Is the banana ripe? Andean bear-human conflict over Musa spp. crops in a protected area of the Central mountain range of Colombia
Sergio Escobar-Lasso, Juan Camilo Cepeda-Duque, Margarita Gil‐Fernández, José F. González‐Maya
Abstract
Our aim is to describe the Andean bear-human conflict within the Barbas-Bremen protected area in Colombia. We describe the feeding behavior of the Andean bear on the crops of Musa sapientum and M. paradisiaca, the magnitude of crop damage, the economic losses, the distribution and hotspots of feeding sites and the attitudes of the affected farmers toward the Andean bears. To all damaged plants we documented the following variables: A) date, B) time, C) coordinates, D) photographs of the damage, E) affected crop species, and F) written description of the damage. We interviewed all affected farmers using structured interviews. In total, the crops of nine farms were affected by the Andean bear. The Andean bears bit the trunk of each plant and consumed the center of it. Less than 1% of the total production and monetary gains obtained from the crops affected by the Andean bear were lost. We recorded 57 Musa spp. feeding areas locations. The damage polygon covered 198 ha and was located in the northwestern part of the protected area. Affected farmers have a negative attitude regarding the Andean bear and conservation institutions. This work is considered the first record of Musa crop consumption by the Andean bear in Colombia and the first analysis focused on the social and economic dimensions of damage by this species. Besides, this work is also the first record of Andean bear inside the Barbas-Bremen protected area.