that the number of bears is on the rise.
雖然要精確掌握台灣黑熊族群規模並不容易，但現有證據顯示黑熊數量正持續增加。
According to an estimate by FANCA in March based on nationwide monitoring data, with images of the same bear seen more than once removed, there are roughly 1,200 Formosan black bears in Taiwan.
林業及自然保育署今年3月根據全台監測資料估算，在排除重複拍攝到同一隻黑熊的情況後，台灣約有1,200隻黑熊。
That is far higher than the 200-600 FANCA estimated existed in the wild about 10 years ago.
這個數字遠高於約10年前估計的200至600隻野生黑熊。
Also, from 2011 to 2017, black bears were recorded in 17 townships across 11 cities and counties nationwide, compared to sightings in 27 townships between 2018 and 2025, again suggesting a rising population, the agency said.
該署表示，2011年至2017年間，全台11個縣市共17個鄉鎮曾記錄到黑熊活動;2018年至2025年間增加至27個鄉鎮，再度顯示黑熊族群正在成長。
That is significant because the trend may be responsible for the increasing overlap between bear and human activity.
這項趨勢意義重大，因為它可能導致黑熊與人類活動範圍重疊的情況日益增加。
Moving into foothills
向淺山地區擴散
Pinpointing a specific reason for the growing number of encounters with bears at lower elevations is difficult,wildlife conservationist Chiang Po-jen, founder of the Formosan Wild Sound Conservation Science Center, said.
野聲環境生態有限公司創辦人、野生動物保育人士姜博仁表示，要明確指出低海拔地區黑熊接觸事件增加的單一原因並不容易。
The number of bears in mountain areas has not increased to a point of saturation, meaning there should not be too many bears for too little food, said Chiang, who holds a doctorate in wildlife studies from Virginia Tech.
擁有美國維吉尼亞理工大學野生動物學博士學位的姜博仁表示，目前山區黑熊數量尚未達到飽和狀態，因此不至於出現黑熊過多、食物不足的問題。
“Black bears are highly mobile and can travel more than 10 kilometers in a single day,” Chiang said, and “once they start moving, bears can quickly reach settlements and work sheds.”
姜博仁表示：「黑熊移動能力很強，一天可以移動超過10公里，一旦開始移動，很快就能抵達聚落或工寮。」
According to FANCA, sighting data shows that from 2018 to 2025, there were more sightings of bears both above and below 1,200 meters, indicating that dispersal patterns rather than food shortages may be behind the growing number of encounters.
林業署表示，2018年至2025年間，海拔1,200公尺以上與以下地區的黑熊目擊紀錄皆增加，顯示造成接觸事件增加的原因，可能是黑熊擴散，而非食物短缺。
And once bears discover that workers’ sheds, chicken coops, apiaries, and settlements provide food sources, they will return because “bears have very strong memories,” Chiang said.
姜博仁指出，一旦黑熊發現工寮、雞舍、蜂場及聚落能提供食物來源，就可能再次返回，因為「黑熊記憶力非常好」。
From ‘cute’ animal to ‘pest’
從「可愛動物」變成「害獸」
Though the Formosan black bear is protected by the law and seen by most Taiwanese as a “cute” animal and a national symbol, its presence in human settlements below 1,200 meters have some labeling them “pests.”
雖然台灣黑熊受到法律保護，也被許多台灣民眾視為「可愛動物」與國家象徵，但牠們頻繁出現在海拔1,200公尺以下聚落，已讓部分人將其視為「害獸」。
When a cub nicknamed“Mei-zai”appeared on the Nanan Waterfall Trail in Zhuoxi Township, Hualien County, in 2018, it captured the public’s heart and sparked a nationwide conservation movement that year.
2018年，一隻綽號「妹仔」的小黑熊現身花蓮縣卓溪鄉南安瀑布步道，不僅擄獲民眾的心，也帶動當年的全國保育熱潮。
In April 2025, however, a Formosan black bear, which was later identified as “BB02,” was shot dead in the township by forest rangers after devouring chickens and preying on dogs and appearing to threaten people.
然而，2025年4月，一隻後來被確認為「BB02」的台灣黑熊，因闖入卓溪鄉捕食雞隻、攻擊犬隻，且疑似威脅民眾安全，遭巡山員開槍擊斃。
Also last year, a male Formosan black bear called “Alyman Siken” repeatedly raided chicken coops in the township, preying on large numbers of chickens.
同樣在去年，一隻名為「阿里曼．西肯」的公黑熊，多次闖入卓溪鄉雞舍，大量捕食雞隻。
Despite being released back into the wild twice after its capture and subjected to deterrence measures, the bear continued to return inter-mittently to Indigenous communities to steal chickens.
儘管阿里曼西肯兩度被捕後野放，並接受驅趕等措施，牠仍持續返回原住民部落偷食雞隻。
Alyman was again captured in January, when FANCA decided not to release it back into the wild and instead place it under the long-term care of the Taipei Zoo.
今年1月再度被捕後，林業署決定不再將牠野放，而是交由台北市立動物園長期照養。
Dealing with bear incursions
如何應對黑熊入侵
From “Mei-zai” to “Aliman Siken” and “BB02,” the shrinking distance between humans and bears was a reminder of the need to start taking the issue of “human-bear coexistence” seriously, which is challenging when decisions must be made between “wildlife conservation” and “human safety.”
從「妹仔」到「阿里曼．西肯」與「BB02」，人熊距離不斷縮短，提醒社會必須正視「人熊共存」議題，而在「野生動物保育」與「人類安全」之間做出抉擇並不容易。
The current management of black bear incursions relies mainly on deterrence and habitat/environmental management, FANCA said. Bears are captured only when necessary, followed by a professional assessment and negative reinforcement before any release back into the wild.
林業署表示，目前黑熊入侵事件主要透過驅離及棲地、環境管理處理;只有在必要時才會捕捉黑熊，之後進行專業評估及負向制約，再決定是否野放。
FANCA’s Lin said that since 2022, the agency has been promoting the “Taiwan Black Bear Ecosystem Service Payment Pilot Program,” which uses an “ecological salary” model to encourage community participation in black bear conservation.
林華慶表示，林業署自2022年起推動「台灣黑熊生態服務給付示範計畫」，透過「生態薪水」模式鼓勵社區參與黑熊保育。
Under the program, financial incentives are provided to people who report incidents such as accidental captures or bear intrusions, and those who trap bears accidentally and report them are no longer prosecuted.
根據該計畫，民眾若通報誤捕黑熊或黑熊入侵事件，可獲得獎勵金;誤捕後主動通報者，也不再被追究法律責任。
There are also incentives available to help protect potential black bear habitats, implement monitoring measures, remove attractants such as food waste, clear unidentified traps, and promote the use of improved trapping devices.
此外，配合保護潛在黑熊棲地、執行監測措施、移除廚餘等黑熊吸引物、清理不明陷阱，以及推廣改良式陷阱等行動，民眾亦可獲得獎勵或補助。
Chiang, the conservationist, argued that more is needed, saying “only when both humans and bears are safe, and both can share and use the same space, can we truly call it human-bear coexistence.”
姜博仁認為，現行措施仍有不足，他表示：「只有人與熊都安全，並且能共同使用同一個空間，才能真正稱為人熊共存。」
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