The Formosan serow 台灣長鬃山羊 (tái wān chǎng zōng shān yáng), 山羊 Naemorhedus swinhoei is a small bovid endemic to Taiwan. The serow is 80–114 cm long, weighs 25–35 kg and has a short 6.5 cm tail. It is dark tan with yellow spots on the jaw, throat and nape. Both sexes have horns curving slightly backward 10–20 centimeters in length. The horns are conical in shape and are never shed. They generally eat leaves below shoulder height, including vines, ferns, shrubs, or herbs on the ground. They require salt and can be seen licking minerals on cliffs or rocks. Taiwan serows can jump as high as 2 m and run as fast as 20 km per hour. They can be found at elevations as low as 50 meters, but are mostly seen at 1000 meters, and as high as 3500 meters. Their habitats include conifer forest, mixed broad-leaved forests, and the steep slopes of bare rocks and gravel cliffs. Their hoofs separate to two sides and can easily hold on to rocks on steep slopes. They are also good tree climbers. They are solitary and territorial. They use tears to smear branches or stones as markers. Since 1989, Taiwan serows have been listed as a rare and valuable species 珍貴稀有保育類 and are protected by Taiwan's Cultural Heritage Preservation Act 文化資產保存法. The main threats to the Taiwan serow are habitat destruction and harvesting.
After the hike we contact the Taipei City Animal Protection Office 臺北市動物保護處. After discussing the situation with them, we come to the conclusion that it is best to leave the serow at the site of the trap. The office asks us to put two anti-trapping signs up on the stream. The following weekend we return with Tim. We put up the signs and discover that the serow has died in the area of the trap where we had left her. We go back down the stream and explore another branch further to the east.