More Protection for the Andean Bear

Time is running out for the Andean Bear. The forests of the Andean mountain ranges, where these bears live, are rapidly disappearing.

The Andean bear, also known as the spectacted bear, is a relatively small species of bear native to South America. They are found in several areas of northern and western South America, including eastern Panama, western Venezuala, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, western Bolivia and northwestern Argentina.

The spectacled bear population is under threat for a number of reasons. The bears are hunted by locals due to a belief they will eat livestock (although spectacled bears do not eat large quantities of meat). The gall bladders of spectacled bears are also valued in traditional Chinese medicine and can fetch a high price on the international market. Extensive logging and farming have led to a loss of habitat for the bears. As the bear's food sources have been disappearing, it relies on crops for food. For this reason, farmers see the bears as competition and hunt them. Legislation against hunting the bears exists, but is rarely enforced.

We ask the governments of South America to do more in protecting the bear, before it goes extinct as it looses it's natural habitat.

PAMAMA

Her Excellency Lucia Chandeck
General Administrator/ Minister of Environment
National Environment Authority (ANAM)
Principal Building 804 Albrook, Panama
Panama - C-Zone 0843 - Balboa, Ancon
Panama
Tel: + 507 500-0898
Fax: + 507 500-0822
EMail: lchandeck@anam.gob.pa

VENEZUELA

Ms. Lissett Hernandez

Director, International Cooperation / Director General de Gestion y Cooperacion Internacional
Ministry of Environment/ Ministerio del Poder Popular Para Ambiente
Centro Simon Bolivar Torre Sur, Piso 18., El Silencio, Oficina 18-05
Caracas, Distrito Capital - 1010
Venezuela
Tel: + 58 212 408-1501/1502
Fax: + 58 212 408-1503
EMail: osgci@minamb.gob.ve, lmhernandez28@gmail.com

COLUMBIA

Mrs. Adriana Soto Carreno
Deputy Minister of Environment
Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development
Calle 37 N 8-40 Piso 4
Bogota
Colombia
Tel: + 57 1 332 3400
Fax: + 57 1 332 3434 ext 2491
EMail: asoto@minambiente.gov.co, kgonzalez@minambiente.gov.co

EQUADOR

H.E. Marcela Aguinaga
Minister of Environment/ Ministra de Ambiente
Ministry of Environment
Calle Madrid 1159 y Andalucia
Quito, Pichincha
Ecuador
Tel: + 5932 3987 600
Fax: + 593 2 256 3462, + 593 2 256 3544m + 593 2 256 3492
EMail: maguinaga@ambiente.gob.ec, rvaldivieso@ambiente.gob.ec

PERU

Mr. Gabriel Quijandria Acosta
(Political Focal Point) since January 06, 2012
Vice Minister of Strategic Development of Natural Resources
Ministry of Environment
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1440, San Isidro
Lima 27
Peru
Tel: + 511 611 6000 ext. 1633
Fax: + 511 611 6000 ext. 1324
EMail: gquijandria@minam.gob.pe

BOLIVIA

Ms. Cynthia Viviana Silva Maturana

Vice-Minister of Environment, Biodiversity, Climate Change and Forest Management
Ministry of Environment and Water
Av. Camacho No. 1471 entre Calles Loayza y Bueno
La Paz, La Paz
Bolivia
Tel: + 591 2 214-1124, 591 2 214-6383
Fax: + 591 2 214-6385
EMail: cynthia.silva@mmaya.gob.bo, silvacynthiavm@gmail.com

ARGENTINA

Her Excellency Silvia Maria Merega

Council Member for the Constituency of: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay-

General Director for Environmental Matters
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Esmeralda 1212 14th Floor, # 1408
Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires - 1007
Argentina
Tel: + 54 11 4819-7405
Fax: + 54 11 4819-7413
EMail: smm@mrecic.gov.ar, mga@mrecic.gov.ar