The only bear native to South America, living in the Andes, and the last of the short-faced bears. It is named for the pale markings on its face and chest, which can look like spectacles. It eats more plants than most bears; only about 5–7% of its diet is meat.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?Can be
Only one human death has ever been reported, and that bear was being hunted and had already been shot.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Day & night
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inSouth America
HabitatMountains
ColoursBlack, Cream
SizeLarge
Length1.2–2 m (head and body)
Height70–90 cm at the shoulder
WeightMales 100–200 kg, females 35–82 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives alone
Lives for20–25 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- The Andes of northern and western South America.
- What it eats
- Mostly plants such as cactus and bromeliads, crops such as sugarcane and maize, some honey and a little meat.
- Conservation
- Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)
Did you know
South America's only bear, and the model for Paddington.
The children’s character Paddington Bear is a spectacled bear from Peru.
A captive spectacled bear in Maryland lived to 37 years and 11 months.
Often confused with
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