Parasites in Bears (Ursidae): Sampling Gaps in the Spectacle Bear (Tremarctos ornatus)

Abstract

Parasites are part of the natural processes that help regulate populations and maintain ecosystems balanced. There is a growing recognition of parasites as important factors in the conservation of species, mainly those vulnerable to extinction in a changing environment. Bears are good biological models for monitoring infectious agents in wildlife, given their life cycle, broad home range, and severity of interactions with humans and their domestic animals as a result of their behavioral plasticity, intelligence, and omnivorous food habits. In the Andean region, the only bear species listed as vulnerable is the Tremarctos ornatus. To determine the sampling gap and prioritize the approach for understanding parasite diversity in bears, I performed a systematic review and metanalysis of the documented parasites of bears across the world and discussed the possibility of the parasites recorded in these other species being present in the T. ornatus in the Andean region, specifically Colombia. In 283 relevant references, 647 records were found of 189 parasites in 37 countries. Of the bears with parasites recorded, Ursus americanus had the most numerous and complete records. The tropical species H. malayanus, M. ursinus, and T. ornatus showed the smallest parasite diversity and unseen species estimate, despite being the region where the greatest diversity of parasites was expected. Of interest are around 80 parasites that have been recorded in seven non-Colombian bear species but are documented in other species in this country.