MALAYAN SUN BEAR
KEY FACTS Population Trend: Decreasing ↓
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Wild population estimates: Unknown
Scientific name: Helarctos malayanus
Size: upto 1.5m long
Found in: Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia.
Habitat: Tropical forest, shrublands, artificial/terrestrial
Diet: Fruits, nuts, berries, insects, honey
Average number of cubs: one
Average Life-expectancy in the wild: up to 25 years
DESCRIPTION
The Malayan Sun bear, or the Sun bear is the smallest member of the bear family. They are easily distinguishable by their bib-shaped golden or white patch on their chest. These adorable bears are the least studied out of all 8 existing bear species. Maybe this is due to their shy nature and the type of habitat they reside – remote dense lowland forests of South East Asia.
Sun bears are primarily nocturnal, but daytime activity has been observed in this species. Usually, they scour the forest looking for berries, figs, other varieties of fruits, and insects – especially beetle, termites and ants. 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. Hence, their nickname is “honey bear”. 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.
