Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2011 22:22:55 GMT -5
Spectacled Bear - Tremarctos ornatus
These are the last remaining representatives of the short-faced bears.
Life span
20-25 years
Statistics
Body length: 150-180cm, Weight: males: 100-155kg, females: 64-82kg.
Physical Description
Spectacled bears have thick black or brown fur with medium length hair. They have pale yellow bands across the base of nose and sometimes across their foreheads to the cheeks and throat, giving the appearance of a pair of spectacles. Lines or patches of white may also extend onto the chest.
Distribution
Spectacled bears are the only bear species found in South America. They inhabit the mountainous regions of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.
Habitat
Spectacled bears occupy a variety of habitats, including grassland, brush, rainforests, dry forest and coastal scrub desert, although they are typically found in mountain forest.
Diet
They have a varied diet depending on seasonal and altitudinal food availability, but they favour plants such as bromeliads, palms, orchids and fruits. A lesser part of their diet is made up of nuts, seeds, carrion and small animals.
Behaviour
Little is known of the social behaviour of spectacled bears in the wild, but they are thought to be solitary except for mothers and their cubs. They use a variety of calls to communicate with one another vocally in captivity. They are excellent climbers and often construct platforms in trees for resting and feeding. Spectacled bears are thought to be nocturnal
Reproduction
Mating takes place between May and August, and females give birth to 1-3 cubs from January to March.
Conservation status
Spectacled bears are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and are on CITES: Appendix I. Their main threat is loss of habitat, but they are also hunted for sport and by farmers. Farmers also spray special pesticides on to their corn fields to protect their crops from the bears.
Notes
Spectacled bears have only 13 pairs of ribs compared to 14 pairs in other bears, and are the last remaining representatives of the extinct short-faced bears. The largest specimen recorded is estimated to have weighed 1,000kg, but they were thought to average at about 600kg. They roamed the Americas about 2 million-10,000 years ago.
These are the last remaining representatives of the short-faced bears.
Life span
20-25 years
Statistics
Body length: 150-180cm, Weight: males: 100-155kg, females: 64-82kg.
Physical Description
Spectacled bears have thick black or brown fur with medium length hair. They have pale yellow bands across the base of nose and sometimes across their foreheads to the cheeks and throat, giving the appearance of a pair of spectacles. Lines or patches of white may also extend onto the chest.
Distribution
Spectacled bears are the only bear species found in South America. They inhabit the mountainous regions of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.
Habitat
Spectacled bears occupy a variety of habitats, including grassland, brush, rainforests, dry forest and coastal scrub desert, although they are typically found in mountain forest.
Diet
They have a varied diet depending on seasonal and altitudinal food availability, but they favour plants such as bromeliads, palms, orchids and fruits. A lesser part of their diet is made up of nuts, seeds, carrion and small animals.
Behaviour
Little is known of the social behaviour of spectacled bears in the wild, but they are thought to be solitary except for mothers and their cubs. They use a variety of calls to communicate with one another vocally in captivity. They are excellent climbers and often construct platforms in trees for resting and feeding. Spectacled bears are thought to be nocturnal
Reproduction
Mating takes place between May and August, and females give birth to 1-3 cubs from January to March.
Conservation status
Spectacled bears are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and are on CITES: Appendix I. Their main threat is loss of habitat, but they are also hunted for sport and by farmers. Farmers also spray special pesticides on to their corn fields to protect their crops from the bears.
Notes
Spectacled bears have only 13 pairs of ribs compared to 14 pairs in other bears, and are the last remaining representatives of the extinct short-faced bears. The largest specimen recorded is estimated to have weighed 1,000kg, but they were thought to average at about 600kg. They roamed the Americas about 2 million-10,000 years ago.