The type of Andean bear – “Tremarctos ornatus”, the only one native to South America – is the inspiration behind beloved fictional bear Paddington, who travels to London from Peru, is adopted by a family, and eats lashings of marmalade.

It was one such Andean bear in need of help, Aruma, that led Vicky Ossio and her husband 15 years ago to turn their property about 80km from highland city La Paz into a wildlife sanctuary.

The Senda Verde reserve has now rescued over 900 animals, including spider monkeys, jaguars and toucans. The 12-hectare lot also features a novel concept: humans are “caged”, while most of its 200-plus monkeys run free.

Caimans, ocelots and margays are among its other wild residents.

“Despite the fact that in the film they used an orange bear, this is the only bear that lives in Peru – the Andean bear, which in Bolivia is known as the jucumari bear,” Ossio told Reuters.

“It is the jucumari bear that marks a ‘before’ and ‘after’ in Senda Verde, the moment we decided to welcome this bear here.”

Aruma was rescued from captivity almost blind due to blows he had received. Today, he lives together with other Andean “Paddington” bears, the same ones that in 1958 inspired English author Michael Bond to write his children’s stories.

Aruma spends most of his time relaxing in hammocks, though Ossio says that during the pandemic, the centre has seen a rise in animals who were trafficked, maltreated or abandoned.

Andrea Noelia Chalcon, a volunteer at the reserve, was caring for two baby bears during Reuters’ visit. “This baby was very sick when he arrived, he was on the verge of death due to malnutrition and mistreatment,” she said.

“Now he’s progressing and growing, while before, he was struggling to survive. That’s what motivates me to keep taking care of them.”