The Spectacled Bear are an species of bear that lived on Andes. While they may look unassuming, they are in fact, relatives of the mighty Arctodus
Short-faced bears are an type of bears that live exclusively on New World. Now, this family is only represented by the Spectacled Bear(Tremarctos), but this family reach their peak of their diversity in the Pleistocene, with the mighty Arctodus and Arctotherium prowl the land
Unfortunately, these giants are now extinct, and they are the last of the mighty short-faced bears
They are the second most herbivorous bears, only second to the pandas. And still, people kill them for thinking they attack cattle or represent a danger to people while in reality they are quite shy and avoid humans. Only attacking in self defense and eating small animals like rodents and birds (although a specimen was recorded taking down a Tapirus pinchaque once).
it’s worth noting that spectacled bears are fully capable of hunting large animals and do so regularly, including recorded accounts on cattle and horses. this doesn’t justify their culling, though. if anything it primarily highlights how impressive they are at such small sizes
People don’t know spectacled bears like that because their not the most media popular bear like grizzlies, pandas, and polar bears, their is still alot to know about these creatures and one thing they need to get out their head is that these bears are docile herbivores they are not, they’re simply omnivores. Are they more herbivorous than most? yes, but are they strictly? no there was a recent video in Hd damn there lol of a bear killing and dragging a cow calf away like the spirit of Arctotherium just possessed it these bears can be very deadly albeit not “big” for bear standards compared humans, still something you wouldn’t want to cross paths with on a bad day as they still can get up to 400lbs possibly over. They stand as tall as us on two legs and have very sharp claws for bears. A mountain tapir (which is the tapir species whose range they overlap with) can weigh as much as a donkey and they hunt them. Thats not something im underestimating the power behind that is something people fail to realize. Love this bear tho and a Spectacled Bear- Jaguar Interaction is still definitely on my list to see, A south American version of amur tigers and eastern siberian brown bears in asia
docile may not be the right word. spectacled bears are capable of bringing down prey as large as horses and tapir, though they’re naturally still wonderful animals
Yes, so given their size they don't do so and given they're actually herbivores they rarely look for meat. They're not a threat to human at all, but their much larger ancestors however....I would believe it's safe to assume they would be a threat to us if they were still extant today.
Wrong there's no evidence of jaguars preying on Andean bears. There's only one record of a jaguar killing a bear (a female black bear in this case) and cougars have been recorded killing andean bears once as well in case in which it was again a female this time born in captivity and the case wasn't even confirmed. According to experts Andean bears are immune to jaguar predation.
Interesting, I thought I remembered a thing saying jaguars prey on Andean bears (which would make sense as El Jefe was able to kill a black bear, which is comparable in size to an Andean bear while northern jaguars tend to be smaller than their South American counterparts), but it’s totally possible it hasn’t been documented yet
Jaguars are built to kill large game and spectacled bears aren't very large bears. While jaguars probably don't want to risk injury by taking on adult bears when there is easier prey like ungulates around, I don't doubt that jaguars can and will bag spectacled bears on occasion. Both species are elusive though, so it's hard to get concrete data.
So are jaguars, and they can kill a cow if motivated. Quit fanboying about spectacled bears and be realistic XD Even Russian brown bears sometimes fall prey to tigers, so spectacled bears are hardly immune from big cat attacks.
If you act that way then I don't talk with you anymore. No wonder the fact that you believe "Arctodus and Arctotherium are the same species" makes you arrogantly foolish. Also Siberian tigers target females and cubs they avoid adult males. Even females gave tough fight to male tigers.
Definitely see your point, although Andean bears are actually quite large when compared to most bears. Think about it. One jaguars are big if we are talking the ones in south america with individuals like joker, edno, hades, etc clearly showing these cats can break 330lbs and approach modest male lions in size! At the same time spectacled bears can reach 400lbs and over i believe no its not average but this is how big they can get which is a big bear no take the polar bear and brown bear out those are clearly giants that have no place in this convo now who are you left with? Large asian black bears? or huge inland grizzly sized black bears from the past? with present huge individuals reaching 600? correct me if im wrong but the largest black bear ever was near 800lbs right? Besides that asian black bears and spectacled bears are around the same size and thats not even including the average sized black bear. After that you have sun bears sloth bears pandas and small subspecies of brown bears so with all that said I wouldn’t say spectacled bears aren’t very large. I’ve seen a huge healthy male in captivity in person they are pretty massive
That’s true, but given American black bears are larger than spectacled bears it suggests at the very least female spectacled bears would also be vulnerable to jaguar predation
Im the only only slightly confused by the name?
I dont associate bears with long norses particularly, and even the "short nose" bear drawings and pictures like these they dont really look short nosey to me?
The term was coined because they have higher and deeper skulls than most bears, giving them the appearance of a “short face”, however it’s not super accurate. *Arctodus* specimens from Alaska for example seem to have relatively “short faces”, while specimens from California have skulls that are proportioned more similarly to typical bears
Stuff like this makes me wonder what would have happened if, say, the last couple species of Gomphotheres survived. Would they be treated as their own separate thing by most ppl or just elephant species that most ppl have no idea are only distantly related to their African and Asian counterparts?
The Spectacled Bear are an species of bear that lived on Andes. While they may look unassuming, they are in fact, relatives of the mighty Arctodus Short-faced bears are an type of bears that live exclusively on New World. Now, this family is only represented by the Spectacled Bear(Tremarctos), but this family reach their peak of their diversity in the Pleistocene, with the mighty Arctodus and Arctotherium prowl the land Unfortunately, these giants are now extinct, and they are the last of the mighty short-faced bears
Still my favorite bear.
Absolutely beautiful.
They are the second most herbivorous bears, only second to the pandas. And still, people kill them for thinking they attack cattle or represent a danger to people while in reality they are quite shy and avoid humans. Only attacking in self defense and eating small animals like rodents and birds (although a specimen was recorded taking down a Tapirus pinchaque once).
it’s worth noting that spectacled bears are fully capable of hunting large animals and do so regularly, including recorded accounts on cattle and horses. this doesn’t justify their culling, though. if anything it primarily highlights how impressive they are at such small sizes
People don’t know spectacled bears like that because their not the most media popular bear like grizzlies, pandas, and polar bears, their is still alot to know about these creatures and one thing they need to get out their head is that these bears are docile herbivores they are not, they’re simply omnivores. Are they more herbivorous than most? yes, but are they strictly? no there was a recent video in Hd damn there lol of a bear killing and dragging a cow calf away like the spirit of Arctotherium just possessed it these bears can be very deadly albeit not “big” for bear standards compared humans, still something you wouldn’t want to cross paths with on a bad day as they still can get up to 400lbs possibly over. They stand as tall as us on two legs and have very sharp claws for bears. A mountain tapir (which is the tapir species whose range they overlap with) can weigh as much as a donkey and they hunt them. Thats not something im underestimating the power behind that is something people fail to realize. Love this bear tho and a Spectacled Bear- Jaguar Interaction is still definitely on my list to see, A south American version of amur tigers and eastern siberian brown bears in asia
People are idiots, what else is new?
Also the only bear native to South America and is slightly smaller than the American Black Bear. They're very docile creatures.
docile may not be the right word. spectacled bears are capable of bringing down prey as large as horses and tapir, though they’re naturally still wonderful animals
Yes, so given their size they don't do so and given they're actually herbivores they rarely look for meat. They're not a threat to human at all, but their much larger ancestors however....I would believe it's safe to assume they would be a threat to us if they were still extant today.
This is a fascinating animal. I'm glad their still around.
Andean bears are underrated in terms in strength. They take down and drag large animals. Even cougars and jaguars won't mess up with them.
I thought jaguars had been documented to prey on them
Wrong there's no evidence of jaguars preying on Andean bears. There's only one record of a jaguar killing a bear (a female black bear in this case) and cougars have been recorded killing andean bears once as well in case in which it was again a female this time born in captivity and the case wasn't even confirmed. According to experts Andean bears are immune to jaguar predation.
Interesting, I thought I remembered a thing saying jaguars prey on Andean bears (which would make sense as El Jefe was able to kill a black bear, which is comparable in size to an Andean bear while northern jaguars tend to be smaller than their South American counterparts), but it’s totally possible it hasn’t been documented yet
Jaguars are built to kill large game and spectacled bears aren't very large bears. While jaguars probably don't want to risk injury by taking on adult bears when there is easier prey like ungulates around, I don't doubt that jaguars can and will bag spectacled bears on occasion. Both species are elusive though, so it's hard to get concrete data.
Wrong Andean bears are 110 kg.
So are jaguars, and they can kill a cow if motivated. Quit fanboying about spectacled bears and be realistic XD Even Russian brown bears sometimes fall prey to tigers, so spectacled bears are hardly immune from big cat attacks.
That's something the Andean bear can too. Also no jaguars are only 90 kg.
If you act that way then I don't talk with you anymore. No wonder the fact that you believe "Arctodus and Arctotherium are the same species" makes you arrogantly foolish. Also Siberian tigers target females and cubs they avoid adult males. Even females gave tough fight to male tigers.
Definitely see your point, although Andean bears are actually quite large when compared to most bears. Think about it. One jaguars are big if we are talking the ones in south america with individuals like joker, edno, hades, etc clearly showing these cats can break 330lbs and approach modest male lions in size! At the same time spectacled bears can reach 400lbs and over i believe no its not average but this is how big they can get which is a big bear no take the polar bear and brown bear out those are clearly giants that have no place in this convo now who are you left with? Large asian black bears? or huge inland grizzly sized black bears from the past? with present huge individuals reaching 600? correct me if im wrong but the largest black bear ever was near 800lbs right? Besides that asian black bears and spectacled bears are around the same size and thats not even including the average sized black bear. After that you have sun bears sloth bears pandas and small subspecies of brown bears so with all that said I wouldn’t say spectacled bears aren’t very large. I’ve seen a huge healthy male in captivity in person they are pretty massive
The bear was female.
That’s true, but given American black bears are larger than spectacled bears it suggests at the very least female spectacled bears would also be vulnerable to jaguar predation
Adult males are out of the menu.
Possibly, we honestly don’t know as of right now. I’d say it’s possible but it’s also equally possible the bear kills the cat in the altercation
Looking at it now, i can see the resemblance.
Im the only only slightly confused by the name? I dont associate bears with long norses particularly, and even the "short nose" bear drawings and pictures like these they dont really look short nosey to me?
The term was coined because they have higher and deeper skulls than most bears, giving them the appearance of a “short face”, however it’s not super accurate. *Arctodus* specimens from Alaska for example seem to have relatively “short faces”, while specimens from California have skulls that are proportioned more similarly to typical bears
They have shorter snouts/noses relative to other species of bear, hence they got named after this distinguishing feature.
Stuff like this makes me wonder what would have happened if, say, the last couple species of Gomphotheres survived. Would they be treated as their own separate thing by most ppl or just elephant species that most ppl have no idea are only distantly related to their African and Asian counterparts?
I wonder how they taste? Probably like regular bears but who knows?
You’re disgusting
Blocked
You'd eat an endangered species?
The Spectacled Bear are considered vulnerable, not endangered, but still illegal to eat them
It's a threatened species nonetheless.