Andean Bear

Tremarctos ornatus

South America's only bear, a tree-climbing mountain bear with cream-colored 'spectacle' markings around its eyes.

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About the Andean Bear

Andean bears, also called spectacled bears, grow 5 to 6 feet long. Males can weigh up to 340 pounds, while females rarely top 180 pounds. Each bear's cream face and chest markings are different, like a fingerprint. They live in the Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia, in rainforests, cloud forests and dry forests. They eat fruit, bromeliads, berries, grasses and sometimes small animals.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Tremarctos ornatus^[1]
Size: 5 to 6 feet long; 2 to 3 feet tall at the shoulder.^[1]
Weight: Males up to 340 pounds; females rarely over 180 pounds.^[1]
Lifespan: Around 20 years in human care, sometimes into the early 30s.^[1]
Diet: Omnivore. Fruits, bromeliads, berries, grasses, bulbs, cactus flowers and small animals.^[1]
Habitat: Mountain forests, from rainforest and cloud forest to dry forest, and nearby grasslands.^[1]
Where it lives: The Andes, from western Venezuela south to Bolivia.^[1]
Group life: Solitary. Mostly active at night.^[1]
Babies: One or more cubs, usually born between November and February.^[1]
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).^[2]

Fun facts

No two Andean bears have the same face markings.^[1]
Andean bears are the only bears known to eat bromeliads.^[1]
They build stick platforms in trees to eat and sleep on.^[1]

Vocabulary

bromeliad: A tropical plant with stiff leaves arranged in a rosette; pineapples are bromeliads.
cloud forest: A mountain forest that is often covered in clouds or mist.
delayed implantation: When a fertilized egg waits before it starts growing, so babies are born at a good time of year.
arboreal: Living mostly in trees.
vulnerable: A conservation label meaning a species faces a high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · American TrailSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Andean bear.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/andean-bear (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Tremarctos ornatus (Andean Bear).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22066/123792952 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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