Sloth Bear

These shaggy-haired bears were originally classed as sloths. When feeding, they can be heard sucking up termites from many miles away. Sloth bears are stocky with long, shaggy, black hair and a white U- or Y-shaped marking on the chest. They have large lips, a long tongue, a pale muzzle and well-developed hook-like claws that enable them to climb trees and dig for termites.

Diet
Sloth bears are omnivorous and feed on a variety of foods depending on what is available. They mainly feed on ants and termites and are specially equipped for feeding on them. They use their long claws to expose the insect's nests. Then they blow out the dirt and suck out the termites. They are able to close their nostrils to create a vacuum, and their mobile lips enable them to scoop up their prey. Their hairless muzzles are thought to be an adaptation to the stings of the insects.

Behaviour
Sloth bears are nocturnal and occupy home ranges that they seem happy to share with other sloth bears. Male sloth bears have an average range of 13 square km. This is much smaller than most other bears, probably due to the fact that they do not suffer from seasonal fluctuations of food supply (ants and termites are available all year round). This means that they do not have to travel so far in search of food. The constant availability of ants and termites also mean that they do not need to undergo a winter sleep.

Conservation Status
Sloth bears are classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN and are listed on CITES: Appendix I. They are hunted by farmers due to the damage they cause to crops, and also by hunters seeking the prized gall bladder of the sloth bear, which is used in medicine in Asia.

Other Facts
Shaggy, dusty, and unkempt, the reclusive sloth bear makes its home in the forests of South Asia. Emitting noisy grunts and snorts, it wanders alone, usually at night, in search of insects and fresh fruit. Sloth bears feed predominantly on termites and ants and employ a well-evolved method to dig them out. Their long, curved claws are used for penetrating nest mounds, which can be rock-hard. Once they’ve opened a hole, they blow away excess dirt then noisily suck out the insects through a gap in their front teeth. To do so, they close their nostrils and use their lips like a vacuum nozzle.

Beyond insects, sloth bears feast on a variety of fruit and flowers, including mango, fig, and ebony. They are also known to scale the occasional tree to knock down a bee honeycomb, which they will then enjoy on the ground below. It is this habit that’s given rise to their nickname, honey bears. Sloth bears are solitary creatures and generally nocturnal. They grow up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in length, and males can weigh up to 310 pounds (140 kilograms), while females weigh up to 210 pounds (95 kilograms). When threatened they respond by standing on their hind legs and displaying their formidable foreclaws.

They wear an extremely shaggy black coat and a cream-colored snout, and their chest is usually marked with a whitish “V” or “Y” design. After a six- to seven-month gestation period sloth bears normally give birth to a litter of two cubs in an underground den. The cubs will often ride on their mother’s back, a unique trait among bears. Sloth bears are considered vulnerable animals. They are threatened by habitat loss and are sometimes captured for use in performances or hunted because of their aggressive behavior and destruction of crops.