Comentarios sobre registros recientes e históricos del oso de anteojos, Tremarctos ornatus, en la Cordillera Central del departamento de Caldas, Colombia

Abstract

In the issue 9(2) of Mammalogy Notes, a new record of the Andean bear, Tremarctos ornatus, was presented for the Central Andes in the department of Caldas, Colombia. The record was obtained in the municipality of Salamina, in an area with anthropic intervention, and is based on a single photograph of an individual. However, a careful evaluation of the photograph demonstrates that the size of the individual in relation to the background, along with the differentiated coloration between the back and neck, the length of the coat, the shape of the body, the ears and the size of the legs compared to the body, corresponds to an adult individual of taira (Eira Barbara). Although the presence of the Andean bear in the Central Andes of Colombia has been documented for bordering departments such as Tolima, Quindío, and Risaralda, there are no validated records that indicate its presence in this sector of Caldas. Greater attention to the analysis of the photographic evidence presented to support new finding is recommended since they have implications for conservation and management.