Spectacled Bear
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Related to Andean Bear: Spectacled Bear
The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.
Spectacled Bear
(Tremarctos ornatus,) a predacious mammal of the family Ursidae. The body length is 150–180 cm, the tail length 7–10 cm, and the shoulder height 75–80 cm. The weight is 70–140 kg. The fur is coal black or brownish black. The eyes are surrounded by white or yellowish rings, which are connected by a white semicircle on the throat. The snout is shorter than that of other bears. Spectacled bears have a life-span of approximately 20 years. They are found only in South America, where they are encountered in mountain forests at elevations to 3,000 m and, occasionally, in lowland savannas and thickets. The bears feed primarily on grass shoots, fruits, and rhizomes; occasionally they attack deer, guanacos, and vicuñas.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.