In June of 2011, I will be visiting the beautiful country of Ecuador as an intern with the Andean Bear Project. The Andean Bear Foundation recently began a large-scale and extremely ambitious research project designed to learn more about the behavior, environmental requirements, and the ecological role of the South American Andean Bear (Tremarctos ornatus). The project involves capturing and radio collaring Andean Bears in the Northern Intag region of Ecuador. Using radio tracking, the project will learn about the Andean Bears natural movements and their behaviors. While on internship with the Andean Bear Project, I will help track the previously collared Andean Bears.
The Andean Bear Project's Goals:
- to save the Andean Bear from extinction through in-field scientific research and through the rehabilitation and release of captive bears
- to improve human understanding of the Andean Bear by collecting data on their behavior, environmental requirements, home range, and ecological role in their environment
The current radio tracking project is overseen by ecologist and bear expert, Armando Castellanos who has made the conservation of the Andean Bear his life's work. There are a few other professional researchers, but many of the other people involved in the study are volunteers and interns.
I hope while in Ecuador, I will make a positive impact on this study. I'm also very excited to be surrounded by people who take wildlife conservation as seriously as I do. Until we learn to live with the Earth and it's various creatures, I don't think we'll actually ever truly know how to live at all.
Wildlife is Life.
Andean Bears are Life.
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