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country: Bolivia

The Andean bear or Jucumari (Tremarctos ornatus), the only bear species in South America, is classified as Vulnerable (VU) by the IUCN. As a flagship species of the tropical Andes, it inhabits cloud forests and highland grasslands that are essential for water regulation and climate stability. Yet in Bolivia, habitat loss and human–wildlife conflict increasingly threaten its survival.

Despite its ecological importance, up-to-date and systematic information on the Jucumari’s distribution and ecology remains limited. In the department of Santa Cruz, the most recent published study dates back 27 years and was conducted near Amboró National Park. This substantial knowledge gap underscores the urgent need to generate updated data to guide effective conservation strategies.

The project by Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Ecología FUNDECO/ Programa de Conservación JUKUMARI will assess the presence and distribution of the Andean bear in the municipalities of Mairana, Samaipata, and Comarapa. Through participatory monitoring, trained local residents will document signs of bear presence and identify key threats, particularly conflicts related to livestock.

In parallel, the initiative will implement environmental outreach and awareness activities across the region, including community talks, educational materials, and local engagement events. These actions aim to strengthen understanding of the species’ ecological importance, reduce conflict, and foster a culture of coexistence.

By integrating scientific research, participatory monitoring, and environmental education, this project will generate updated evidence, empower local communities, and reinforce the Jucumari’s role as a key indicator of ecosystem health in the tropical Andes.

Bears in Mind financially supports this project since 2026.

…lives at the southern end of the Tropical Andes (Bolivia and Argentina). This region is one of the last areas of dispersion in the evolutionary history of this species. In the Southern Tropical Andes complex, the Andean bear may be a key species for understanding the general prospects that will be presented in the medium term for conserving other bear species in extreme environments or their core populations in the context of current climate change.

Within the framework of the Juco Project-Binational Yaguajuco Project (Juco means bear in the Runasimi
language, and yaguá means jaguar in the Guaraní language, both indigenous languages of the region),
the objectives of this research are to characterize the trophic ecology, food resource availability, habitat
use and quality, and seasonal movements of the Andean bear in this environment of contrasts. This
study is essential for characterizing the degree of adaptability and threat that bears and their habitat
could face in the immediate future due to various anthropogenic pressures and changes in the climate
and ecosystem regimes.