The rare Andean bear, locally known as the jukumari, has been spotted again near the headwaters of Bolivia's Parapeti River. The sighting has given conservationists fresh hope because the species is rarely seen in the wild. Its presence suggests that an important part of the Chaco landscape is still providing suitable habitat.
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The bear was recorded by a camera trap installed near the river. The footage shows the animal walking into the water, staying there for several minutes before quietly returning to the surrounding forest.
According to Fundacion Natura Bolivia, the recording is encouraging because it captures a vulnerable species moving through an area that remains relatively undisturbed, Ecoticias reported. The video itself lasts only a short time.
A rare visitor
The camera-trap footage shows the jukumari calmly making its way down to the river. It enters the water, appears to cool off for a few minutes and then walks back into the nearby forest. Fundacion Natura Bolivia said the bear moved through an area where forest cover and clean water remain closely connected.
For conservationists, the animal's calm behaviour is important. It suggests that the habitat has not been heavily disturbed, allowing wildlife to move naturally through the landscape.
However, researchers have also stressed that one video does not prove the local bear population is increasing. They say that the footage only confirms that one bear visited this location at that particular time, and does not reveal how many bears live in the region or whether they are breeding successfully.
Even so, the sighting fits into a broader pattern. Earlier monitoring in the same upper watershed recorded two Andean bears in 2022. The latest footage therefore adds another piece of evidence that the species continues to use this part of the Parapetí River basin.
