ABOUT BEARS

Ongoing research has identified two distinct bear populations, one in the equatorial dry forest and a second in the montane forest/paramo ecosystems. Our research on dry forest bears started in 2008. The open landscape and arid climate in the dry forest provide ideal research conditions because the bears are highly visible and bear signs, like scat and tree markings, are well-preserved. With the exception of this population in the equatorial dry forest of northern Peru, spectacled bears are most commonly found in high elevation humid forests.

In 2015, we discovered undocumented populations of spectacled bears and mountain tapir when we expanded our study area to higher elevation montane forest and paramo ecosystems. Our conservation programs focus on protecting spectacled bears and their habitat in all ecosystems. The data we collect in these ecosystems also benefits mountain tapir conservation.