Large Black Bear Appears on Southern Cross-Island Highway, Driver Yields for it to Cross

Southern Cross-Island Highway Key News

(CNA, Taitung County, June 25) A large Formosan black bear appeared on the Xiama section of the Southern Cross-Island Highway early this morning and slowly crossed the road. A Mr. Wang stopped his vehicle and guided it to the roadside slope, after which the massive figure quickly disappeared into the forest.

Mr. Wang told reporters that at around 5 a.m. today, while driving on the Xiama section of the Southern Cross-Island Highway, he unexpectedly encountered a giant Formosan black bear at close range. The bear was slowly crossing the road at the time, so he immediately stopped to avoid a collision. He then got out of his car to help guide it back to the forested slope beside the road. After the bear entered the slope, its massive form agilely weaved through the trees and vanished.

Mr. Wang stated that the bear was powerfully built and the largest he had ever seen, estimating its weight to be at least over 90 kilograms. To prevent the bear from staying in the middle of the road and being in danger, he immediately got out to shoo it and guide it towards the roadside slope. Only after confirming the bear had entered the forested slope did he take out his phone to record.

Mr. Wang later shared the video on Facebook, sparking enthusiastic discussion among netizens. Many exclaimed, "It's too big!" "This is on the level of a grizzly bear," "First time seeing such a huge Formosan black bear," "The guardian spirit of the mountains has appeared."

One netizen asked, "Weren't you scared?" Mr. Wang replied that he noticed there were no cubs with the bear, so "it basically won't attack randomly." The bear stopped on the road and looked at his truck, so he got out and waved, telling it to "go back." He said, "It's fine if you communicate properly," and that he had encountered black bears many times before.

Mr. Wang mentioned that tribal elders often spoke of a divine beast in the mountains that protected the people. Seeing such a magnificent black bear with his own eyes this time made him think of the "guardian spirit of the mountains" mentioned by the elders, and he exclaimed that it was truly a rare encounter to meet it on the Southern Cross-Island Highway. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150625

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