header: Spectacled Bear
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Tremarctos ornatus (F.G. Cuvier, 1825)

CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Research Programmes, Venezuela:10 Research was completed during 1993 on the distribution and feeding habits of bears in the Venezuelan Andes. Ninety percent of bear habitat and distribution is within National Parks. Results suggest that a coherent programme of education is needed for the people who live in and around the parks. The conservation group Provita has also completed a study on human-bear interactions in the Sierra National Park in order to design a public education programme for the wilderness areas.

Reintroduction Programme, Ecuador:11 The reintroduction of three illegally captured Spectacled Bear cubs is currently being undertaken at Maquipucuna Reserve (47 km2), Ecuador. The bears are being familiarised with the cloud-forest surroundings before they are released. Once released they will be radio-tracked for 15 months.

Protected Area Development, Ecuador:6 The Ecuadorian government established the El Angel Ecological Reserve in 1992. The reserve is known to hold a population of Spectacled Bears, as well as being important for many other Andean animals. The Antisana Ecological Reserve was established in 1993. This adds another 1,200 km2 to the adjacent Ecological Reserve of Cayambe-Coca (4,031 km2) and the most recently established National Park of Sumaco-Napo Galeras (created with 2,052 km2 in 1994). Linkage of protected areas assists in preventing populations becoming fragmented, allows dispersal of individuals and maintains viable populations.

World Heritage Site, Sanguay National Park, Ecuador:6 To protect the Paute River watershed the National Park had its size nearly doubled from 2,719 to 5,177 km2 in 1992. This helped to further protect the Spectacled Bear population of the park, and other threatened species which are present, such as the Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque).

Reduction of Human-Bear Conflict:6 Conservation measures currently being assisted by the IUCN Species Survival Commission Spectacled Bear Specialist Group (SBSG) include: augmenting Park boundaries, creating limited human use zones in buffer areas surrounding Parks, development of alternative resources or methods of harvest (education, orchid farming, palm oil extraction, strip forestry, pharmaceuticals, tourism), and improved agriculture.

Bear Action Plan:9 An Action Plan for Bear Conservation is in preparation by the IUCN/Species Survival Commission, Bear Specialist Group. The Plan is intended to be the main source document for bear and bear habitat management authorities for the next 20 years. Recommendations for the Spectacled Bear are expected to replace/update those given in the Tentative Spectacled Bear Action Plan.3

Other Projects: WWF is working to protect Spectacled Bear habitat on the Columbia/Ecuador border (Project 9L0716: Conservation and Management of Awa Territory of Columbia and Ecuador) and in the Peruvian Andes (Project PE0851: Protection and Management of Rio Abiseo National Park).


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