As a continuation of the 10 facts about bears series this time I am covering the Sun Bear. It is one of eight different species of bear comprising the American Black Bear, Brown Bear, Giant Panda, Polar Bear, Asiatic Black Bear, Spectacled Bear and the Sloth Bear. I will also add the Sun Bear to the Vital Statistics series.
1. At just 120cm from nose tip to tail tip and reaching up to only 70cm tall on all fours, this Sun Bear geezer is definitely petit and certainly not what springs to mind when one conjures up images of bears.
2. These guys have some serious toe nail issues. Measuring in at about 10cm each, Sun Bears have ridiculously long and curvy claws. They are very handy with them too, using them to dissect trees and shred open termite mounds and beehives. They are also useful for helping them grip when climbing.
3. Sun Bears walk a little funny. The feet of a Sun Bear turn inwards slightly. This is thought to be an adaptation of its tree climbing nature. Along with its long curvy claws and inward pointing feet it also has bald flat soles on its large paws, which would all aid climbing. The female has been observed cradling its cubs while walking on its hind legs, a very unusual trait for a bear.
4. The diet of a Sun Bear is fairly common to most bears. A few lizards and insects here and there, mixed in with a little gnawing on some plant life and chewing berries, fruits and nuts to make sure it gets its 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. It occasionally feasts on birds and rodents and sweet honey too. The strength of this guy’s teeth and jaws even help it crack open coconuts!
5. Since the habitat of the Sun Bear is mainly quite dense forest and has a steady climate all year round it doesn’t have to pig out on fat heavy meals just to put on weight for the winter. The Sun Bear does not hibernate. This also means that they can reproduce all year round and not stick to a strict breeding cycle.
6. The tongue of a Sun Bear is just astounding. It has a reach of about 25cm long and extremely agile, perfectly ideal for getting into those tight tree crevices and slurping up termites, insects and honey.
7. The Sun Bear’s common name comes from the creamy white crescent patch on its chest that in some cultures depicts a rising or setting sun. Sun Bears love the taste of honey; because of this it has also claimed the nickname Honey Bear. It is often also referred to as the Dog Bear due to its dog like facial characteristics and its short stocky build.
8. This dog-like appearance and the unusually docile nature of the Sun Bear combined with the size of it mean it has detrimentally lead to the adult Sun Bears being shot or killed so that the poor cubs can be taken away and sold to be kept as pets.
9. The Sun Bear is, despite its name, a nocturnal mammal. Crawling through the rainforest by night in search of food and grubs. It normally relaxes and sleeps in the sun on lower branches of trees during the daylight hours. Rainforests can be very humid and warm during the day so it prefers to be active at night.
10. These gentle bears are thought to be high up on the endangered species list. The Sun Bear’s plight has not been helped by its tendency to be very curious and snoop around banana plantations and eating or destroying local crops and garbage. This has meant they get shot for being branded a nuisance.
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