Formosan Black Bear - Hunter and Hunted

Hunter and Hunted

Formosan black bears (台灣黑熊) and Formosan clouded leopards (台灣雲豹) — two of the most powerful land animals on the island of Taiwan — used to roam and reign over the ranges and mountains on the island of Taiwan. However, their fates are quite different: leopards have become extinct and the bears though endangered have survived. According to research by the Institute of Wildlife Conservation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, this may be due to the myths and traditional taboos of Taiwanese aborigines.

Bunun people call black bears Aguman or Duman which means the devil. If a Bunun hunter's trap accidentally traps a bear, he has to build a cottage in the mountains and burn up the body of the bear there. He has also to stay in the cottage alone away from the village until the harvest of millet is finished. Rukai and Paiwan people are allowed to hunt bears, but the hunters have to pay the price of carrying the ancient curse in return. Rukai people believe hunting bears can result in diseases. Also, not every one is allowed to eat bear meat, and children are strongly forbidden to do so. In Taroko (Truku) legends, Formosan black bears are respectful “kings of the forest” whose white mark on the chest represents the moon. The Taroko people believe that killing black bears results in family disasters. In general among these hunting tribes, hunters of boars are respected as heroes, while hunters of bears are considered as losers.