The recent series of earthquakes in Hualien has startled its animal as well as human inhabitants. Not only lost dogs, but even a young fruit bat was discovered in the city center. Experts originally suggested the endangered animal be left for its mother to find. But after two uneventful days, they decided to take the bat into human care, marking Taiwan’s first fruit bat rescue.

This skittish little creature happens to be a Formosan fruit bat, classified as an endangered species in Taiwan. A Hualien City resident noticed it near a parking lot and quickly notified the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency.

Huang Chun-tse
Forestry agency, Hualien branch
It’s a Formosan fruit bat. Because it’s so small, it might be threatened by nearby dogs and cats. It could also fall, so since they knew it was endangered, they notified us.

This is the first time a Formosan fruit bat has been taken in. The forestry agency first consulted with Japanese experts, who suggested that they leave the bat for its mother to find.

Huang Chun-tse
Forestry agency, Hualien branch
We put it in a place where its mother could find it. The area had a lot of adult bats flying around, but it was never retrieved. So after two days, out of concern for its weight and health, we decided to take it in.

The Hualien office sent the bat to a wildlife rehabilitation center, where it will be cared for it until it’s old enough to release. Experts believe it was the recent earthquakes that drove the young bat to the city.

A woman holds a French bulldog as she reports the lost petto the police. The same day, a Shiba Inu stuck close to a stranger as though pleading her to help find its owner.

Wu Ming-yuan
Guangfu precinct chief
Our station immediately contacted village chiefs and dog lovers with the dogs’ features and the color of their collars. We also posted to the community Facebook page asking the owners to contact us. Before long, the owners found their dogs through the posts and came to retrieve them.

The earthquakes in Hualien have been impacting more than just humans. Luckily, these loved pets and wild animal have found homes with a little help from their bipedal neighbors.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#台灣新聞 #TaiwanNews #民視新聞 #FTV新聞 #Taiwan