Description

image courtesy of bearrescue.org

Spectacled bears are small and dark, ranging in color from black to brown, and a few have a reddish tinge. They have distinctive circular or semicircular creamy white markings (spectacles) on the face around the eyes, reminiscent of spectacles. Lines and patches of white usually extend onto the throat and chest as well. The amount and pattern of the white markings can be quite variable. Because they live in warm climates, their fur is thinner than that of North American bear species. They have excellent eyesight and long claws that allow them to climb trees very well. They also have large, flat molars so they can chew very tough plants that are found in the rainforest such as palms, cacti, and orchid bulbs.

Spectacled bears are the smallest species of true bears, although the 2nd largest mammal and largest carnivore in South America. Male spectacled bears weigh from 220-430 pounds, are about 3 feet high at the shoulder, and are about 7 ½ feet long from nose to tail. Females weigh 140-180 pounds and are slightly smaller than males in the other dimensions. When a baby spectacled bear is born, it weighs between 10 and 11 ½ ounces.

They live between 20 and 25 years in zoos, and it is unknown how long they live in the wild.