MAKE A GIFT TO PROTECT THE ONLY BEAR IN SOUTH AMERICA
WHERE WE WORK
Where We Work
We conduct our conservation work in both the Lambayeque and Cajamarca regions of Peru. Cerro Venado, where we first observed Laura, has been our main study area in the equatorial dry forest for the past 12 years. The mountain and surrounding area, located in the La Leche river basin, contains prime spectacled bear habitat and is in close proximity to the community of Batán Grande.
This area also has special cultural and archaeological significance in Peru. The Batán Grande area is known as the center of the pre-Incan Sicán civilization. The National Sanctuary of the Pomac Forest (Bosque de Pomac) is a large protected dry forest area and holds a complex of ancient pyramid ruins. Our field research contributed to the creation of a new protected area called El Parque Arqueológico y Ecológico de Batán Grande (Parque Batán Grande). Parque Batán Grande connects with El Refugio del Vida Silvestre de Laquipampa (Refugio Laquipampa). We are working to link these areas to others in a conservation corridor for spectacled bears that spans a large elevational gradient across the La Leche basin.
The SBC Conservation Center
Our conservation center is located in Batán Grande, Lambayeque, Peru, and is the headquarters for our team and our work to protect spectacled bears. Our local Felti team meets here weekly, we hold Felti training workshops and host education sessions for local school children. It is also home to some special residents; we rescue and care for domestic animals, including horses, mules, donkeys, and goats. Our horses, Ryo, Jessie, Jenny and Leo, are important members of our field team, helping us transport supplies and personnel into the nearby dry forest study areas.
