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What the sources say

Spectacled BearTremarctos ornatus

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Spectacled Bear profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 39 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Andean bear. Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

The page saysSouth America's only native bear
The source saysThe Andean bear, or spectacled bear, is the only bear native to South America.Note: tagline
The page saysan Andean climber with pale rings around its eyes
The source saysWhitish or cream 'spectacles' encircle these bears' eyes.Note: tagline; climbing: 'It is a clever, arboreal animal' / 'Andean bears climb trees and forage on the ground'
The page saysthat builds platforms in the trees
The source saysbuilds platforms and nests in trees for eating and sleeping.Note: tagline
The page saysA variety of Andean mountain habitats, from rainforest to thorny dry forest
The source saysAndean bears live in a variety of mountain habitats. ... Habitat varies from rainforest, cloud forest and mossy, stunted elfin forest to thorny dry forest.Note: stats.habitat
The page saysfrom western Venezuela south to Bolivia
The source sayslive in the Andes and outlying mountain ranges, from western Venezuela south to Bolivia.Note: stats.habitat and body
The page saysFruit, bromeliads, berries, grasses and bulbs, plus small animals such as rodents, rabbits and birds
The source saysFruits and bromeliads are favored foods, but Andean bears also eat berries, grasses, bulbs, cactus flowers and small animals such as rodents, rabbits and birds.Note: stats.diet
The page saysBuilds platforms in trees for eating and sleeping
The source saysIt is a clever, arboreal animal that builds platforms and nests in trees for eating and sleeping.Note: stats.superpower
The page sayshas whitish or cream rings around its eyes
The source saysWhitish or cream 'spectacles' encircle these bears' eyes.
The page saysThat pale color can extend down to the throat and chest
The source saysThe light color variably extends down to the animals' throats and chests
The page sayseach bear has its own set, a "fingerprint" of markings
The source saysEach individual spectacled bear has its own distinctive set, or "fingerprint," of distinct cream or whitish markings on its head, throat and chest.
The page saysThe thick coat is usually black or brown, sometimes tinged with red.
The source saysAndean bears' thick coats are usually either black or brown, occasionally tinged with red.
The page saysIt grows 1.5 to 1.8 meters (5 to 6 feet) long and stands 0.6 to 0.9 meters (2 to 3 feet) high at the shoulder.
The source saysAndean bears grow 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters) long and stand 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters) high at the shoulder.
The page saysMales grow up to 30 percent larger than females and weigh up to 154 kilograms (340 pounds).
The source saysMales grow up to 30 percent larger than females, and weigh up to 340 pounds (154 kilograms).
The page saysFemales rarely top 81 kilograms (180 pounds).
The source saysFemales rarely grow heavier than 180 pounds (81 kilograms).
The page saysThis bear climbs trees as well as foraging on the ground, and it builds stick platforms to reach food that sits high up.
The source saysAndean bears climb trees and forage on the ground. They will build stick platforms to reach elevated food
The page saysFruit and bromeliads are favorites, but the menu also takes in berries, grasses, bulbs, cactus flowers and small animals such as rodents, rabbits and birds.
The source saysFruits and bromeliads are favored foods, but Andean bears also eat berries, grasses, bulbs, cactus flowers and small animals such as rodents, rabbits and birds.
The page saysNear settlements, bears sometimes raid cornfields.
The source saysNear settlements, bears sometimes raid cornfields.
The page saysIt is the only bear native to South America.
The source saysis the only bear native to South America.
The page saysIt lives in the Andes and outlying mountain ranges, from western Venezuela south to Bolivia.
The source sayslive in the Andes and outlying mountain ranges, from western Venezuela south to Bolivia.
The page saysMany live between 1,829 and 2,682 meters (6,000 and 8,800 feet) above sea level, and others live lower.
The source saysMany live between 6,000 and 8,800 feet (1,829 to 2,682 meters) above sea level, although others inhabit lower elevations.
The page saysTheir habitats run from rainforest to thorny dry forest.
The source saysHabitat varies from rainforest, cloud forest and mossy, stunted elfin forest to thorny dry forest.
The page saysIn human care, the average age is around 20 years, and it is not uncommon for a bear to live into its late twenties or occasionally its early thirties.
The source saysWhile their average age in human care is around 20 years, it is not uncommon for them to live into their late twenties or occasionally into their early thirties.
The page saysHow long they live in the wild is unknown.
The source saysThe Andean bear's longevity in the wild is unknown.
The page saysHabitat destruction and hunting are the greatest threats.
The source saysHabitat destruction and hunting pose the greatest threats to their survival.
The page saysPoachers sell bear parts to traditional medicine dealers or eat the meat, and people kill bears where they raid cornfields and because they wrongly believe the bears kill livestock.
The source saysPoachers sell bear parts to traditional medicine dealers or eat the bear's meat. In addition, people kill bears where they raid cornfields and because they erroneously believe they kill livestock.
The page saysNumbers fell sharply in recent decades in Venezuela, Colombia and Peru, but healthy populations remain in Ecuador and Bolivia.
The source saysIn recent decades, spectacled bear numbers declined dramatically in Venezuela, Colombia and Peru. However, healthy populations remain in Ecuador and Bolivia.
The page saysFemales experience delayed implantation of the embryo.
The source saysFemales experience delayed implantation.
The page saysThis allows a female to give birth when food is plentiful, usually between November and February.
The source saysThis allows the female to give birth during a time when food is abundant—usually between November and February.
The page saysIf resources are short, the embryo does not implant.
The source saysIf there are insufficient resources, the embryo will not implant.
The page saysShe has one or two cubs, which are practically bald, toothless and blind at birth, and which usually stay in the den until they are about 3 months old.
The source saysThe female gives birth to one or two cubs. Newborn cubs weigh 10 to 18 ounces at birth, and they are practically bald, toothless and blind. ... Generally, the cubs do not leave the safety of the den until they are about 3 months old.
The page saysBy day it sleeps in secluded spots: tree cavities, tree platforms, gaps between large exposed tree roots and dens dug into cliff faces.
The source saysDuring the day, Andean bears sleep in secluded spots, such as in tree cavities, on tree platforms, between large, exposed tree roots, or in dens dug into cliff faces.
The page saysA spectacled bear builds stick platforms in the trees to reach food that sits high up.
The source saysThey will build stick platforms to reach elevated food

Source
02

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources

Tremarctos ornatus (spectacled bear). AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

The page saysThe maximum recorded in AnAge, a database of animal lifespans, is 39 years, for a wild-born bear that died in captivity.
The source saysMaximum longevity 39 years (captivity)
The page saysa wild-born bear that died in captivity
The source saysOne wild born animal was about 39 years of age when it died in captivity

Source
03

Vela-Vargas et al. 2021

Vela-Vargas et al. (2021). Tremarctos ornatus(Carnivora: Ursidae). Mammalian Species.

The page saysIt is a medium-sized bear.
The source saysIt is a medium-sized bear with black to dark red-brown pelage

Source
04

Mitchell et al. 2016

Mitchell et al. (2016). Ancient mitochondrial DNA reveals convergent evolution of giant short-faced bears (Tremarctinae) in North and South America. Biology Letters.

The page saysThe spectacled bear is the only living tremarctine, a subfamily of bears found only in the New World.
The source saysThe Tremarctinae are a subfamily of bears endemic to the New World ... The only living tremarctine is the spectacled bear
The page saysIts extinct relatives include two of the largest land mammal carnivores that have ever lived, the giant short-faced bears, at 1,000 kilograms or more.
The source saysincluding two of the largest terrestrial mammalian carnivores that have ever lived: the giant, short-faced bears Arctodus simus from North America and Arctotherium angustidens from South America (greater than or equal to 1000 kg)
The page saysDNA from a thigh bone found in a Chilean cave showed that the South American short-faced bears were more closely related to the spectacled bear than to the short-faced bears of North America.
The source sayswe sequenced a mitochondrial genome from an Arctotherium femur preserved in a Chilean cave. Our molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that the South American short-faced bears were more closely related to the extant South American spectacled bear than to the North American short-faced bears.Note: femur = thigh bone

Source
05

Velez-Liendo & García-Rangel 2017

Velez-Liendo & García-Rangel (2017). Tremarctos ornatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22066A123792952.

The page saysThe IUCN rates the species Vulnerable.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Vulnerable (VU).Note: GBIF's copy of the Red List, taxon 22066, matches the DOI

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.