The spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) is also known as the Andean bear, spectacled bear, South American bear, jukumari and ucumari. According to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), Between 2,500 and 10,000 specimens of spectacled bears are left in the wild, for this reason and because of the continuous deforestation of the tropical forests where they live, water pollution and poaching, they are considered a species vulnerable to extinction.
There are various species of bears, but in this page on our site we will talk in detail about the spectacled bear, the only species of bear in their place of origin. If you want to know more about the spectacled bear, we invite you to continue reading.
Origin of the Spectacled Bear
The spectacled bear or Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) is native to South America and is the only species of bear that inhabits this part of the continent, is endemic to the tropical Andes. The distribution of the spectacled bear is very long and narrow. It is present from the mountains of Venezuela to Bolivia, also found in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, even in 2014 individuals were spotted in northern Argentina, although they are believed to be stray animals and not a resident population.
Spectacle Bear Characteristics
Without a doubt, the most striking feature of the spectacled bear is the presence of white fur around the eyes with a circular shape, recalling its shape to that of glasses, in many specimens, this white hair extends to the chest. The rest of its body fur is dark brown or black.
They are fairly small bears, adult males reach a size of between 100 and 200 kilograms which, compared to the Kodiak bear which can weigh more than 650 kilograms, it is very little. Adult female spectacled bears only weigh between 30 and 85 kilograms. This weight difference is the most apparent sexual dimorphism in this species. Another important characteristic of these bears is their thin fur, adapted for hot climates. They also have long claws that they use to climb trees.
Spectacled Bear Habitat
Spectacled bears live in a wide variety of ecosystems located throughout the tropical Andes. They can live at a height of up to 4,750 meters above sea level and do not usually go below 200 meters. The wide variety of habitats includes tropical dry forests, moist lowlands, moist tropical forests, both dry and moist shrublands, and high- altitude grasslands.
They usually change their habitat depending on the time of year and the availability of food. The grassy and bushy areas are rather passing through, since it is believed that these animals need the presence of trees to live, since they are excellent climbers, they use them to sleep and store food.
Spectacled Bear Feeding
Spectacled bears are omnivorous animals and have adaptations for this type of diet, such as the special shape of their skull, dentition and a pseudo-thumb that makes it easier for them to handle fibrous foods such as hard vegetables, since they base their diet on palm trees, cacti and orchid bulbs When certain trees begin to bear fruit, the bears feed on them and even build their nest in him to eat directly after resting. Fruits provide them with a lot of carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins
As an omnivorous animal, it also feeds on meat. This usually comes from dead animals such as rabbits and tapirs (a species of hoofed animal), but also from livestock. There are always food sources available for these bears in their native habitats, so Spectacled bears do not hibernate
Spectacled Bear Play
Spectacled bear females are seasonal polyestrous, so they have several heats throughout the year, especially among males. months of March and October. They also have what is known as implantation delay This means that once the egg has been fertilized, it will take several months to implant in the uterus and start its development.
The females build their nest in a tree where they will give birth between one and four pups, often having twins. The number of puppies a female will have or whether or not they are twins will depend on her weight, which is related to the abundance and availability of food.
According to some studies, calving occurs between two and three months before the peak of fruit production by the trees. This is believed to allow mothers to leave the roost accompanied by their young when fruit is plentiful. Spectacled bear males reach sexual maturity at the age of four and can breed with several females each year.
