Perception clouding reality? Interactions and opportunities for Andean bear conservation in Colombia

Habitat loss due to human production practices is one of the main threats that promote negative interactions between humans and Andean bears. These interactions affect the economic incomes of ranchers and generate negative perceptions toward the species, which can lead to retaliatory killings. We aim to characterize conflict drivers, assess perceptions, and evaluate willingness to accept hypothetical conservation scenarios for Andean bears in the eastern range of Colombia. A total of 145 interviews were made, with a positive response rate of 84%. Declining participation was because of negative past experiences. Driver of negative interactions was the lack of cattle surveillance. Ranchers preferred developing conservation projects not paying for the loss of cattle, showing a higher willingness to accept conservation projects that include their knowledge of livestock practices. Identification of drivers of negative human-wildlife interactions and the generation of potential management scenarios are a priority for the facilitation of coexistence between humans and Andean bears.