Sun Bear

The sun bear, Ursus malayanus, is found primarily in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia.

The sun bear stands approximately four feet (1.2 m) in length, making it the smallest member in the bear family. They are often called ‘dog bear’ because of it’s small stature. It has a small, two inch tail and on average weighs less than 145 pounds (65 kg). Males tend to be slightly larger than females.

Unlike other bears, their fur is short and sleek. This adaptation is probably due to the lowland climates that they inhabit. Their dark black or brown-black fur covers their body except on their chest where there is a pale orange-yellow marking in the shape of a horseshoe. Similar colored fur can be found around the muzzle and the eyes. This distinct marking gives the sun bear its name.

Sun bear possess sickle-shaped claws that are relatively light in weight. They have large paws with naked soles, probably to assist in climbing. Their inward-turned feet make the bears walk pigeon-toed, but they are excellent climbers.

They have small, round ears and a short muzzle.

As primarily nocturnal creatures, the sun bears enjoy sunbathing or resting during the day on lower limbs only a few feet above the ground. Because they spend so much time in trees, sun bears can sometimes cause a good amount of damage to private property. They have been known to destroy coconut palms and cocoa trees on plantations. It is this behavior that has caused a decline in the sun bear population as well as poaching for its fur and for use in Chinese medicine.

The diet of the sun bear varies widely and includes small vertebrates such as lizards, birds, or other mammals, in addition to fruits, eggs, termites, the young tips of palm trees, nests of bees, berries, sprouts, insects, roots, cocoa and coconuts. Their powerful jaws can crack open coconuts. Much of the sun bear's food must be detected using their keen sense of smell as their sight is poor.

Since sun bears do not hibernate, they can reproduce year round. It is not uncommon for them to give birth to two cubs at a time weighing approximately 10–12 ounces (280 to 340 g) each. The gestation period is about 96 days, but they suckle for about 18 months. The offspring reach sexual maturity after 3–4 years, and they live up to 28 years in captivity.

There is one subspecies of sun bear (Helarctos malayanus euryspilus), found only on the island of Borneo.

The Malayan name for the sun bear is ‘basindo nan tenggil’, which is translated as ‘he who likes to sit high’.

External links

• Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington, USA
• Bear Den
• Animal Tracks
• Wellington Zoo