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.

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.