How does the sloth bear eat termites?

It lacks upper incisors, which lets it purse its long, mobile lips into a tube and suck up termites and ants like a vacuum after blowing debris away from the nest.

Do sloth bear cubs ride on their mother's back?

Yes, a behavior unusual among bears. Cubs cling to their mother's back as she walks, runs, or even climbs trees, until they reach roughly a third of her size, staying with her for one and a half to three years.

Is the sloth bear endangered?

The IUCN classifies it as Vulnerable, with fewer than 20,000 individuals estimated in the wild due to habitat loss, poaching for body parts, and conflict with humans.

Sloth Bearナマケグマ

Melursus ursinusVU— Vulnerable

The sloth bear is a shaggy-coated, termite-specialized bear of the Indian subcontinent, uniquely adapted with a lack of upper incisors and a mobile snout that lets it vacuum up insects from their nests. Cubs ride on their mother's back well into their second year, a striking behavior rare among bears. With fewer than 20,000 individuals estimated to remain due to habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict, it is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

Sloth Bear (reference photo) — Photo: Saumitra Newalkar / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification: Carnivora / Ursidae Source
Size: Body length 140–190 cm, shoulder height 60–92 cm, tail 10–12.5 cm
Weight: Males 80–145 kg (rarely up to 192 kg), females 55–105 kg (rarely 124 kg)
Diet: Insectivore Omnivorous, feeding mainly on termites along with other insects, bird eggs, carrion, flowers, fruit, mangoes, corn, jackfruit seeds, and honey
Activity: Nocturnal
Distribution: Native to the Indian subcontinent, inhabiting India, Nepal's Terai region, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka, in tropical forests, savannahs, and grasslands below 1,500 m elevation. Source
Sources: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Did You Know?

Sloth bears uniquely lack upper incisors, allowing them to purse their elongated lips and suck up large numbers of termites and ants like a vacuum after blowing away debris. Source
Cubs stay with their mother for one and a half to three years and ride on her back as she walks, runs, or climbs trees, until they reach about a third of her size. Source
Its coat is long, shaggy, and unkempt-looking, with a mane behind the neck that can grow up to 30 cm long. Source

Where to See This Species

Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 2

Yokohama Shiritsu Nogeyama DoubutsuenKanagawaOpened in 1951

Source

Sapporoshimaruyama DoubutsuenHokkaidoOpened in 1951

Source

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

Vulnerable (VU)

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org

Support Conservation

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FAQ

How does the sloth bear eat termites?: It lacks upper incisors, which lets it purse its long, mobile lips into a tube and suck up termites and ants like a vacuum after blowing debris away from the nest. Source
Do sloth bear cubs ride on their mother's back?: Yes, a behavior unusual among bears. Cubs cling to their mother's back as she walks, runs, or even climbs trees, until they reach roughly a third of her size, staying with her for one and a half to three years. Source
Is the sloth bear endangered?: The IUCN classifies it as Vulnerable, with fewer than 20,000 individuals estimated in the wild due to habitat loss, poaching for body parts, and conflict with humans. Source
How many operating facilities are registered here?: Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 2 Source

Books & gear

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org