|
|
|
The Spectacled Bear Numbers: Around 2,000 left in the wild, today the spectacled bear is another endangered species. Listed as Vulnerable by IUCN and on Appendix 1 of CITES. Found: The only breed of the world's eight species of bears that Habitat: Spectacled bears are most typically found in the mountainous forest regions of South America in a variety of habitats including grasslands, brush, rainforests, dry forests, costal scrub desert and cloud forest at altitudes ranging from 250—4,000 meters above sea level. They are excellent climbers and spend a great portion of their time in high tree branches or on platforms constructed , for resting and feeding, from branches and leaves. World wide only 18% of bear habitat is legally protected in parks and reserves however lack of enforcement means even these parks are under threat from colonists and extractive industries - like mining. Peru has more than 30% of the worlds habitat for spectacled bears and 20% of the parks but only 2 which are big enough to support spectacled bear populations. The Story... starts with Yinda a female spectacled bear who was raised by the family who found her as a 3 month old cub alone in a cornfield in Peru. Illegal in Peru to keep wild animals privately Yinda was to be, at 15 months, confiscated by the conservation and wildlife authorities and re-homed in a zoo. Heinz Plenge (a Peruvian Wildlife photographer) and Bernie Peyton (a bear biologist) well aware of the lack of high standard facilities for confiscated bears in Andean countries where the capacity of the few good ones is completely exhausted and standards in the others low with enclosures overcrowded, offered to take custody of Yinda and create a facility. The Problem(s): 1. Hunting This bear is hunted for its meat skin and fat. Hunted because locals believe they will attack their livestock - yet they do not eat meat in great quantities. They have a liking for corn and as well as getting shot when raiding farms they are often harmed by the pesticides/poisons farmers use to protect their crops. 2. Oriental medicine Gall bladders are valued and fetch a high price on the International market - currently $150 which is 5 times the monthly wage in Ecuador. 3. Performing Daria is just one of the bears in Chaparri who suffered numerous tortures and mutilations in the 4. Habitat loss In all Andean countries the habitat of the spectacled bear is being increasingly fragmented through logging and expansion of farm lands. Wild bears confronted with a shortage of The solution - Chaparri... Find a community which owns the land it is on in an area where Spectacled bears live and create a conservation-minded society that through conservation and management of natural resources will result in protection. Santa Catalina de Chongoyape, approximately 480 miles from the country’s capital Lima, was just the place. The coastal dry forest around Chaparri is used by spectacled bears, the 2000 villagers have legal title to 42,000 ha ranging from desert land up to cloud forest 1700m above sea level, and is where the first privately created reserve is located. |
Latest
News
June 2007 - new wild tigers photographed and second school opens in Sumatra funded by STT MORE May 2007 Latest news from Spectacled Bear Project - Peru MORE May
2007 Annual
report from Ecolombia. New babies latest photos 2007 Latest reports from Tiger patrol teams in Sumatra MORE 2007 Niger prepares emergency food aid for 1 million 2007
Latest Pictures of the bears of
Chaparri 2007 Are Niger's giraffes a fading spot on the horizon latest Peru November 2006 Two new young Andean Bears rescued and being reared for release into the wild. Motorbike and Cameras provided for Bear release programme Indonesia October 2006 New area of Sumatra is supported by Tiger Protection units (Bukit Duabelas NP and a very positive new management proposal for Sumatra put forward to the Indonesian government for providing tiger protection and monitoring in existing Four large areas in Sumatra. Colombia August 2006 Peru May 2006 Andean Condor release platform complete more |
|
Last updated: June 08, 2007 | Contact
and Site Information |
Press CTRL-D to add us to your favourites now |
The
Wildlife Protection
Foundation
