“When Worlds Collide: A Formosan Black Bear’s Deadly Dance with Civilization” wins Gold at Houston Film Fest

When Worlds Collide: A Formosan Black Bear's Deadly Dance with Civilization movie poster

May 9, 2023May 9, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Formosan black bear, Taiwan films and movies

A documentary film about a Formosan black bear that was rescued from animal traps multiple times before finally being fatally shot by hunters won the Gold Award in the Documentary Feature Film category of the 56th Houston Film Festival, and is available to be watched for free on multiple platforms. The film documents the life of a bear dubbed 711/568 by wildlife researchers, beginning with the animal being rescued from a wire snare in the mountains of Taitung County, October

composite image showing baboon crossing the road and tranquilized in a net after capture

Animals

March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Taoyuan City

A baboon believed to have escaped from a zoo was finally caught today after leading search teams on a cat and mouse chase through rural districts of Taoyuan City over a period of around 9 days. The olive baboon was first sighted outside a factory in an industrial area in Pingzhen District March 10. After another sighting March 18, the head of Zhenxing village sought help from the nearby Leofoo Village Theme Park Zoo. While Leofoo Village has more than

Animals

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Taoyuan City

A baboon first spotted in a southern district of Taoyuan City March 10 is still on the loose 13 days later, despite the efforts of local residents, and employees from a nearby zoo. Initial reports assumed that the olive baboon had escaped from the nearby Leofoo Village Theme Park Zoo. However, zoo staff conducted a careful headcount of their animals and concluded that none are missing. Hsinchu Zoo also denied the animal was theirs, stating that they had no baboons

A Formosan macaque holds a puppy while eating a banana

Animals

December 28, 2022December 28, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment animal rescue, Chiayi County, formosan macaque, wildlife rescue

An abandoned pup which appeared to have been adopted by a Formosan macaque in Chiayi County was found dead several days after local residents attempted to stop animal rescue workers from separating the unlikely pair. The male Formosan macaque had been resident in the vicinity of Dongshi Bridge in Dongshi Township for more than a year. As the coastal township is outside the natural range of macaques, and the normally social animal lived alone, animal welfare workers suspect that the

Animals Marine and Fisheries

October 27, 2022October 27, 2022 Press Release 0 Comment angling, fishing, marine conservation, marine environment, turtles

Press Release: Environment & Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST) The Environment & Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST) recently received reports of a green loggerhead impaled by a barbed fishing lure in the waters off Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung County. The lure pierced the turtle’s chin, neck and left fin, visibly tugging at the animal’s skin with every fin stroke. The injured turtle was spotted by divers who captured video footage of the scene. According to Taiwan’s Wildlife Conservation Act, members

Forestry Bureau workers uncover black bear that was buried

Animals

May 20, 2022May 9, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Formosan black bear, hunting, Nantou County, wildlife conservation law

Two men have been charged on suspicion of shooting dead a bear, removing the satellite tracking collar, and burying the animal in an attempt to hide the evidence in a remote mountain district in Nantou County earlier this month. Forestry Bureau staff monitoring the bear’s movements via a satellite tracking device went searching for the animal after the signal disappeared on May 6 in the vicinity of the Wujie communitiy in Renai Township. After searching the area where the signal

composite image showing injured rider and dead macaque

Animals Traffic Accidents

May 8, 2022May 8, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment formosan macaque, motorcycle accident, Taitung County

A motorcyclist was sent to hospital with minor injuries, and a Formosan macaque died after it ran across the road and was hit by a motorcycle in Taitung County yesterday, May 7 Police from the Dawu police station received a report of an accident involving a heavy motorcycle at the 395.7 kilometer mark on Provincial Highway 9 in Taimali Township at around 1:00 pm. According to witnesses, the macaque suddenly dashed out onto the road and the rider, named Lin,

composite image showing pit bull with thick chain, and being pampered indoors

Animals

April 20, 2022April 20, 2022 Phillip Charlier 3 Comments animal protection, dogs, Pingtung County, pit bull, Taipei City

An American pit bull terrier that mauled a 3-year-old boy to death in rural Pingtung County in December is now living the life of a pampered pooch in Taipei City after being adopted by a couple last month. Animal lovers flooded Pingtung County Magistrate Pan Men-an’s (潘孟安) Facebook page pleading to save the life of the dog after it was handed over to the Pingtung County Agriculture Department following the fatal mauling on December 2, 2021. Agriculture department personnel placed

Animals

April 18, 2022April 18, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment snake and bee duties, snakes, Taiwan Railway Administration, Yilan County

Passengers were evacuated from a train car after a boa constrictor was spotted slithering along the luggage rack on a Taiwan Railways limited express train this morning, April 18. The conductor on the Ziqiang Class limited express No. 272 from Miaoli to Hualien received a report of a snake on the luggage racks of car No. 12 as the train arrived at Ruifang Station, New Taipei City at 8:19 am. The conductor ordered passengers out of the car and notified

Animals

March 5, 2022March 5, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment exotic species, Nantou County, wildlife rescue

Reptile experts have been hired to catch a caiman, after reports emerged yesterday that a crocodile had been spotted in a field of water bamboo in Puli Township, Nantou County. When a post appeared on social media saying that a crocodile was seen in a zizania pond readers were incredulous. “My mother said that there are crocodiles in the bamboo shoots field,” someone posted on the Facebook group “Puli People,” with an accompanying photograph. “It’s probably fake,” one reader responded.

stranded turtle entangled in discarded fishing nets

Animals Marine and Fisheries

February 2, 2022February 2, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment marine conservation, marine ecology, turtles

A live leatherback turtle was sent to National Taiwan Ocean University for medical treatment after being found stranded on New Taipei City beach yesterday, February 1. Coast Guard personnel were dispatched to Fulong Beach in Gongliao District after National Coast Guard Administration received reports of a large sea turtle seen entangled in discarded fishing nets and stranded on the beach at around 10:00 am. Coast Guard officers found the animal to be a leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), a species

Animals

“When Worlds Collide: A Formosan Black Bear’s Deadly Dance with Civilization” wins Gold at Houston Film Fest

African baboon caught after more than 17 days on the loose in northern Taiwan

Baboon on the loose in Taoyuan City

Puppy “adopted” by monkey so cute: but this story does not have a happy ending

Environmental group draws attention to fishing gear threat with video of turtle injured by fish lure

Two suspects charged for killing, burying Formosan black bear

Monkey hit and killed by motorcycle, rider injured

Pit bull almost sentenced to death after killing child now a pampered pooch

Snake on a train: passengers evacuated after boa constrictor appears on luggage rack

Crocodile hunt launched in Nantou County after caiman spotted in farm pond

Live leatherback turtle found stranded on beach entangled in fishing nets