Spectacled Bear
Named after their distinctive facial markings, they have dark fur round the eyes, extending to their ears, with pink noses and the rest of their face is creamy yellowish white. They are small compared to other bears, having dense body coats which are black or dark brown in colour, with a lighter yellowy throat and chest area. Females are up to 40 per cent smaller than males. Unusually, when they walk both their heel and toes touch the ground at the same time.
What they eat
They are omnivores, which means they eat both vegetation and meat, though most of their diet is plant oriented and they enjoy honey and sugar canes and feasting on fruits from Bromeliad plants. They will climb up large cacti to reach the fruit at the top and their strong jaws enable them to eat tough vegetation and bark.
The meat part of their diet consists of insects, small rodents and birds and in desperate times they have been known to kill cattle if no other food is available.
How long they live
In captivity they have lived up to 25 years, with one zoo bear recorded as having survived to the age of 36.
Biology
Timid, nocturnal creatures, they sleep in caves or under large tree roots in the day. Their claws are specially adapted so they can climb trees and they will sometimes make high level ‘pathways’ and platforms out of large branches. They reach sexual maturity between the ages of four and seven, mating between April and June, with gestation lasting about eight months and the female caring for the litter alone. Cubs are usually born between November and February and the size of a litter varies from one to three cubs. They are born blind, weighing up to 360 grams. Cubs grow quickly and after about a month can forage for food with their mothers, going off on their own at about six to eight months of age.
Did you know?
Spectacled Bears have 13 pairs of ribs, while other bear species have 14 pairs.
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Species Profile
Common name
Spectacled Bear
Scientific name
Tremarctos ornatus
Animal group/type
Mammal - bear
Where they live
South America – in the Andes mountain range from Venezuela to northern Argentina.
Habitat
They are the only known bear species native to South America and prefer dense forests but are also very adaptable and can survive in a range of conditions from high altitude grasslands and cloud forest to desert scrubs.
Size
Head-body length 1.3 to 2 metres
Shoulder height 70 to 90 cm
Weight
Males 100 – 175kg
Females 60 – 80 kg
Conservation status (IUCN Red List)
Vulnerable
Threats
Habitat destruction due to agricultural, urban and industrial development.
Hunting by farmers who blame them for killing stock.
They are also hunted for meat, skin and claws, and for their gall bladders which are used in oriental medicine and can fetch high prices on the black market.