Sun Bear

## Description

The Sun bear is the smallest and one of the rarest bear species. It is also known as the "honey bear", for its love of honeycombs and honey. Sun bears have jet-black, short, and sleek fur with some under-wool; some individuals are reddish or gray in color. Two whirls occur on the shoulders, from where the hair radiates in all directions. A crest is seen on the sides of the neck and a whorl occurs in the center of the breast patch. Always, a more or less crescent-shaped pale patch is found in the breast that varies individually in color ranging from buff, cream, or dirty white to ochreous. The legend says that Sun bears were named after this patch on their chest because it represents the rising sun.

## Distribution

Sun bears are found in the tropical rainforest of Southeast Asia ranging from northeastern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam to southern Yunnan Province in China, and on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia. Their current distribution in eastern Myanmar and most of Yunnan is unknown. These bears inhabit tropical evergreen forests, montane forests and may also be found in the mangrove forest. They tend to avoid heavily logged forests and areas close to human settlements. However, they have been seen in farmlands, plantations, and orchards.

## Behavior

Sun bears lead the most arboreal (tree-living) lifestyle among all bears. They are mainly active during the day, though nocturnality might be more common in areas frequented by humans. These adorable bears are excellent climbers; they sunbathe or sleep in trees 2 to 7 meters (7 to 23 feet) above the ground. Their bedding sites consist mainly of fallen hollow logs, but they also rest in standing trees with cavities, in cavities underneath fallen logs or tree roots, and in tree branches high above the ground. Sun bears are also efficient swimmers. They are shy and reclusive animals, and usually do not attack humans unless provoked to do so, or if they are injured or with their cubs; their timid nature led these bears to be tamed often and kept as pets in the past. However, other sources state that Sun bears are known as very fierce animals when surprised in the forest. They are typically solitary but are sometimes seen in pairs (such as mothers and cubs). Sun bears do not seem to hibernate, possibly because food resources are available the whole year throughout the range. To communicate with each other they use various vocalizations including grunts and snuffles while foraging for insects, and roars similar to those of a male orangutan during the breeding season; less commonly they may give out short barks (like a rhinoceros) when they are surprised.

## Diet

Sun bears are omnivores and bees, beehives, and honey are their important food items. They also feed primarily on termites, ants, beetle larvae, bee larvae, and a large variety of fruit species, especially figs when available.

## Reproduction

Little is known about the mating system in Sun bears. During the time of mating, these bears show behaviors such as hugging, mock fighting, and head bobbing with their mate. They breed throughout the year. Females give birth to 1 or 2 cubs weighing about 280-325 g (9.9-11.5 oz) each after the gestation period that lasts around 95-174 days. Cubs are born blind and hairless. Initially, they are totally dependent on their mothers and suckle for about 18 months. After 1 to 3 months, the young can run, play, and forage near their mothers. They become independent at 2 years of age and reach reproductive maturity after 3-4 years.

## Population

### Threats

The two major threats to Sun bears are habitat loss and commercial hunting. These threats are not evenly distributed throughout their range. In areas where deforestation is actively occurring, they are mainly threatened by the loss of forest habitat and forest degradation arising from clear-cutting for plantation development, unsustainable logging practices, illegal logging both within and outside protected areas, and forest fires. The main predator of Sun bears throughout their range by far is a man. Commercial poaching of bears for the wildlife trade is a considerable threat in most countries. Sun bears are among the three primary bear species specifically targeted for the bear bile ( a digestive fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, which is used by some in traditional Chinese medicine) trade in Southeast Asia, and are kept in bear farms in Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar.

### Number

The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Sun bear total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.

### Ecological niche

Sun bears play an important role in the ecosystem, dispersing seeds and thus sustaining the environment. These bears also control the insect populations that they prey on.

## Fun Facts

Sun bears have incredibly long tongues which can be over 10 inches long!

When foraging Sun bears tear open hollow trees with their long, sharp claws and teeth in search of wild bees and honey. They also break termite mounds and quickly lick and suck the contents, holding pieces of the broken mound with their front paws. They consume figs in large amounts and like to eat them whole.

Sun bears are noted for their intelligence; a captive bear observed sugar being stored in a cupboard then locked by a key, and later used its own claw to open the lock.

Sun bears stand on their hind feet for a broader view of their surroundings or smell far-off objects; they try to intimidate their enemies by displaying the chest patch if threatened.

Sun bear cubs are usually kept on buttress roots at the base of trees until they learn how to walk and climb properly.