What would you do if you met a Formosan black bear? It’s not something I spent much time wondering about until I saw this photo in the Taipei Times:
(My chinese ain’t great but the smallprint reads something like “For your safety, pretending to be dead is a bad move”)
What struck me most (apart from the fact that the image implied that you shouldn’t feed small babies to the bear) was how utterly useless this sign is: If I were to bump into one of these bears, I would still not have the faintest idea what to do. Of course the journalist from the TT neglected to ask what was the correct behaviour too.
So, what should you do? And has anyone actually seen one (I believe they’re very rare nowadays)? And why can’t the Yushan park rangers make some useful signs?
I did have a run-in with a Himalayan black bear, and did lie down and play dead, and am here to tell the tale.
(long pause for suspense)
I was asleep when he showed up at camp, and I figured that by the time I got out of my sleeping bag and tent, it would be all over. I was also camped alone on a narrow ridge at about 3500m, with nowhere to run anyway, even if I had gotten out of the tent.
Not that I’m endorsing the play dead routine if there’s a reasonable alternative.
Playing dead is a bad idea. Black bears are the breed most likely to learn to become predatory. Confronted by a “dead” human, they will happily rip out your guts and start eating you (their preferred MO when eating prey, an unhappy and prolonged death). I watched a video where an older black bear in Canada killed like 5 people on a nature walkway. I think the bear was finally put down by a guy who was packing an illegal-to-own-in-Canada handgun.
Playing dead is more effective with a griz/brown bear. Minus a pistol, I’m not sure what the heck to do if confronted by a black bear. Do they sell mace/pepper spray in Taiwan?
Don’t run downhill. Bear can run faster than people downhill. Don’t climb trees. Bears can climb trees.
My advice: distract the bear by playing a Aloha-like tune with the nose as you simultaneoulsy sharpen a pole into a 10 foot long spear, then get the bear to chase you. When he rears up on his back legs and falls on you, put the spear through his meaty heart.
[quote=“jdsmith”]Don’t run downhill. Bear can run faster than people downhill. Don’t climb trees. Bears can climb trees.
My advice: distract the bear by playing a Aloha-like tune with the nose as you simultaneoulsy sharpen a pole into a 10 foot long spear, then get the bear to chase you. When he rears up on his back legs and falls on you, put the spear through his meaty heart.
One man can do what another man can do![/quote]
I guess my last post wasn’t very helpful as to what to do if a bear charges, so information like this is being spread around the internet.
Any responsible hiker knows that the best thing to have in the great outdoors is a competant companion… Just pick a slow, fat guy with aching knees and outstanding ethics and you’ll never have to worry about a bear eating you (or the companion doing to you what you plan to do to him.)
How big is a Taiwan black bear? I’ll wager they are not very big. I have seen a Taiwan deer up in the mountains and they are about the size of a Germain Shepard. I’ll bet the bears are not much bigger.
I’d take out my notebook, that’ll make the bear wonder … and distract him … than I’d take my pen and it’ll make him wonder even more … than I just poke out his eye with pen aftre that it’s probably a very good idea to start running as fast as possible
Any responsible hiker knows that the best thing to have in the great outdoors is a competant companion… Just pick a slow, fat guy with aching knees…
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Dragonbones, that’s why the Taipei Hiking Club needs you back in its ranks. [/quote]
You should take your camera and ask it to pose for a few seconds while you take his picture. Getting it to do the “V” sign will buy you more time.
I read that there is a reward for pictures of these bears coupled with a report of the location you saw it.
After taking it’s picture, you should turn towards it and shout and scream at it, never turning your back. Walking backwards, throw sticks and stones and wave your hands and just generally be noisy.
Thiis is the best thing to do according to a survival book I have.
[quote=“Dangermouse”]After taking it’s picture, you should turn towards it and shout and scream at it, never turning your back. Walking backwards, throw sticks and stones and wave your hands and just generally be noisy.
Thiis is the best thing to do according to a survival book I have.[/quote]
Prevention is best. Make noise while hiking. This may include a miniboombox or bear bells. Kind of interferes with the whole “communing with nature” thing, but keeps the bears at bay.
Human-bear interactions are NOT good. They should be negative for the bear to prevent further interactions. If they are positive (food, etc.) this only encourages the animal to seek further contact.
Someone asked about the weight of the formosan black bear. I’d be curious as to the weight as well. I’ve heard that the ones on hte island are smaller than the ones here in Alaska.
They go to around 400 lbs AFAIK. That would be around 350 lb heavier a bear than I’d feel comfortable around.
I’ve never seen one but I know a couple of people who have. Only for an instant though – they’re extremely timid.
aftre that it’s probably a very good idea to start running as fast as possible 
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