Sun Bear

 

This week we are looking at a species of bear I have never heard of, that being the sun bear it is found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. It is the only species in the genus Helarctos and they are the smallest bear species and are only around half the size of an American black bear, measuring 4-5 feet tall when stood on their hind limbs, and weighing up to 68kg.

Sun bears are named for the bib of often sunshine-yellow fur adorning their chests. Each sun-bear bib is unique and can be used to distinguish one bear from another. Their fur is thick, short and generally jet-black, although some bears have a reddish or silvery hue.

Despite their name, recent research on wild sun bears suggests these animals are crepuscular, meaning their activity levels peak during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk.

They are known to be very aggressive and may attack without apparent provocation. Except for females with cubs the bears are solitary although there is a suggestion that same may form long-term monogamous relationships. Litters are of from 1 to 3 cubs with no apparent set period for mating or birth.

Relative to their skull size, sun bears have the largest canine teeth of any bear species. For context, sun bear canines are the same size as those sported by polar bears, and species some 5 to 10 times larger.

Sun bears have long, curved claws, are well adapted for gripping bark and are the most arboreal of all the bear species. These bears will climb trees to forage for wild fruits and beehives and to evade predators such as tigers, leopards and dholes, an Asian canid. One of the characteristic signs of the presence of wild sun bears is claw marks on trees they have climbed. 

They have exceptionally long tongues, the longest among all bear species, reaching up to 25-30 centimetres (10-12 inches). These long, sticky tongues are essential for their diet, allowing them to extract insects and honey from hard-to-reach places like tree crevices and termite mounds.

Sun bears primarily inhabit dense tropical and subtropical rainforests throughout Southeast Asia. Their range includes areas in northeastern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, southern China, and the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo. They are typically found at lower altitudes in these forests but can be seen at higher elevations in some regions like India. 

They are omnivorous, favouring fruits, insects, small animals and bee nests (for insects and honey). Large teeth and long claws enable sun bears to tear into logs and termite mounds in search of insects an important component of their diet. Their tropical habitat generally provides food resources year-round, so sun bears do not hibernate.

Sun bears face significant threats from habitat loss due to deforestation and conversion of forests for agriculture, particularly oil palm plantations. They are also targeted by commercial hunting for their bile, paws, and other body parts, and are affected by the illegal pet trade.