The Taiwan Black Bear Education Center in Yuli, Hualien County, has launched a unique keychain shaped like Formosan black bear droppings and gained popularity, even attracting interest from international visitors. 

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A keychain shaped like bear droppings has become one of Taiwan’s hottest cultural souvenirs, with demand stretching as far as South Korea after the product went viral online.  

The Taiwan Black Bear Education Center created the feces-shaped keychain to mimic the real-life scat of the Formosan black bear, and tucked actual seeds inside, reflecting a key ecological fact. “Over 80 percent of the Formosan black bear's diet is plant-based, and its droppings contain so many fruit seeds, it's actually a seed disperser," said a center representative surnamed Huang. "People said the design was brilliant, so we turned it into a product."

Researchers note that Formosan black bears range across wide territories, effectively spreading seeds across long distances wherever they roam. One visitor said the novel design made conservation education approachable. "The poop shape really catches your attention, and it brings people closer to learning about black bears," she said.

The bear dropping keychain joins a growing lineup of popular Taiwanese cultural merchandise, including Taiwan-shaped coasters and "little green man" crosswalk signal figurines, all prized by both local buyers and foreign visitors.