Taiwan

What is the National Animal of Taiwan?

national animal taiwan

formosan black bear -taiwan national animal

The Formosan black bear (Ursus thibetanus formosanus) is a subspecies of Asian black bear and one of the most common mammals in Taiwan. t is also called the white-cheeked black bear or Taiwanese black bear because of its white muzzle and ears. It was originally found in lowland forests, but it now lives in forested mountains at elevations above 1,000 m

Formosan black bears are a species of bear native to Taiwan. They are also known as Chinese black bears, but they are not true black bears.

Scientific Classification

Subspecies: U. t. formosanus
Species: U. thibetanus
Genus: Ursus
Family: Ursidae

Physical Description

The Formosan black bear’s fur is brownish-black with long guard hairs that can be up to 15 mm (0.59 in) long. Their underfur is dense and woolly. Their chest, stomach and inner legs are white or cream colored. They have short claws that allow them to climb trees easily

Diet: Formosan black bears are omnivores and their diet consists of insects, tree sap and honey, fruits, nuts, bamboo shoots and roots. They also scavenge on carrion and eggs from bird nests. They are known to eat small animals such as dogs, chickens, pigs and even cows when they can get them. Their teeth grow throughout their lives so they need to chew on hard objects to keep them filed down.

5 Interesting Facts about Formosan Black Bear

  • 1.Formosan Black Bears are the smallest of all bear species, weighing only about 100 pounds on average.
  • 2. They have small ears and a long snout that gives them their unique appearance.
  • 3. Formosan Black Bears have short claws, making them less adept at climbing than other bear species.
  • 4. Formosan Black Bears are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plants and animals for food. However, they spend most of their time eating fruit and acorns when available in their habitat.
  • 5. Formosan Black Bears are nocturnal animals who spend most of their time sleeping during the day and hunting at night (like many other animals).

Why Formosan Black Bear is the national animal of Taiwan?

The Formosan Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus formosanus) is a subspecies of the Asian Black Bear that lives in Taiwan. It is also known as the Taiwan Bear or White-chested Bear.

They prefer to live in the mountains and forests. They are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plant and animal material. The females are pregnant for about three months.

Their habitat ranges from northern parts of China, east into Siberia and Korea, south through central China and to eastern India. They can reach a size of 2.0 meters long and weigh 100 kg, although some estimates put the weight at 110 kg.

So, due to all these facts and qualities Formosan Black Bear becomes the Taiwan’s national animal stated by the government.