TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Forestry officials rehabilitated a two-week-old bat pup in April, noting the Formosan flying fox is a Category 1 endangered species.
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency Hualien Branch outfitted the bat with a GPS tracking device to monitor the species, per CNA. Organizations involved in its rescue included National Taipei University, Taiwan Bat Society, and WildOne Wildlife Rescue Center.
The animal's seven months of care included daily feeding, flight training, food searching, and avoiding people. It was released into the wild in November.

However, forestry officials worried the bat lacked group socialization and important survival skills, which could only be learned from other flying foxes after being released into the wild. They expressed concern over the bat’s preference for residing in low-lying bushes or the lower branches of trees, and its inability to completely conceal itself in the wild.
These concerns manifested on Friday as the bat's GPS beacon showed no movement. Forestry staff found remnants of the bat, including its tracking collar, with evidence showing it had fallen victim to a diurnal raptor.
Forestry officials said the case provided valuable data that may contribute to conservation work. It revealed a new risk the Formosan flying fox faces from predators.
Those who encounter an injured Formosan flying fox are encouraged to report to the county hotline at 1999 or the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Hualien Branch at 0800-057930. The public is prohibited from bringing endangered animals into one's residence or interfering with conservation efforts.