Most adult trained bears have started their training process from an early stage of life. 1. 1994. For example, during salmon season, bears will congregate around the area to maximize the nutrition that they can get from this nutritious yet seasonal food source. Therefore this decision is purely made based on the need to survive. The reality is that there is no way to measure the level of friendliness of a species that is generally not friendly. Even though small in size, sun bears are still powerful wild animals equipped with large claws and sharp teeth. However, the reality might be the opposite. Many a time, a female standing up to the male has become a meal herself to a hungry hunter. Bears that have been raised in captivity, particularly those raised by humans, may have a higher chance of being friendly towards humans. Email: [emailprotected]. It disappeared from Singapore during the 1800s and 1900s, possibly due to extensive deforestation. Service information and feedback: http://bbcworldwide.com/vod-feedback--contact-details.aspx [52], Sun bears are polyoestrous; births occur throughout the year. Due to the rise in man-bear conflict, such incidents have risen considerably. Even some dog species can weigh more than a sun bear. Are sun bears friendly? - Lets Healthify 2. 3. [20][21] However, studies differed on whether the two species were closely related. Sun bears have a habit of playing a grappling game with each other when they meet in the wild to train their fighting instinct. Descriptive catalogue of a zoological collection, made on account of the honourable East India Company, in the island of Sumatra and its vicinity, under the direction of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Lieutenant-Governor of Fort Marlborough; with additional notices illustrative of the natural history of those countries", "Craniometric differences among Malayan sun bears (, "Molecular genetic-distance estimates among the Ursidae as indicated by one- and two-dimensional protein electrophoresis", "Analysis of complete mitochondrial genome sequences increases phylogenetic resolution of bears (Ursidae), a mammalian family that experienced rapid speciation", "Mitochondrial genomes reveal an explosive radiation of extinct and extant bears near the Miocene-Pliocene boundary", "Combined analysis of fourteen nuclear genes refines the Ursidae phylogeny", "Survival strategies of a frugivore, the sun bear, in a forest-oil palm landscape", "Home range, movement and activity patterns, and bedding sites of Malayan sun bears, "Facial complexity in sun bears: Exact facial mimicry and social sensitivity", "Sun bears mimic each other's facial expressions to communicate", "Chapter 11: Sun Bear Conservation Action Plan", "Predation on sun bears by reticulated python in East Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo", "Food habits of Malayan Sun Bears in lowland tropical forests of Borneo", "Food habits of Malayan sun bears in lowland tropical forests of Borneo", "Reproductive timing and aseasonality in the sun bear (, "Predictive modeling and mapping of Malayan sun bear (, 10.2192/1537-6176(2004)015<0227:NOOPPU>2.0.CO;2, 10.2192/1537-6176(2005)016[0130:HBCIEK]2.0.CO;2, "The Middle Pleistocene vertebrate fauna from Khok Sung (Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand): biochronological and paleobiogeographical implications", "Change in tropical forest cover of Southeast Asia from 1990 to 2010", "Illegal trade of sun bear parts in the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak", "Human imposed threats to sun bears in Borneo", Pills, powders, vials and flakes: the bear bile trade in Asia, "Dismantling the "wall of death": emergency bear snare-line patrol in the Nam Kan National Protected Area, Lao PDR", "Malayan sun bear: bile trade threatens the world's smallest bear", "A review of the sun bear trade in Sarawak, Malaysia", The effects of selective logging on Malayan sun bears in lowland tropical rainforest of Borneo, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sun_bear&oldid=1164050013, This page was last edited on 7 July 2023, at 18:38. [43] In one incident, a tiger-sun bear interaction resulted in a prolonged altercation and in the death of both animals. Occasionally, some bear species like grizzlies and polar bears will not only charge in such a situation but will even attack and kill humans. Why are the 10 Commandments still important today? Their cute face and golden crescent on the chest make them look cuddly, but they are dangerous and fierce. Its also one of the most frustrating animals to try to save, as its diet is absurd and it seems to have little interest in reproducing. They have extremely long claws and strong jaws and are described as one of the most dangerous animals in the jungle. What Makes Sun Bears Dangerous? Its in its own family, tentatively placed in the same superfamily as weasels and raccoons. Bears are territorial and defensive, especially around spring or fall, and approaching one could get you hurt or killed. The sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus) is a species in the family Ursidae (the only species in the genus Helarctos) occurring in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. They are highly skilled at hunting their prey and being the largest species in their habitat, they have no natural predators. They will not eat you as such but will most likely leave you bleeding to death- ready to be eaten by a python or a tiger! Bears as a species are solitary that spend most of their time alone. The sun bear is sympatric with the Asian black bear throughout the remaining areas in the mainland range featuring a mix of seasonal forest types, with monthly rainfall below 100mm (3.9in) for a long spell of three to seven months. Bears that get accustomed to human interaction are even more dangerous to humans because they are unpredictable and could attack without warning. Even though these animals are not predators, sun bears do attack humans. [2][27] Compared to other continents, southeastern Asia has undergone severe depletion in forest cover over the past few decades (by almost 12% between 1990 and 2010); this has resulted in substantial habitat loss for forest-dependent species such as sun bears. [2] A litter typically comprises one or two cubs weighing around 325g (11.5oz) each. Bamboo is a grass; it has hardly any nutritional value, barely any protein or calories, so the panda is pretty much constantly exhausted. Here you'll find 50 years worth of entertaining and thought-provoking natural history content. The brown bear/polar bear genetic lineage was estimated to have genetically diverged from the two black bears/sun bear lineage around 6.72to5.54 million years ago (mya); the sun bear appears to have diverged from the two black bears between 6.265.09 mya. Except for females with cubs the bears are solitary although there is a suggestion that same may form long-term monogamous relationships. [4][28] However, other sources state that sun bears are known as very fierce animals when surprised in the forest. Ozempic was tested on monkeys IUCN listed as endangered, See the microscopic universe that lives in a single drop of water, Rare octopus nursery found, teeming with surprises, How soaring ocean temperatures are affecting corals. Ants are quite easy to find, as they are everywhere! The global population is estimated to have declined by 35% over the past three decades. The sloth bear has a curious relationship with other animals, including humans. A 2014 report documented rampant poaching and trade in sun bear parts in Sarawak, more than anywhere else in Malaysia; the researchers recommended stricter legislations in the state to protect local sun bears. Its preyed upon by tigers, sometimes, although tigers typically wont mess with a sloth bear unless it can pounce without the bear realizing. Like all other bear species, sun bears can be extremely dangerous. Sun bears do not usually eat people as Humans are too big for sun bears to eat and prey on. In 2017, a 9-year-old boy was brutally attacked by a sun bear near the forest region of Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia. Baloo s a sloth bear, although he has some characteristics of the Asian black bear. Litters comprise one or two cubs that remain with their mother for around three years. Its shape can easily lick out those nutrients from trees, coconuts and other vegetation! A tiny ant is no match for a huge 5 ft bear; therefore, the sun bear can eat loads in one go, hassle free! Bears also have visual and audio limitations, and this means they hunt and forage using their sense of smell. Sun bears are very intelligent animals! [5][32], During feeding, the sun bear can extend its exceptionally long tongue to extract insects and honey. So join us as we discover 10 incredible sun bear facts! The bees do sting the bear, but it never gets through the sun bears thick long fur- therefore, it does not penetrate the skin. The reclusive sun bear, smallest member of the bear family, lives an insular life in the dense lowland forests of Southeast Asia. It is the smallest bear, standing nearly 70 centimetres (28 inches) at the shoulder and weighing 2565 kilograms (55143 pounds). [7][8] 'Honey bear' can also refer to the kinkajou. [10] In 1825, Thomas Horsfield placed the species in a genus of its own, Helarctos, when describing a sun bear from Borneo. Sun Bears only eat grass when other vegetation is scarce. It is stockily built, with large paws, strongly curved claws, small rounded ears and a short snout. Sun bears tend to remain solitary but sometimes occur in pairs (such as a mother and her cub). They also have an almost comically long tongue for extracting honey from bee nests, giving them their other nickname, honey bear.. [38] Tigers are major predators; dholes and leopards have also been recorded preying on sun bears but cases are relatively fewer. Sun Bears are Omnivores who reside in South-Eastern Asia in countries such as India, China, Malaysia and Cambodia. Weve never met a bear we didnt like, but lets face it, some types of bears are better than others. Little is known about the behavior or social structure of sun bears. Bear cubs may demonstrate more friendly behavior in their interactions with each other since more than one cub is born to a female in most species. The number of black bear attacks on humans is higher than those of brown bears, though this is largely because black bears outnumber brown bears rather than being more aggressive. Nevertheless, this doesnt mean they should be joked with. Some individuals may even lack the patch. Short-faced bears, also called tremarctine bears or running bears, were, up until about 15,000 years ago, the most common type of bear in the Americas and Europe. Due to the nature of the pandas diet, nursing two young cubs could result in the mother becoming malnourished. Sign up to receive Popular Science's emails and get the highlights. Molly NZ/Shutterstock.com. Their organs are valuable to hunters, and these bears are hunted for them. [67] Pythons are successfully able to attack by taking advantage of the nighttime when the sun bears are sleep or nursing their cub. [14] In 1906, Richard Lydekker proposed another subspecies by the name H. m. wardii for a sun bear skull, noting its similarities to a skull from Tibet with a thicker coat; however the Tibetan specimen was later found to be an Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus). Sun bears 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. [5] The generic name Helarctos comes from two Greek words: (hlios, 'related to the sun') and (arctos, 'bear'). They use complex facial movements as a form of communication, they are able to memorize where things are, and they use all of their strength, sense of smell, flexibility, and physical attributes to their utmost advantage. Related Article: Are Kodiak Bears Dangerous? This is lame! So, you know, maybe its okay that it attacks humans sometimes. Bananas are a common thing the sun bears will eat. Furthermore, a Sun Bear will probably not have the enzymes to eat humans- since we are not their natural prey. Sun Bear: Why Is It Endangered? - Our Endangered World But the Kodiak is very isolated, having been separated from its closest relative, the Kamchatka brown bears of Russia, for about 10,000 years.