The Conservamos la Vida program, led by Fundación Grupo Argos, Parques Nacionales Naturales, and WCS Colombia, in their efforts to protect the Andean bear, installed 9 camera traps in Tatamá National Park and recorded 10 individuals. These images bring new hope for the recovery of the species’ populations, which have declined due to habitat deforestation.
Andean bears are bioindicators, meaning that whenever they are seen in an ecosystem, it can be concluded that the area is in good environmental condition. They disperse seeds and thus help renew the flora of the páramos and cloud forests, which are the source of many of our water supplies.
Conservamos la Vida has successfully established a biological corridor spanning two thousand hectares of conservation, allowing Andean bears to move more safely between Risaralda, Valle, and Cauca. The support of local communities has been crucial, as many rural farmers have signed agreements to protect the habitat of Tremarctos ornatus, the species’ scientific name.
The Andean bear is the only bear species in South America; in Colombia, it can be found in 22 of the country’s 59 National Protected Areas. Generally, each female has between two and four cubs. Individual bears can weigh up to 175 kilograms.
Traslated with AI support