Why is it called the spectacled bear?

It gets its name from the pale cream or white markings that often encircle its eyes, which can resemble a pair of glasses.

What do spectacled bears eat?

Their diet is mostly plant-based, including fruit, bromeliads, palm nuts, bamboo, and bark, with meat such as insects and small vertebrates making up only about 5 to 7 percent of intake.

Are spectacled bears endangered?

The IUCN lists them as Vulnerable, with habitat loss from agricultural expansion and illegal mining posing the main threats to wild populations.

Spectacled Bearメガネグマ

Tremarctos ornatusVU— Vulnerable

The spectacled bear is South America's only bear species, found in the Andes Mountains from Venezuela to Bolivia and northern Argentina. Named for the pale markings often ringing its eyes, it is largely herbivorous, feeding on fruit, bromeliads, palm nuts, and bark, and is one of the few bear species that regularly climbs trees to feed and rest. The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable, mainly due to habitat loss from agriculture and mining.

Spectacled Bear (reference photo) — Photo: en:User:Cburnett / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification: Carnivora / Ursidae Source
Distribution: The spectacled bear is restricted to the Andes Mountains of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, western Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina, and is the only bear species native to South America. Source

Did You Know?

Distinctive cream or white markings around the eyes and throat, which can resemble spectacles, give the species both its English and Japanese common names. Source
It mainly inhabits Andean cloud forests at elevations of 1,800 to 3,300 meters, but also uses grasslands, deserts, and dry forests across its range. Source
One of only four arboreal bear species, its ability to climb even the tallest trees is thought to have been key to its survival alongside expanding human populations. Source

Where to See This Species

2 facilities · 0 individuals

横浜市立よこはま動物園 (Yokohama Shiritsu Yokohama Doubutsuen)KanagawaOpened in 1999

横浜市立よこはま動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical GardensAichiOpened in 1937

名古屋市東山動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

IUCNではVU。アンデス地域の生息地喪失が課題です。

Habitat

アンデス山脈の雲霧林、山地林、草地。

Threats

森林減少と分断
狩猟
人との軋轢

Conservation & Breeding Efforts

生息地の保全
飼育下繁殖と教育活動

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org

Support Conservation

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Visit: A visit itself helps support the facility.
Animal Supporter Programs & Giving: Find ways to support the facility through its official website.
Furusato Nozei: Municipally run facilities may share official guidance for this Japanese hometown-tax program.

FAQ

Why is it called the spectacled bear?: It gets its name from the pale cream or white markings that often encircle its eyes, which can resemble a pair of glasses. Source
What do spectacled bears eat?: Their diet is mostly plant-based, including fruit, bromeliads, palm nuts, bamboo, and bark, with meat such as insects and small vertebrates making up only about 5 to 7 percent of intake. Source
Are spectacled bears endangered?: The IUCN lists them as Vulnerable, with habitat loss from agricultural expansion and illegal mining posing the main threats to wild populations. Source

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org