Andean Bear Exhibit

The Andean Bear Exhibit showcases South America's only bear species in a lush, multi-level habitat with climbing structures, water features, and dense vegetation that replicates the cloud forests of the Andes Mountains. Nashville Zoo is a leader in Andean bear conservation and manages the AZA Species Survival Plan for this vulnerable species.

Andean bears — also known as spectacled bears due to their distinctive facial markings — are the last surviving short-faced bears and the only bear species in South America. Habitat loss from agricultural expansion and mining threatens their mountain forest homes across Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.