The spectacled bear lives in South America in the Andes Mountains,  in remote and barren regions.  This is probably also one of the reasons why this bear is not yet extinct.  They mostly live in the mountain forests of the Andes at an elevation of about 2,000 meters,  but also on steppes and even in desert areas. The spectacled bear has light markings around the eyes, which make it look as if the eyes are set in holes. The marking around the eyes is however typical of the spectacled bear and every bear has its unique marking. The spectacled bear’s short and thick fur ranges from dark brown to black,and they have strong claws. The spectacled bear is a relatively small bear.

Diet
The spectacled bear is mainly a plant eater and feeds on nuts, fruits, laurel, figs, young leaves, tree bark, seeds, herbs and honey. The spectacled bear has a strong preference for the hearts of the bromeliad plant.  Very rarely the bear will also eat mice, rabbits, insects or even lamb or deer.

Hibernation
The spectacled bear does not go into hibernation.

Social behaviour
The spectacled bear is solitary. They tend to avoid each other, but are not territorial. Out of all bears, the spectacled bear makes the most use of trees: to search for food, to escape but also to rest. They build a nest or feeding platform by pulling leafy branches together.

Status
The spectacled bear is one of the most endangered bear species, despite its large habitat and perfect adaptation to living in the most barren parts of the Andes and beyond. Its IUCN-status is ‘Vulnerable’. It is estimated that only a few thousand spectacled bears remain, due to poaching and loss of habitat.

Factsheet Brilbeer (Tremarctos ornatus)