Welcome to Edition IV of our eagerly anticipated newsletter. We apologise
for the delay; With all the exciting things happening on the project it
is sometimes hard to find time to write it all down!
This month we have in store for you the full-throttle story of the capture
of our 13th (lucky for some) bear on the team, a 300 pound male named Fernando!
We also have our first feature written by the spiritualistic member of our
team, the Reverend Alberto Tabango on the compensation program set up to
repay bear induced damages in corn fields. He will also discuss this years
compensation plans with the new corn season imminent.
Anyone who would like
to help us repay poor farmers for their damaged crop, preventing human-bear
conflict, maintaining local respect and preventing hunting practices,
please visit our donation section.
Much appreciated. Thanks for your support!
We also have an update on the progress of the reintroduced bears from the
Yanahurco Reserve written by head biologist Armando Castellanos. The progress
of the female bear Colleen will be documented after 16 months of freedom
following her very successful rehabilitation and release.
We have an update on Leo and Beto, two male bears reintroduced last summer.
We follow Leo’s sad return to captivity after not adapting to the wild and
also the very promising news regarding Beto, who has recently been seen
20 Km away from his release site, near Lake Mica on the slopes of the
Antisana volcano. Incredible!.
Continuing with the good news, we rescued
a female bear cub named Olguita in early March, which is currently in the
Yanahurco enclosure, we are to release a female bear we currently have in
rehabilitation in April. She will also be released in the Yanahurco Reserve,
with the help of Australian TV company, Extinction Sucks, Parco Natura Viva
from Italy and anonymous Ecuadorian donors. She will be the first Andean
bear fitted with a GPS collar in the biological history of the species.
Enjoy the stories! Spread the good word! Cheers to you all!
The Andean Bear Project Team.
Compensation for farmers who lose their crops to bear raids is one of the many
ways we are working to keep the peace between bears and farmers. A small amount
of money (usually $20 or $30) can help a farmer survive until next season and
save a bear from being hunted and shot.
We need your help!
As always we are in need of your support. Help us support farmers who have
lost their crops to bear attacks. In these remote regions farmers are incredibly
poor and losing a season of crops to a bear spells disaster. A few dollars
can give these farmers an alternative to hunting and killing bears as pests,
please see the donation section
for more information.
For those who have the energy and taste for adventure, why not come and volunteer
with us for a few weeks. See areas of Ecuador rarely visited, be part of the local
culture and, best of all, contribute to the preservation of the Andean Bear. Anyone
can volunteer, see the volunteer
section on our website for more details.
