Silhouettes of two researchers in the field at sunset in northern Peru spectacled bear habitat

Cactus, Cliffs and Adventure: A Glimpse of Life In The Field

While COVID has affected many aspects of our community programs, field work is the one activity that has not been impacted.

Monitoring spectacled bears in the field takes patience, a sense of adventure, and a love for the rugged forest terrain in northern Peru.

The job description of our field team is not for the faint of heart.

Field work is waiting quietly for days at a time for the chance to directly observe bears (but sometimes not at all). It is covering countless miles on foot exploring for new bear populations. It requires navigating challenging terrain with cactus, cliffs, dense forests, and rivers to install camera traps that capture bear life in the wild.

But most of all, it takes a passion for protecting spectacled bears.

Here is a glimpse of our field team at work.

Researcher in a field blind photographing wildlife with a long lens camera in spectacled bear habitat in Peru

Rocky cliff face in northern Peru spectacled bear habitat used for field research and camera trap placement
Researcher traversing a rocky cliff face in northern Peru while conducting spectacled bear field research
Researcher resting in misty forest in northern Peru during spectacled bear fieldwork, wearing rain gear and carrying camping backpack
Researcher climbing a tree in northern Peru during spectacled bear fieldwork to install or check a camera trap
Researcher crossing a river in northern Peru during spectacled bear fieldwork to locate habitat and install camera traps Our team searches for forest areas bears use with a food source, a waterhole, or signs of bear presence like scat and tree markings. Then they install camera traps to capture bear activity.
Researcher on mountain peaks in northern Peru during spectacled bear fieldwork surveying habitat for camera trap placement

Field work is the critical first step in protecting spectacled bears.

When we have the data to understand bear behavior, how they use the forest, and the urgent threats to their habitat, we can work with local communities and government authorities to effectively protect the vital areas bears need to survive in the wild.

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