The bespectacled bears that appeared in Machu Picch …

Of bear with glasses endangered have been seen walking around the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, Peru. The observation of the animals took place as part of the reduction in tourism in the archaeological park, which between March and last September was directly closed due to the containment put in place in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Andean bears (mother and baby) have been seen climbing the platforms, moving along the Inca walls then disappear into the thick of the jungle, “according to a video recorded by employees of the Peruvian Ministry of Culture.” With the presence of the bespectacled bears, proof of the ecological balance of the llaqta or Inca citadel is evident, ”said this portfolio.

Archaeologist José Bastante, head of the Machu Picchu Archaeological Park, explained to the newspaper Peru 21 “this decrease in tourist traffic due to the pandemic, would have led the animals of the place to recover the space, explore sites that previously could not due to the presence of a large number of people.

The biologist Ernesto Escalante, head of the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, added in this line that these mammals tend to be afraid for the human being and now, when they perceive that there is no one there at certain times, the bears get closer to places where before they pass.

The Andean or South American bear

The Spectacled Bear, also known as the Andean or South American Bear, is a species of endangered omnivorous mammal. Measured between 1.30 and 1.90 meters large and weighs between 80 and 125 kilos. Its fur has a uniform black or brown coloration.

Machu Picchu (Old Mountain, in Quechua language) was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983 and in 2007 it was chosen as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World in a global online survey.

The archaeological park increased its capacity by 40% on December 1 to 1,116 daily visitors, a month after it reopened as part of a gradual reduction in COVID-19 infections in Peru.