Because of severe exploitation and habitat degradation in recent decades, populations of wild Formosan black bears have been declining.

[3] The Formosan black bear is sturdily built and has a round head, short neck, small eyes, and long snout.

[5] They feed primarily on leaves, buds, fruits, roots, although they also eat insects, small animals, and carrion.

Diets of bears monitored in Yushan National Park include succulent vegetation in spring, soft fruits rich in carbohydrate in summer, and fat-loaded hard mast (e.g., acorn and walnut) in fall/winter.

In the winter, rather than hibernating like Asiatic black bears in temperate areas, they move to lower elevations to find food.

Formosan black bears can easily outrun humans, reaching speeds of 30–40 km (19–25 mi) per hour.

Because of their endangered species status and their habit of avoiding humans, Formosan black bears are rarely seen in the wild.

As solitary animals, Formosan black bears do not stay in fixed shelters, except for females during their breeding period.

[7] 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.

Rukai and Paiwan people are allowed to hunt bears, but the hunters have to pay the price of carrying the ancient curse in return.

In Taroko (Truku) legend, Formosan black bears are respectful "kings of the forest", whose white marks on their chests represent the moon.

Since 1989, Formosan black bears have been listed as endangered animals and protected by Taiwan's Cultural Heritage Preservation Law (文化資產保存法).

Mei-Hsiu Hwang of Institute of Wildlife Conservation,[9] a campaigner for black-bear preservation, also said: "We do not wish to lose this soul of Taiwan's mountains.

In 2009, Lin Yuan-Yuan (a member of Yushan National Park's black bear conservation group) recorded footage showing a mother bear attempting to help her two cubs cross a rapid near Batongguan Trail in the eastern section of Tafen (塔芬).

[11] Taiwanese pilots have worn morale patches which feature a Formosan black bear punching Winnie-the-Pooh (representing Xi Jinping) in the face.