Abstract 27 – Bearly Guilty: Understanding Human–Andean Bear Conflict Regarding Crop Losses

Viviana Albarracín and Enzo Aliga Rossel

Conflicts between wildlife and humans are increasing worldwide, especially in areas where they
coexist and share resources. To investigate attitudes and opinions of the human population
towards human-Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) conflicts in two indigenous Aymara
communities, Chuñavi and Lambate, Bolivia, semi-structured interviews were directed to an
adult member of families in the communities. Simultaneously, we registered, monitored, and
evaluated 70 farm plots to record evidence of Andean bear and other wildlife damage to the
maize crops and plants. We found that the locals thought the bear caused the most damage
when, in actuality, the most harmful issues identified for maize crops were environmental
factors, followed by parrots and birds. Knowledge of the interactions between wild animals and
productive systems can contribute to an understanding of Andean bear-human coexistence.