Sun Bear

Sun Bear, also known as Malayan sun bear, smallest and least studied of the bear family. Sun bears are black with a large yellow or white crescent on the chest and very short hair. They range across Southeast Asia from Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) and Thailand to Indonesia and Borneo.

Male sun bears weigh about 66 kg (about 146 lb), and females weigh about 27 kg (about 60 lb). They are excellent climbers and spend considerable time in trees. They have the plantigrade feet (heel and sole touching the ground) typical of bears. The soles of the feet are almost totally devoid of hair, perhaps to aid the bear in climbing trees, and each front foot has five long claws for tearing open bee trees and insect sites. Their long tongues may help them reach insects and honey.

Little is known about the breeding activity, reproduction, or family life of sun bears. Their habitat is declining rapidly because of human encroachment, and they could become extinct in the wild within the next several decades. Without an adequate range, they are frequently forced to raid agricultural crops and gardens for food. Like other Asian bears, sun bears are hunted for their gall bladders and other body parts. They can be dangerous in close encounters.

Scientific classification: The sun bear belongs to the subfamily Ursinae in the family Ursidae, order Carnivora. It is classified as Ursus malayanus.