Dead Formosan black bear found in Hualien creek / 花蓮溪流河床 發現斷掌台灣黑熊屍體　　　　　　　　　　

On September 23, the dead body of a Formosan black bear was found in Hualien's Lakulaku Creek. Based on examination of the bear's corpse and the area, it is thought that the bear may have drowned in the raging torrent in the creek. The bear's body had been sent to the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology for an autopsy. On Sept. 23, a Formosan black bear was found lying on the river bed of Lakulaku River in Hualien. People who found the bear called the police for help. Three firefighters then moved the body of a Formosan black bear onto the rubber raft. ==WU KUN-MING, Director-General of Hualien Forest District Office== Due to the fast-flowing river, we could not get close to the bear. Therefore, we made use of the rubber raft, and managed to get it to the middle of the river. We asked the firefighters to help us carry the bear back to the river bank. The bear was 1.45 meters tall, and weighed 57 kilograms. It was a female, estimated to be around 10 years old, in the prime of its life. The veterinarian found that the bear had a severed paw and a broken claw on its forelimbs, indicating that it was twice harmed by animal traps. ==WU KUN-MING, Director-General of Hualien Forest District Office== The bear's fur and skin were intact. We contacted Huang Mei-Hsiu, the head of the Institute of Wildlife Conservation at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology. She said the bear had a research value. The Formosan black bear is listed as an endangered species. Therefore, an autopsy should be conducted to find out how the bear died. This has been the second bear found dead in this month. The Forestry Bureau said that animal traps have been completely banned. Therefore, those using traps can be fined a maximum fine of NT$75,000. According to the Animal Protection Act, if a trap leads to an animal's death, the trapper will face a maximum of one year imprisonment. TRANSLATED BY ARIEL HSIEH 23日下午，有民眾在花蓮、拉庫拉庫溪的河床，發現一隻「台灣黑熊」屍體。消防隊獲報，將黑熊送上岸，初步研判，可能是遇到溪水暴漲、不慎溺斃。目前，黑熊遺體已被送到屏科大，進行解剖中。 三名消防隊員涉水，將躺臥在河床的台灣黑熊，扛上橡皮艇。23號下午有民眾在花蓮拉庫拉庫溪，靠近南安瀑布河床，發現倒臥了一隻台灣黑熊，但由於水流湍急無法靠近，只好報警求救。 ==花蓮林區管理處長 吳坤銘== 因為那個地方水流非常湍急 沒有辦法靠近 那就利用消防隊的皮筏 划到中間以後 請消防隊幫我們把 那隻黑熊載過來岸邊 但當消防隊員合力救起時，這隻台灣黑熊全身僵硬，已經沒有心跳。這隻母台灣黑熊約145公分、57公斤，初估年齡為10歲，屬於青壯年期，有繁殖哺乳的紀錄。而在獸醫師檢查之後，發現左前肢斷掌，右前肢第五指也斷指，顯示生前曾遭捕獸夾夾傷兩次。 ==花蓮林區管理處長 吳坤銘== 我們看看那隻黑熊 皮毛非常的完整 所以我們就趕快跟 屏科大的黃美秀老師連絡 她認為說這個黑熊有研究的價值 而且牠是我們一級保育類的動物 應該做一個病理的解剖 來判定牠是如何死亡 躺在救生艇上的僵硬遺體、看了令人痛心，而這已是這個月來、第2頭死亡的黑熊，林務局呼籲民眾捕獸夾已全面禁止，一旦使用被查獲，依動保法最高可罰7萬5千元，若造成動物死亡，最高處1年以下有期徒刑。 綜合報導