Spectacled bears get their name from the light colored rings around their eyes that makes some of the bears look like they are wearing glasses. These shy bears are the only species that live in South America. Little is known about these rare bears because of a lack of research and the remoteness of the areas where they live.
Habitat
Spectacled bear habitat includes coastal and inland deserts, dry forests, rain forests, cloud forests, steppes, and plateaus.
They tend to inhabit areas that are isolated and inhospitable and avoid humans whenever they can.
Spectacled bears prefer the warm humid and foggy clouds that are above the rain forest floor at higher elevations.
Distribution
Spectacled bears live in South America on the heart of the Andes in Venezuela, Columbia, and the coastal foothills of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
Physical Characteristics
Color
They have black to brown shaggy fur with distinct white or yellow markings on their face around their eyes.
Because they live in warm climates, their fur is thinner than that of North American bear species.
Size
Adult spectacled bears can weigh between 175 and 385 pounds (79-173 kg).
When standing on all fours, the average male measures about 30 inches (76 cm) tall at the shoulder and approximately 7.5 feet (228 cm) from nose to tail.
Females are slightly smaller.
Features
Spectacled bears have long claws which allow them to climb trees very well.
They also have large, flat molars so they can chew very tough plants that are found in the rain forest such as palms, cacti, and orchid bulbs.
Diet
Mostly they eat vegetation, but will eat meat when given the opportunity.
They love fruit and will spend days eating and sleeping in fruit trees.
They will also eat palms, cacti, and orchid bulbs.
Behavior
Daily Activity
Spectacled bears are generally nocturnal, feeding and traveling at dawn and dusk.
They often spend their days in tree nests which are constructed as a platform to sleep in.
Hibernation
Spectacled bears do not hibernate because they live in a warm climate.
Females will build nests for newborn cubs, but otherwise remain active throughout the year.
Reproduction
Spectacled bear females can give birth to cubs by the time they are 4 years old.
Usually they have 2 cubs in January, which is summer in South America.
The cubs are born helpless and blind, but by the time they are a month old they are able to travel around the forest with mother, often by riding on her back.
People and Spectacled Bears
Very few people have been fortunate enough to see a spectacled bear in the wild; most people have only heard of them in legends.
It is claimed the spectacled bear held a very important place ancient Incan religious beliefs.
Today, the spectacled bear is still respected by the native people, but their numbers are diminishing.
Population estimates are difficult to determine because spectacled bears are very elusive and live in remote places.
Scientists estimate that there are a minimum of 10,000 bears in the wild.
Deforestation, loss of habitat due to farming, and hunting and poaching are the biggest threats to the spectacled bears.
In 1975 the spectacled bear was listed on Appendix I on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which means that the international trade in the species was prohibited from that time forward. Unfortunately, enforcement has been lacking and rarely supported by local personnel. Therefore, the spectacled bear is continually threatened by the parts trade and human encroachment.
