Venezuela advances in the protection of the only South American native bear that is at risk of extinction

Venezuela has just taken an important step in preserving the habitat of the only native South American bear, the Frontino or Jukumari, after government authorities decreed the «Ramal de Calderas» National Park, an Andean area of the country that will now be under protection of the State.

The «Ramal de Calderas» National Park, which also bears the name of the Venezuelan Blessed José Gregorio Hernández, is located between the states of Trujillo, Barinas and Mérida, and is one of the most important ecological corridors in the country where the ‘Tremarctos ornatus’ (scientific name of the endangered species) lives.  The ‘spectacled’ bear is in a vulnerable state in South America and in danger of extinction in Venezuela.

The announcement was made by the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, this weekend. Maduro reported that this area will be integrated into the Areas Under the Special Administration Regime (ABRAE) along with other territories in the states of Nueva Esparta, Sucre and Falcón. This measure is «to protect all the natural areas and spaces of the country», he said.

The Non-Governmental Organization Proyecto Oso Andino Guaramacal, founded in 2016 in Boconó, Trujillo state, by the ecologist Marcos Hidalgo, and which last June confirmed the discovery of two Jukumari cubs with their mother, celebrated the declaration of the «Ramal de Calderas» as a Park National and highlighted – through a statement – that «it represents a very important achievement» obtained by the struggle of different actors, whose «fundamental objective is the integral protection of the Andean Bear territory», reviewed RT.

In their publication, they highlighted having received the news «with great joy and satisfaction», since the area in question, which includes «an area that exceeds 500 square kilometers», is part of the «Study Area» of the project. In addition, they congratulated «all the scientists» and the governmental authorities who were involved in the process to materialize the decree.

Venezuela protects biological diversity

The «Ramal de Calderas», which has become the 44th National Park of Venezuela, according to the NGO, «houses extensive and very well preserved territories of cloud forests and Andean moors, which ensure connectivity between the Guaramacal National Park and the rest of the Cordillera de Mérida.

In addition, this extensive territory is a mountainous area that exceeds 2,000 meters in altitude and has an important biological diversity, in which at least 14 species of bears live and share their habitat with 17 other species, including mammals such as pumas, coatis, picures, limpets (in vulnerability) and birds like the paují (in reduction).

«If all this territory is conserved, it will also be ensuring a better future for the region and its biological diversity», says part of the NGO statement whose first objective is to remove the jukumari from the «endangered» list state and take it, at least, to the state of «vulnerable».

The members of this organization, who carry out continuous activities to raise awareness, also hope that these concrete actions will serve to bring people closer to the conservation of this unique species. In the world there are seven other types of bears: Polar, Brown, American Black, Panda, Bezudo, Malay and Asian Black.

The bear is also known in South America as ‘the savage’, a large decorated bear or ‘spectacled’ bear, due to its particular features on its face. It is present in the Andes Mountains, in the cold mountains of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia; and there is talk of possible sightings in the north of Argentina and in the Darien of Panama.

Its greatest threat is humans and poaching, an activity that represents a setback for the conservation of this mythical animal. They also affect the expansion of the agricultural frontier and unregulated productive activities, which generate fragmentation of territories and loss of habitat.

It is a solitary species that does not represent a danger to humans and adapts its diet according to where it is. It is between 1.30 and 1.90 meters tall, and can weigh between 80 and 125 kilos. It has rough and uniform hair color, between black and dark brown, it has a short muzzle, light brown or white with whitish spots around the eyes and nose, marks that go down the neck to the chest.