Bear Conservation
Bear conservation: Andean
bears are an endangered species vulnerable to extinction and there are
thought to be fewer than 20,000 wild Andean or spectacled bears.
In order to save the bears, we work in several
different aspects of bear conservation.
Bear Rescue is
unfortunately necessary when local people illegally take bears into
captivity - usually cubs orphaned when their mothers are shot.
By rescuing these bear cubs we not only save them from a life
of captivity but also return them to the breeding population in the
wild to help with conservation of the species as a whole.
Find out more about Andean
bear rescue.
Bear Rehab & Release
- when possible we rehabilitate and liberate rescued Andean bears so
that they can go on to breed and strengthen the genetic diversity of
this endangered bear species.
Find
out
more about the rehabilitation
and release of Andean bears.
Bear Capture & Tracking -
this project captures and radio-collars Andean bears to track their
movements and understand more about their needs, in order to produce an
effective bear conservation plan.
See more about how we capture
and track bears.
Project Results - as
a result of our research, the world now understands more about the
space and conditions that Andean bears need to survive - information
vital for bear conservation.
See more about the Andean
Bear Conservation Project Results.
Research Interests -
there is still much to learn about the Andean bear and there are
research opportunities for PhD students with the project.
See topics for Andean bear research opportunities.
Community Involvement
- wildlife conservation has to include the local community if it is to
be
effective, so we work with communities living in bear country
to encourage them
in habitat conservation and protecting the bears.
Learn more about community
involvement in bear conservation.
Bear Sanctuary - we
rehabilitate and release rescued Andean bears when possible, but not
all are suitable for this process so we are raising funds for a Bear
Sanctuary in which to care for and study bears too old, habituated or
disabled to liberate.
Find out more about our plans for an Andean
Bear Sanctuary.
Andean
Bear Conservation Project: Bear Conservation
Conservation of Andean bears, also known as
spectacled bears or Tremarctos
ornatus, includes research, rescue and release, habitat
conservation and community involvement in bear country areas.
The Andean Bear Conservation Project would also like to
create an Andean bear sanctuary.
