Mammals of the WorldSun Bear
Helarctos malayanus
- Order
- Carnivora
- Family
- Ursidae
- Genus
- Helarctos
- IUCN status
- VU
- Distribution
- Bangladesh|India|China?|Myanmar|Thailand|Laos|Vietnam|Cambodia|Malaysia|Indonesia|Brunei
- Realm
- Indomalaya
Other names: Malayan Sun Bear|Dog Bear|Honey Bear
About this species
- Size
- Head and body 100–140cm; shoulder about 70cm
- Weight
- 25–65kg
- Diet
- Reported to take poultry and livestock; the cached account gives little else
- Habitat
- Tropical forest
- Range
- North-east India south through Bangladesh and mainland Southeast Asia to Indonesia
- Litter size
- 1–2 cubs
The sun bear is the smallest bear, standing nearly 70 cm at the shoulder and weighing 25–65 kg, with a head and body length of 100–140 cm. It is stockily built, with large paws, strongly curved claws, small rounded ears and a short snout that is grey, silver or orange. The fur is short and generally jet black, and the name comes from the orange to cream crescent-shaped patch on the chest (Wikipedia, general species account).
North-east India is the northern limit of its range, which runs south through Bangladesh and mainland Southeast Asia to Indonesia. It is the most arboreal of the bears, with inward-turned front feet and large claws for climbing, and it sunbathes or sleeps in trees 2–7 m above the ground. It is mainly active by day, though it forages mostly at night where people are about. It is usually solitary, breeds throughout the year, and a litter is one or two cubs that stay with the mother for around three years (Wikipedia, general species account).
Description: Wildlife of India guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)