Why caring for an Andean bear costs $21,000 a year

The rescue of two Andean bear cubs found in Papallacta highlights the intensive and costly process of rehabilitating these animals. At approximately six weeks old, the cubs require care akin to human infants, including specialized milk formula, constant vigilance, and a diet that will evolve as they grow. This demanding stage is familiar to the Wiwa Quito-Parque Refugio de Animales Silvestres.

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A bag of formula can cost $200.

Martín Bustamante, director of Wiwa Quito, explains that young cubs need seven to eight feedings daily, roughly every three hours. The specialized formula, which must be imported, costs about $200 per bag and lasts only two to three weeks. As the bears mature, their diet expands to include vegetables, sugars, carbohydrates, and animal protein, reflecting their omnivorous nature.

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Maintaining a bear costs about $21,000 per year.

However, feeding is only one aspect of the substantial budget. An adult bear under professional care costs approximately $21,000 annually, according to a pandemic-era estimate by Wiwa. This figure encompasses food and general care, but Bustamante stresses the often-overlooked component: specialized labor. Zoocaregivers provide daily feeding, cleaning, and crucial health monitoring, observing changes in feces, appetite, or behavior that could indicate illness.

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The cubs need between seven and eight feedings a day, approximately every three hours.

The initial months are the most critical for cubs separated from their mothers. Beyond physical growth, they need to learn essential survival skills, how to forage, navigate their environment, and recognize threats. Successful rehabilitation aims to bridge this gap, ensuring the bears can eventually thrive in the wild, a process that requires significant time, expertise, and financial resources.

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The cost of keeping a bear depends not only on how much it eats. Professional attention constitutes a fundamental part of the budget.