Polar bears live in regions bordering the Arctic Ocean. Many people have traveled to the Arctic to hunt polar bears for sport and for their hides. Such activities have greatly reduced the number of polar bears. See Polar bear . Sun bears, sometimes called Malayan bears, are the smallest species of bears.
Most sun bears have a black coat and a grayish or orange nose.
Some have light brown feet. The bear gets its name from the white or yellow marks on its chest. Many people of ancient times believed the marks represented the rising sun. Sun bears have large paws with no hair on the soles. The claws are more curved and have sharper points than those of other kinds of bears.