A study of the behavior and ecology of the spectacled bear, Tremarctos ornatus, in Perú revealed that they occur in all three ranges of the Peruvian Andes, with the majority in the “ceja de selva,” or eastern slope of the Cordillera Oriental. As evidenced by feeding sign and contents of scats, 83 foods were confirmed in the diet of spectacled bears. These include insects, rodents, livestock, corn, berries, tree wood, bamboo hearts, palm frond petioles, 22 species of Bromeliaceae, 11 species of Cacta-ceae, and the fruits of 31 species of trees. Spectacled bears feed predominately on bromeliad hearts, particularly during the months when fruits are not ripe. From February to July, when most of the fruits are ripe, the animals move to the sources of these preferred foods. Direct observations provided information on the bear's corn-eating behavior. Certain other behavioral activities, such as the building of tree nests, were confirmed. Humid forests between 1,900 and 2,350 m in elevation, and coastal thorn forests are preferred habitats when water is available. Spectacled bears enjoy the most protection in the saturated rain forests in the “ceja de selva” and in the seasonally occupied areas at the upper extreme of the animal's elevational range. The spectacled bear is not in immediate danger of extinction in Peru owing to its adaptation to a diversity of habitats and the difficulty of access to bear areas with more than 45-degree slopes.