Sun bear
The sun bear ("Helarctos malayanus") is a species in the family Ursidae occurring in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. It is the smallest bear, standing nearly at the shoulder and weighing . It is stockily built, with large paws, strongly curved claws, small rounded ears and a short snout. The fur is generally jet-black, but can vary from grey to red. Sun bears get their name from the characteristic orange to cream coloured chest patch. Its unique morphology—inward-turned front feet, flattened chest, powerful forelimbs with large claws—suggests adaptations for climbing.

The most arboreal (tree-living) of all bears, the sun bear is an excellent climber and sunbathes or sleeps in trees above the ground. It is mainly active during the day, though nocturnality might be more common in areas frequented by humans. Sun bears tend to remain solitary but sometimes occur in pairs (such as a mother and her cub). They do not seem to hibernate, possibly because food resources are available the whole year throughout the range. Being omnivores, sun bears have a broad diet including ants, bees, beetles, honey, termites and plant material such as seeds and several kinds of fruits; vertebrates such as birds and deer are also eaten occasionally. They breed throughout the year; individuals become sexually mature at two to four years of age. Litters comprise one or two cubs that remain with their mother for around three years.

The range of the sun bear is bound by northeastern India to the north and extends south to southeast through Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam in mainland Asia to Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia to the south. These bears are threatened by heavy deforestation and illegal hunting for food and the wildlife trade; they are also harmed in conflicts with humans when they enter farmlands, plantations and orchards. The global population is estimated to have declined by 35% over the past three decades. The IUCN has listed this species as vulnerable.
Q7432
species
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Q35409
family
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Q11788
Ursidae
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Q1048194
tropical forest
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Q11708
Southeast Asia
LOC
Q167896
snout
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Q183252
morphology
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Q767024
arboreal
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Q309179
nocturnality
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hibernate
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Q25241
vertebrate
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Q609370
sexually mature
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Q169940
deforestation
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Q34577
illegal hunting
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Q1141338
wildlife trade
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Q48268
IUCN
ORG
Q278113
vulnerable
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Q144923
Sun bear
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Q144923
Sun bear
Concept
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35
NUMBER
taxon rank
IUCN conservation status
taxon rank