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Post by brobear on Mar 19, 2018 4:19:30 GMT -5
shaggygod.proboards.com/ The first few photos show a giant anteater walking up the trail, which is not uncommon at that camera station, 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers) off the Interoceanic Highway at 4,176 feet (1,273 meters) elevation in primary forest. As the anteater, known in Spanish as an oso hormiguero, walked out of sight below the camera, the shine of two eyes became visible in the distance. When I first saw those eyes in the photo, I assumed that they were the eyes of another anteater. However, in fact they were the eyes of another oso, an oso andino, or Andean (spectacled) bear. This bear was walking up the trail, 9 to 16 feet (3 to 5 meters) behind the giant anteater. Both animals are partially visible in one photo, so it was not a case of the camera failing to record the correct time for the photos of the Andean bear; the two animals actually were in the same place at the same time. I could calculate the probability that this would happen simply by chance, but I don’t think I need to: the probability would be so small that I’m confident it’s not a coincidence. So, what was the Andean bear doing there and then? Other than coincidence, I can think of two hypotheses to explain why the animals were together. First, there is the possibility that the Andean bear was hunting the giant anteater. However, I think this is unlikely for three reasons: A) Based on the analysis of their feces, and the evidence they leave in the forest, Andean bears are thought to be primarily vegetarian. B) The posture of the giant anteater was not obviously any different than in any other photos, so although it had to be aware that it was being followed, there wasn’t any visual evidence that it was alarmed by the bear. C) Giant anteaters have strong forelimbs and claws, and I don’t think they would be easy prey for a bear. So, if the Andean bear wasn’t hunting the giant anteater, what was going on? I think my second hypothesis is plausible; I think the Andean bear may have been following the giant anteater to benefit from the anteater’s superior ability to find and excavate colonies of social insects, such as ants. In other words, the bear may have been acting as a type of parasite, waiting for the anteater to find food that it could pilfer. I don’t have any data to test the predictions of this hypothesis, I haven’t found any records of this behavior in the scientific literature, and none of the bear biologists I’ve asked has seen this type of behavior before. For now, it’s still a mystery as to why there were two types of bears in one photo.
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Post by brobear on Nov 19, 2018 2:33:28 GMT -5
animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/andean-spectacled-bear Say what? Andean bears are thought to use vocal communication more than any other bear except the giant panda. They make unique vocalizations that are quite "un-bear-like": a shrill screech and a soft, purring sound. Mother bears may use different vocalizations to communicate with their cubs.
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Post by brobear on Nov 19, 2018 2:44:45 GMT -5
www.aboutanimals.com/mammal/spectacled-bear/ Early researchers considered this species as vegetarian until recently, when biologists observed that they occasionally hunt and scavenge for meat as well. The bear feeds on beetles, termites, dead cows, rodents and other small mammals, for meat. Cattle killings in the region were often linked to the more notorious mountain lion, which shares its habitat with the spectacled bear in The Andes. Recently, when biologists got a hand on a cow that escaped an attack from a predator, they were able to closely study the inflicted wounds for the first time. A closer look was enough to clear the mist. Cats like leopards and mountain lions, inflict a damaging bite on the throat of their prey to suffocate the animal to death. Unlike the wild cats, bears bite the backbone of their prey to immobilise it. When they found a deep wound on the back of the cow, but nothing on its throat, it was clear that it was a bear attack; and the only bear in South America is the spectacled one.
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Post by King Kodiak on Nov 19, 2018 6:20:58 GMT -5
Nice find Brobear. That is a nice kill for a bear that only averages about 255 lbs.
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Post by BruteStrength on Nov 19, 2018 10:06:23 GMT -5
Spectacled bear vs mountain lion? Who takes this?
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Post by King Kodiak on Nov 19, 2018 12:16:23 GMT -5
Spectacled bear vs mountain lion? Who takes this? A grizzly cub beat a full grown mountain lion on video. That little cat cant fight face to face. spectacled bear wins. |
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Post by brobear on Nov 19, 2018 14:54:14 GMT -5
Spectacled bear vs mountain lion? Who takes this? Just scroll down to "Predators of Andean Bears"... Mature bears are not bothered by pumas or jaguars.  |
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Post by BruteStrength on Nov 19, 2018 20:55:35 GMT -5
This is great to hear brobear because this proves even more that when bears have a weight advantage over big cats then they are not really attacked or preyed on to the degree like of a cub.
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Post by King Kodiak on Apr 1, 2019 17:31:56 GMT -5
Bear necessities: New study highlights importance of water resources for Andean bears Date: January 15, 2019 Source: San Diego Zoo Global Summary: A new study highlights the importance of water for Andean bears living in the mountain forests of Peru. The study found that bears exhibit tree-rubbing behavior on shrubs and trees that are located on trails near water holes. The discovery that this behavior occurs near water holes could have implications for future conservation programs. FULL STORY www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190115104854.htm |
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Post by King Kodiak on Dec 8, 2019 6:50:41 GMT -5
The Andean bear also gets blamed for killing livestock that other predators really killed.Andean bear-livestock conflicts: A review We review the state of knowledge regarding conflicts between the Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) and livestock. Information was gathered from the current known geographic range of the species (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia). Andean bears are perceived as livestock predators where herding is common; bears are frequently blamed for any livestock disappearance or death. This negative perception often leads to the poaching of Andean bears by local residents and to a disregard of protected areas and conservation efforts. We found no systematic documentation of conflicts in any Andean country. Carcass dragging, feeding signs, and presence of tree and ground nests were common features of livestock depredation sites. Direct observation of cattle depredation by Andean bears was reported at 3 sites in Colombia and Ecuador. No seasonal or cyclic patterns of depredation were discerned, and evidence suggested that bear–livestock conflicts were restricted to particular sites and involved problem bears. The conservation of Andean bears requires research on rapid ways of dealing with problem bears, as well as mitigation techniques designed to reduce perceived and actual conflicts between bears and livestock. www.researchgate.net/publication/232693899_Andean_bear-livestock_conflicts_A_review
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Post by brobear on Dec 8, 2019 7:01:38 GMT -5
The Andean bear also gets blamed for killing livestock that other predators really killed.Andean bear-livestock conflicts: A review We review the state of knowledge regarding conflicts between the Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) and livestock. Information was gathered from the current known geographic range of the species (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia). Andean bears are perceived as livestock predators where herding is common; bears are frequently blamed for any livestock disappearance or death. This negative perception often leads to the poaching of Andean bears by local residents and to a disregard of protected areas and conservation efforts. We found no systematic documentation of conflicts in any Andean country. Carcass dragging, feeding signs, and presence of tree and ground nests were common features of livestock depredation sites. Direct observation of cattle depredation by Andean bears was reported at 3 sites in Colombia and Ecuador. No seasonal or cyclic patterns of depredation were discerned, and evidence suggested that bear–livestock conflicts were restricted to particular sites and involved problem bears. The conservation of Andean bears requires research on rapid ways of dealing with problem bears, as well as mitigation techniques designed to reduce perceived and actual conflicts between bears and livestock. www.researchgate.net/publication/232693899_Andean_bear-livestock_conflicts_A_review Quite possibly killed by puma and quite possibly the puma displaced by the bear. Remember, when a cat relinquishes a carcass, there is left behind no signs of a struggle because there was no struggle. |
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Post by King Kodiak on Dec 8, 2019 7:09:04 GMT -5
Yeah, we have seen this throughout history, bears being blamed for the killings of other predators. I mean the California grizzly is a great example of this. The livestock owners just assume...."it was a bear!"
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Post by brobear on Dec 8, 2019 8:41:49 GMT -5
Yeah, we have seen this throughout history, bears being blamed for the killings of other predators. I mean the California grizzly is a great example of this. The livestock owners just assume...."it was a bear!"
Both the giant panda and the Andean bear could be exempt from the rule ( neither are of the genus Ursus ). However, with the Andean bear ( descended from giant short-faced bears ) I would be surprised. On topic "Tiger vs Grizzly" beginning on reply #1703, I have compared the size ratio between sloth bear and leopard as well as between American black bear and cougar. We know that a cougar will relinquish his kill to a bear and the leopard does the same. The size ration between Amur tiger and Ussuri brown bear is no different. Andean bear - 340 pounds. Puma 230 pounds: a-z-animals.com/animals/puma/ 230 is 67.65% of 340. Note: we have only one verified case of a tiger killing a bear heavier than himself. That bear was a fat sub-adult male grizzly. |
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Post by King Kodiak on Dec 8, 2019 18:42:53 GMT -5
Well, i think is not so much about the ratio of weights between these animals, but more about their character and eating habits. The Andean beat is probably the second most vegetarian of all bear species, only about 5% of its diet is meat. Also, this bear is not very aggressive, only is when protecting its young.
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Post by King Kodiak on Dec 16, 2019 15:49:23 GMT -5
Andean bear Tremarctos ornatus (Carnivora: Ursidae) diet review in South America and new records to Peru In order to update the knowledge of the species recorded in the diet of the Andean bear (Spectacled bear) in its geographic range (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia), we collected and analyzed the published information about the issue in 76 documents as well as fieldwork obtained in nine protected areas of Peru and interviews in six additional natural areas in the same country. In field work we identified 114 vegetal species consumed by the Andean bear, of which 69 were new records to Peru and 51 to South America. Additionally, we obtained from interviews 35 species, of which 19 are new records to Peru and 12 to South America. Taking into account the literature review, fieldwork and interviews, it was recorded as part of the vegetable diet of the Andean bear a minimum of 305 especies/83 families, which corresponded to a moss/one family, a hepatica plant/ one family, five ferns/three families and 298 superiores plants/78 families; some fungi species and one lichen species. Families with greater frequency of occurrence were Bromeliaceae (leaf bases and cortex), Arecaceae (stems stipes) and Poaceae (stems and buds), however, overall, the fruits were most recorded with 179 especies/55 families, followed by stems with 143 species/27 families. The vegetable diet included 17 species of crops. Furthermore, the minimum number of animal species consumed by the Andean bear was 34, which included 22 mammals (and a hybrid: mule), one bird, nine insect, an annelid and one mollusk; among mammalian species were recorded eight domestic species, which included carrion, however animal consumption was less than 10%. www.google.com/amp/s/www.researchgate.net/publication/285956067_Andean_bear_Tremarctos_ornatus_Carnivora_Ursidae_diet_review_in_South_America_and_new_records_to_Peru/amp |
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Post by brobear on Dec 16, 2019 16:15:14 GMT -5
Well, i think is not so much about the ratio of weights between these animals, but more about their character and eating habits. The Andean beat is probably the second most vegetarian of all bear species, only about 5% of its diet is meat. Also, this bear is not very aggressive, only is when protecting its young. The two most vegetarian living bears are the only two not of the genus Ursus. Yes, I know that the sloth bear ( Melursus ursinus ) is not Ursus and the sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus ) is not - although there are some experts who would disagree. In any case they are more closely related to the genus Ursus than to the giant pandas or Andean bears. I would question this: would an Andean bear walk past a carcass in search of fruit or berries? |
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Post by King Kodiak on Dec 16, 2019 16:23:56 GMT -5
Well, i think is not so much about the ratio of weights between these animals, but more about their character and eating habits. The Andean beat is probably the second most vegetarian of all bear species, only about 5% of its diet is meat. Also, this bear is not very aggressive, only is when protecting its young. The two most vegetarian living bears are the only two not of the genus Ursus. Yes, I know that the sloth bear ( Melursus ursinus ) is not Ursus and the sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus ) is not - although there are some experts who would disagree. In any case they are more closely related to the genus Ursus than to the giant pandas or Andean bears. I would question this: would an Andean bear walk past a carcass in search of fruit or berries? |
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Post by brobear on Dec 17, 2019 5:06:17 GMT -5
The two most vegetarian living bears are the only two not of the genus Ursus. Yes, I know that the sloth bear ( Melursus ursinus ) is not Ursus and the sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus ) is not - although there are some experts who would disagree. In any case they are more closely related to the genus Ursus than to the giant pandas or Andean bears. I would question this: would an Andean bear walk past a carcass in search of fruit or berries? Next question: If a cougar is feeding on this carcass, would the Andean bear displace the cougar or simply continue his search for fruit and berries? |
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Post by King Kodiak on Dec 17, 2019 5:43:20 GMT -5
No, the Andean bear would definitely eat that carcass. As shown in reply # 14 above, it eats meat, but less than 10%. Next question: If a cougar is feeding on this carcass, would the Andean bear displace the cougar or simply continue his search for fruit and berries?
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Post by brobear on Dec 17, 2019 5:55:17 GMT -5
Next question: If a cougar is feeding on this carcass, would the Andean bear displace the cougar or simply continue his search for fruit and berries?
Yeah... we may never really know. A totally different order of bears. I agree that he is not likely a habitual Kleptoparasite and even possible that he would pass-up a carcass if already occupied by a large predator such as a cougar or a jaguar. |
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