Spectacled Bears

Diet and Food Sources

The spectacled bear eats fruit, sugarcane, corn, and other plants. It can also catch and eat small rodents, birds, and insects.

Habits

The bears are frequently found climbing in trees, where they gather food.

Bear cubs will stay with the mother for six to eight months before they are on their own. Cubs survival depends on the skill of the mother in protecting them and then teaching them the basics of finding food.

Spectacled bears do not hibernate because food can be found all year long.

Location (where in the world they are found)

Spectacled bears are found in Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. These are countries in South America.

Home (habitat where you find the bear)

The spectacled bear lives in the moist tropical forests on the side of Andes mountains. It may also be found in deserts and alpine meadows, but not often. They prefer extremely dense jungle.

Physical Description (what they look like)

The spectacled bear is a large mammal. They have have a heavy body, short tail, rounded ears. The bear has very powerful jaws and strong teeth. Their claws are for climbing. They have a shaggy, black, fur coat. They have white markings around the eyes.

Adult spectacled bears are 30 inches tall when standing on all four legs. They have are 4 to 6 feet long. A spectacled bear can weigh from 175 to 275 pounds. Females are smaller than males.

Spectacled bears can live to be 25 years old.

Population (the number of bears that are alive)

The spectacled bear is an endangered species. There are less than 2,000 of these bears still in the wild.

Fun Facts

• The spectacled bear is named spectacled because it appears to be wearing glasses.
• It is the only bear found in South America.
• Cubs are born blind and very tiny.