Honey is helping to save Andean bears
Andean Bear Friendly™ honey wins landmark certification
We’re thrilled to share some sweet success. Honey produced through a Chester Zoo–supported project in Bolivia has just been awarded official Andean Bear Friendly™ certification by the Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network.
Back in 2017, we launched the Andean Carnivore Conservation Programme to support both bears and families living in the beautiful, but threatened, inter-Andean dry forests.
These forests are under severe pressure from cattle farming, and bears often face conflict with people. To change this, we’ve helped farmers set up apiaries, turning to beekeeping as a safer, more sustainable way to earn a living.
The result? Forests are protected, farmers thrive, and bears are kept safe.
The programme is a partnership with Bolivian NGO Fundación Fautapo, the University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), and is supported by Fondation Segré. It is led by Andean bear expert Dr Ximena Vélez-Liendo, alongside Paul Bamford, Senior Manager of our Regional Field Programme for Latin America.
Beekeeping now provides families with an alternative income to cattle, reducing deforestation and fostering peaceful coexistence between people and bears. And now, with certification in place, every jar of honey carries the stamp of wildlife-friendly farming.
Watch as hidden cameras capture Andean bears now thriving in Bolivia’s inter-Andean forests.
This honey is proof that protecting wildlife can go hand in hand with supporting communities. Andean Bear Friendly™ certification is a milestone for conservation in Bolivia.
Paul Bamford, Senior Manager of our Regional Field Programme for Latin America
We also play a vital role in caring for Andean bears here in the UK, as part of an international breeding programme for this Vulnerable species. In the wild, their habitats are shrinking fast. The inter-Andean dry forests are Critically Endangered, with only around six per cent of the original forest left standing.
Just a few years ago, Andean bears were seen as a problem species, nearly hunted to extinction. Today, through projects like this, they’ve become a powerful symbol of coexistence. Beekeeping shows that communities can thrive while nature recovers - a sweet success bottled in every jar.
Eight years ago the Andean bear was on the brink. By showing the value of biodiversity and supporting local people, we’ve turned the story around. Honey has become a lifeline for both bears and communities.
Ximena Vélez-Liendo, Conservation Fellow and Andean bear expert
The honey is sold under the Valle de Osos (Valley of the Bears) label, with products ranging from honey to beeswax and propolis resin. Producers in Tarija undergo rigorous audits to earn certification, proving that their methods benefit biodiversity and local livelihoods alike.
Gonzalo Aguirre, producing certified Andean Bear Friendly™ honey in Tarija.
We’re proud to welcome the Tarijeño beekeepers into our global network. Their dedication shows how conservation can transform challenges into opportunities.
Christine Lippai, Executive Director, Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network
