Wildlife appeal · Spectacled bear conservation
How to Help Andean Bears
Andean bears need connected habitat and space to live alongside people. Help support a response that protects both wildlife and the communities sharing its landscape.
Spectacled bear photographed at Chester Zoo, UK on 26 July 2011. Used to illustrate the species; this animal is not presented as a WARN rescue or a recipient of appeal funds.
Photo: © Hans Hillewaert / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Commons-generated thumbnail; no further image edits. Display may be cropped. Source CC BY-SA 3.0
- Understand the animal’s needs and the proposed support
- Choose a one-off or monthly gift, or share the evidence
- Read recipient selection and grant records before giving
In brief
Andean bears, also called spectacled bears, face habitat loss and conflict with people. This appeal seeks support for assessed welfare and conservation needs. WARN will publish recipient decisions and grant records; a donation does not buy a named bear or a fixed area of forest.
By WARN Research & Conservation TeamLast updated
Choose informed support
Support andean bears
Andean bears need connected habitat and space to live alongside people. Help support a response that protects both wildlife and the communities sharing its landscape.
Before you give
Your gift supports this appeal’s stated purpose. Activities described on this page are eligible or proposed support; published grant records show what has been agreed, paid or reported.
Choose an amount and frequency you can afford. No donation amount guarantees a particular rescue, treatment or release.
WARN is a UK community interest company, number 17298990. Gift Aid is unavailable.
Support andean bears
Choose your amount and giving frequency
How often
Choose an amount
Your gift supports this appeal’s purpose. Grants depend on assessed needs, agreed budgets and available funds.
Where should it go?
Secure payment · You'll be directed to a secure checkout.
Secure donation · accepted methods
Secure card checkout powered by Stripe. Card details are entered on Stripe; available wallets depend on your device and browser.
South America
The continent’s native bear
Vulnerable
IUCN species category
Connected
Habitat across mountain landscapes
Coexistence
Local communities are part of the response
Species context checked 8 September 2026. Conservation classifications describe a species or population; they do not measure WARN’s work.
How to support andean bears
Gifts selected for this appeal are intended for eligible Andean-bear welfare and conservation. WARN will assess a proposed organisation, location, purpose and budget before an award. Citing conservation work in Colombia or elsewhere does not establish a WARN-funded programme there.
- 1
Read the purpose and assessment questions
Explore the needs below and read grant selection and where your money goes. A species photograph or an outside organisation’s report does not establish a WARN grant.
- 2
Choose a gift that suits you
Select this appeal, choose one-off or monthly and enter an amount. Review the purpose, currency and frequency before continuing to Stripe. Available wallets depend on your device.
- 3
Follow the published records
Keep your payment receipt and use the grant register for recipient decisions and payment records when published. A receipt confirms your gift; it is not evidence that a grant has already reached a field team.
- 4
Share the evidence
Share an Andean-bear story with the original source, location and date. Keep wildlife sightings and livestock-loss claims in context, and avoid revealing sensitive animal locations.
Why protecting an Andean bear also means protecting its landscape
The Andean or spectacled bear is South America’s native bear. WCS identifies habitat loss as a major pressure and describes how difficult it can be to monitor this elusive species. Population estimates are therefore best read with their source and date, not presented as a live count.
In Colombia, WCS describes work on habitat connections, threat reduction and interactions between bears and people. Its conservation approach includes examining reported damage rather than assuming every livestock loss is caused by a bear. That distinction matters when choosing how to respond.
A June 2025 WCS study in northern Bolivia found stronger bear presence in protected areas and lower presence near roads and settlements. It is evidence from a particular study area, not a result that can be claimed across the entire Andes. These sources inform the needs WARN could assess; they do not identify WCS as a WARN recipient.
Evidence: WCS — Andean bear conservation and monitoring. External organisations describe their own work; citing them does not identify them as a WARN grantee.
What pressures affect Andean bears?
Loss and fragmentation of habitat
Bears need suitable landscapes, not only isolated protected patches. A habitat proposal should explain which connections or pressures matter at the intended site.
Conflict over crops or livestock
A response should investigate the reported harm and involve the people affected. Blaming a bear without adequate evidence can lead to an inappropriate or harmful intervention.
Limited information for decisions
An elusive species can be difficult to monitor. Appropriate research can help identify where protection is needed, provided the method and decision it will inform are clear.
Species, geography and donor context
| Species | Andean bear or spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) |
|---|---|
| Region | Andean landscapes in South America |
| Classification | Vulnerable |
| Conservation approach | Habitat, coexistence and evidence about local threats |
| WARN’s role | Assess proposed support and publish recipient decisions and grant records |
What support could this appeal make possible?
The following are possible needs for an assessed award. A specific location, responsible organisation and costed activity would need to be identified before funding is agreed.
Focus1
Habitat protection and connections
Consider a clearly defined habitat activity with appropriate land permissions, local participation and evidence of how it addresses a documented conservation need.
Focus2
Practical coexistence
Consider a proposal that investigates local conflict and works with affected communities on appropriate measures, with a way to review whether harm is reduced.
Focus3
Monitoring or qualified care
Consider targeted monitoring that informs conservation decisions, or a documented welfare need requiring authorised professional care. The purpose and intended evidence should be explicit.
What should an Andean-bear proposal explain?
Useful support begins with understanding the local landscape and the people who live in it.
- Is the problem documented?
- Ask what evidence identifies habitat pressure, conflict or an individual welfare need. A general description of threats across the Andes is not a site-specific assessment.
- Are local responsibilities clear?
- Identify the responsible organisation, relevant authorities, land rights and how affected communities will participate.
- What would show improvement?
- Agree a realistic reporting measure for the activity, such as implementation records or an appropriate monitoring result. Do not equate an activity automatically with population recovery.
These are WARN’s assessment priorities for a proposed award. Read the recipient-selection policy.
How to help without donating
Share the bear’s correct identity
An Andean bear is different from Asia’s moon bear or sun bear. Use the scientific or common name and location from the original source.
Use evidence before assigning blame
Share careful reports of human–bear interactions. Avoid amplifying an unverified allegation about an individual animal.
Respect wildlife and the places it lives
Follow the local authority’s instructions when visiting habitat, avoid feeding or approaching bears and keep sensitive locations out of public posts.
How would support reach andean bears?
Gifts selected for this appeal are intended for eligible Andean-bear welfare and conservation. WARN will assess a proposed organisation, location, purpose and budget before an award. Citing conservation work in Colombia or elsewhere does not establish a WARN-funded programme there.
WARN is building its grant-making work. Before an award, an organisation’s authority, welfare standards, budget and ability to report must be assessed. Recipient decisions and grant payments will be published as records become available.
The activities described on this page are eligible needs to assess. They are not a statement that WARN has already paid for a rescue, clinic, patrol or sanctuary place. A suggested gift amount does not guarantee a fixed outcome.
How responsible support works
From a gift to a grant
This is WARN’s grant-making process. Check the published records below for this appeal’s actual progress.
Assess the need
Review an organisation’s identity, local capacity, welfare practices, current request and proposed budget.
Agree the support
Choose a suitable purpose within the appeal, agree the budget and set proportionate reporting requirements.
Record the payment
Publish the recipient, amount, purpose and payment status when a grant record is available.
Follow the results
Report what the recipient can evidence, with dates and limitations. An approved grant and a completed outcome are different stages.
Grant register
Approved commitments and completed payments are different stages. Public records identify recipients and purposes without exposing donor details, banking information or sensitive wildlife locations.
Records not yet published
A reconciled financial summary and individual grant records have not yet been published here. This is a reporting status, not a statement that income, expenditure or grants are zero. Contact WARN for information about your gift.
Ask about a donation or grantLearn more and explore other ways to help
Explore the evidence, practical animal-welfare information and other relevant ways to support the cause.
Protect Critical Habitats
Learn about habitat protection, ecological restoration and community stewardship, and how proposed work and its lasting benefit would be assessed.
Open this page
Help Protect Jaguars
Explore jaguar habitat connections, coexistence with ranchers and appropriate wildlife care, with clear assessment and funding information.
Open this page
Help Moon Bears
Learn about moon-bear recovery and responsible long-term care, and understand how these bears differ from the sun bears of Borneo and Sumatra.
Open this pageYour questions answered
Andean bears: frequently asked questions
Are spectacled bears and Andean bears the same?
Why does the appeal include community coexistence?
Does WARN already fund Andean-bear work in Colombia?
Can I buy a hectare of bear habitat?
How do I donate to help andean bears?
How can I help andean bears from the UK?
Can I give monthly to help andean bears?
How does my donation reach andean bears?
Is this Gift Aid eligible or US tax-deductible?
Can I help without donating?
Help protect Andean bears and their habitat
Choose a contribution towards assessed needs, or share the evidence so others can understand the issue.
Help andean bears