Hualien: A female Formosan black bear and her cub were released into the wild in Hualien County after spending over a year in rehabilitation, conservation officials announced.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Hualien branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency detailed that the adult female bear was initially reported in March 2025 after injuring her paw in a trap, necessitating medical treatment. Around the same time, a bear cub was discovered wandering alone in the same area by residents of an Indigenous village. The cub, weighing only 11.5 kilograms and still nursing, was subsequently captured by conservation officials.
After the adult bear underwent surgery on her paw, both she and the cub were transferred to the WildOne Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Taitung. Genetic testing at the center confirmed that the two bears were indeed mother and cub. Caregivers attempted to reintroduce the two in June and July, but the bears showed limited interaction and did not reestablish their filial bond, leading to the decision to keep them separated during rehabilitation.
The cub started rewilding training in October at the center's forest facility, honing skills like foraging, tree climbing, and avoiding human contact. By March, the cub had grown to 46 kg and acquired the necessary skills for survival in the wild, while the mother bear fully recovered from her injuries, weighing 74 kg. Both bears met the criteria for release back into their natural habitat, according to the agency.
On March 11, conservation officials conducted an informational meeting in the Nakahila community of the Bunun people in Zhuoxi Township. The community agreed to participate in the release and monitoring of the bears. Before the bears' release, village residents held a ceremony to bestow upon them the Bunun names "Uli" for the mother and "Mua" for the cub. The names mean "virtuous wife and loving mother" and "cute and gentle little girl," respectively, in the Bunun language.
Following the ceremony, the cub and then the mother were released at 30-minute intervals at the end of Zhongping Forest Road, both quickly disappearing into the forest. Post-release, the bears will be monitored through satellite collars and geofencing. Wildlife officials will also collaborate with the Taiping Village chief to establish a feedback mechanism, allowing tribal members to track and report on the bears' movements.
The release marks a significant milestone as it is the first time a mother bear and her cub have been released together after rehabilitation in Taiwan, as noted by the conservation agency.