Spectacled Bears on the Road, an Hour Drive Away From Quito!

Ecuador is definitely a country full of surprises! A couple of friends were heading to the Papallacta Thermal Springs this past month of July, when they encountered a Spectacled Bear mom crossing the street with her two cubs. They watched the mother help her two cubs cross the highway and later climb back to the forest, with the same care a human mother would make sure her two babies make it safe across the street.

Spectacled Bears are in danger of extinction and hard to see: but here they were! Crossing the street only an hour drive away from the capital city.

This special experience is one of many that can happen in Ecuador due to the country’s amazing natural diversity. Only 4 hours away from this episode, in the Coast, other families were enjoying the amazing experience of watching Humpback whales jumping and playing around during their breeding period in Equatorial warm waters.

Usually the bigger the animals the more they call our attention, but Ecuador’s nature amazes in all its forms and sizes. It is a true Paradise for bird watchers, orchid collectors, marine-life lovers, and all of those who appreciate nature’s wonders. All close, all year round, Ecuador offers a spectacle of nature from high Andean ecosystems to tropical forest and the Pacific Coast, and  the unique Galapagos Islands as well.

THE SPECTACLED BEAR
The Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus) or Andean Bear is the only surviving species of bear native to South America. They live mainly in cloud forests (also known as Andean forest) and high Andean moorlands called ‘páramo’. They are found from Venezuela to Northern Argentina, including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.

Spectacled bears are classified as “short-faced bears” as their snouts are smaller as compared with other bears. They are the only surviving members of the subfamily Tremarctinae. Their diet is mosty vegetarian, and they have longer front than rear legs, making them excellent climbers.

The spectacled bear population is under threat for a number of reasons. Mainly, extensive logging and farming have led to a loss of their habitat. Also, the bears used to be hunted by locals due to a belief they ate livestock (although spectacled bears do not eat large quantities of meat).
The WWF website sites: “According to some researchers, the greatest number of bears is to be found on the borders between Colombia, Ecuador and Peru… Recent estimated population sizes for most areas are small, with a total estimate for the Northern Andes (excluding most of Peru, Bolivia and northern Argentina) comprised anywhere between 6,000 and 10,000 individuals.” According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), within country habitat occupancy models and genetic sampling have yielded estimates of approximately 2,000 Andean bears in Ecuador.

Article © by This is Ecuador Magazine  Order your monthly copy of This is Ecuador