Like many other species, the Sun bear currently faces multiple threats on a regional and national level; habitat loss, population fragmentation, illegal hunting and trading for traditional medicine and delicacies. Large carnivorous animals like Tigers are the main predators of the Sun Bear but these animals have evolved another unique adaptation to help them to escape in these situations. We do this by supporting local grassroots conservation projects through volunteering and interships. The Sun Bear inhabits primary, lowland rainforest where there are not only a wide variety of foods to eat, but also plenty of cover to remain safe from predators. Sun Bear numbers are still declining and although their exact population numbers are unknown, there could be less than 1,000 individuals left in the wild today. They have short, sleek black fur with an orange-yellow horseshoe shape of color on their chest. The sun bear is one of the smallest bears, at around 1.4 meters (4.5 ft long) and weighing up to 100 lbs. However, when it is not possible to break the nest in a tree trunk, Sun Bears are known to place their front paws into the hole one at a time, allowing the termites to crawl over their paws before the Sun Bear then licks them off. These bear bile farms are illegal in most places. These adorable bears are the least studied out of all 8 existing bear species. Other items of its omnivorous diet include fruit, honey, and small vertebrates. Due to their small size and generally docile nature, Sun Bears have also been captured to be sold into the exotic pet trade around the world. The sleek, glossy coat of the Sun Bear ranges from black to dark brown or grey in colour with their distinctive chest marking varying from white to yellow or orange, and can take a number of shapes including the standard crescent, a circle or an irregular spot. Sun Bears eat a wide variety of fruits, nuts, berries and shoots along with supplementing their diet with insects, grubs, honey, eggs and small animals such as rodents when plant matter is scarce. So you will gain digital skills, as well as learn about Bear Rehabilitation. The Sun Bear has loose skin particularly around its neck which means that is if is caught by a predator, it is able to still spin its head round to try and bite its attacker. It weighs only 27–65 kg (59–143 pounds) and grows 1–1.2 m (3.3–4 feet) long with a 5-centimetre (2-inch) tail. Oddly enough, Sun Bears are primarily diurnal animals that spend the daytime foraging for food and resting high in their tree-top nests at night but, in areas that are being increasingly affected by growing levels of Human activity Sun Bears are known to adopt a more nocturnal way of life to avoid confrontation. Killing of sun bears is strictly prohibited under national wildlife protection laws throughout their range. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Corrections? Habitat: Tropical forest, shrublands, artificial/terrestrial, Diet: Fruits, nuts, berries, insects, honey, Average Life-expectancy in the wild: up to 25 years. As a Bear Rehab Volunteer in Borneo, you will work at the world’s only sanctuary dedicated exclusively to the rescue and rehabilitation of Sun Bears: The Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC). Learn more about Malayan sun bears. Even so, it’s high up in the trees is where they excel, using their long, curved claws for climbing with ease and speed, and a long, slender tongue for extracting honey from bee nests. However, throughout much of their natural range (but particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia) the Sun Bear has lost vast regions of its native habitats to deforestation, primarily to clear land for agriculture (such as palm oil plantations) and to cut down the rare and valuable tropical trees for the timber industry. Sun Bear cubs however, are much more vulnerable and are preyed upon by a variety of jungle predators including Snakes and large Birds of Prey. The sun bear is also called honey bear probably because it loves to eat honey from honeycombs. Registered addresss: 15 Low Road HUNTINGDON PE28 4BA Cambridgeshire, U.K. Wickham Manor Jalan Wickham 55000 KUALA LUMPUR Selangor Malaysia. They are also known as honey bears and Malayan sun bears. Sun bear, also called bruang, honey bear, or Malayan sun bear, smallest member of the family Ursidae, found in Southeast Asian forests.The bear (Helarctos, or Ursus, malayanus) is often tamed as a pet when young but becomes bad-tempered and dangerous as an adult.It weighs only 27–65 kg (59–143 pounds) and grows 1–1.2 m (3.3–4 feet) long with a 5-centimetre (2-inch) tail. Our Mission is to help save endangered animals and their habitats. Generally nocturnal, the tree-climbing sun bear is shy and retiring but quite intelligent. One of the most remarkable features of the Sun Bear is its long tongue that can be up to 25cm long and is used to extract grubs and honey from nests and crevices. The Sun Bear is a small species of bear that is found inhabiting the dense, tropical forests of south-east Asia. The biggest threat though to south-east Asia's remaining Sun Bear populations is the drastic declines in much of their natural habitats due to deforestation. Diet: Sun Bears eat lizards, little birds, rodents, insects, termites, fruit and honey. Copyright © 2020 Biodiversity Business All rights reserved The bear (Helarctos, or Ursus, malayanus) is often tamed as a pet when young but becomes bad-tempered and dangerous as an adult. Like many other species, the Sun bear currently faces multiple threats on a regional and national level; habitat loss, population fragmentation, illegal hunting and trading for traditional medicine and delicacies. Due to the relatively large size and tree-dwelling nature of the Sun Bear, adults have relatively few predators in their native environment. The minimum stay is 3 months. Found in: Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia. They are therefore incredibly adept at climbing which they can do with remarkable speed using their long, curved claws. Sun bears are primarily nocturnal, but daytime activity has been observed in this species. In some areas, people even keep the bears in farms to collect their bile using invasive surgery. SUN BEAR. Like other bear species, their molar teeth have lost their "flesh-shearing" capabilities and are instead flatter to help with the grinding down of vegetation. This bear is often referred to as the “honey bear” due to its insatiable appetite for honeycombs and honey. The Sun Bear is not only the smallest bear species in the world but it also has the shortest fur. Sun bear, also called bruang, honey bear, or Malayan sun bear, smallest member of the family Ursidae, found in Southeast Asian forests. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/animal/sun-bear, San Diego Zoo - Animals and Plants - Sun Bear. Hence, their nickname is “honey bear”. They also have long, curved claws on their front paws which help the animal to climb trees and break open hollow logs in search of termites, which it is also able to do with its large canines and strong jaw. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Bear Bile. They are therefore also persecuted by farmers who fear for the stability of their crops. Updates? The Sun Bear has a light-coloured face with a short muzzle, which along with their short fur and ears, is thought to be an adaptation to spending so much time in the trees. The Sun Bear would have once been found throughout a number of countries in south-east Asia but due to growing Human development, they are now only found in a handful of increasingly isolated habitats. There are rescued Bears at the Java Wildlife Rescue Centre, near Yogjakarta, Indonesia. These bears can extend their tongues up to 25 cm to extract honey and insects. In the same way as a number of other animal species that are found in the tropics, the Sun Bear is known to both mate and give birth all year round. Poachers capture these bears to collect their gall bladder, which contains bile. Its large forepaws bear long, curved claws, which it uses for tearing or digging in its search for insect nests and colonies, particularly those of bees and termites. The young Sun Bear cubs are nursed and fiercely guarded by their mother and are taught the skills of surviving in the tropics until they become independent of her when they are nearly two years old and leave to establish their own territories. Today, the Sun Bear is listed by the IUCN as an animal that is Vulnerable in its natural environment and is therefore at risk from becoming extinct in the wild in the future. By using their strong teeth and sharp claws Sun Bears are able to break open hollow logs before using their long tongue to extract the termites inside. In some folktales it is said that this shape represents the rising sun. As the Sun Bear spends the majority of its life in the trees, they rely heavily on the rich, dense rainforests that they have become accustomed too, but much of it today has now disappeared with growing Human activity. Did you know? Unique among its characteristics is that it has two bib-shaped golden patches which are quite visible on its shoulders.

Heropanti Full Movie Hd 1080p, Babysitters Club Movie Netflix Cast, Ilm In Quran, Avonte Maddox Brother, Blood Moon Zelda, Burnley Live Stream, How To Use The Google My Business App, Rio Tinto Share Price Forecast 2020, The Haunter Of The Dark Summary, What Do Pet Lizards Eat, Texas Election Results July 2020, Aries And Cancer Celebrity Couples, Chiefs Vs Buccaneers 2020 Tickets, Notes From A Small Island Extract, Microsoft Wired Keyboard 600 Driver, Last Stop On Market Street Summary, Backup To Onedrive Windows 10, Black Mountain Side Lyrics, 2010 Eagles Roster, Bone Spur Top Of Foot, Bridge Worm Scp, I Need Permission Meaning In Tamil, Hdfc Bank Share Price Forecast 2020, Adele Someone Like You Song Lyric, You Belong To Me Natural Born Killers, When Is Autumn In San Francisco, The Tiger Rising Read Aloud, Developed Synonym Resume, Traject Social Review, Red-tailed Racer, How To Pronounce Hemichordata, Perth Weather Radar Weatherzone, Mercy Watson Books, Why Is Productred More Expensive, Aspen South Colonie, Tabby Cat Age Chart, Eagles 2011 Schedule, Neverending Story Lyrics Meaning, Chicago Board Of Trade Field Trip, King Snake, Red Oak In Spanish, Derby County Squad 2017/18, The Roar Nrl Tips, Jamie From Bachelor Instagram, Where Does Beau Cassidy Live, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Slow Worm, Strange Case Of Jekyll And Hyde, Fedex Employee Login, Ted Ginn Jr 40, Positive Inspirational Eeyore Quotes, Jazz Smollett Age, Nashville Sc Stadium, Best Bbc Documentaries, Josh Sweat, What Happened To Ameer In Stateless, Quebecor Media Covid, Crested Butte Beginner Mountain Bike Trails,