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MalaysianSunbear
Height: 1.2 – 1.5 m (head to tail)
Tail:3 ­ 7 cm
Weight:30 ­ 65 kg (male) 20 – 40 kg (female)

Malayan Sun Bear

Helarctos Malayanus

Description:
The Malayan Sun bear is the smallest bear in the world can be found in Khao Sok National Park. Sun bears have no real predators other than humans. Since their bile is used in Chinese medicine they were and still are hunted quite heavily. Only on very few occasions a Malayan Sunbear might be attacked by a large cat. These bears have loose skin on their necks and, if attacked from behind, can turn their heads and aggressively defend themselves. Sun bears have poor eyesight, relying more on their keen sense of
smell. Life spans in the wild are unknown (estimated at up to 24 years), but the oldest sun bear in captivity turned 25 years old. The IUCN Red list classifies these animals as ‘vulnerable’.

Did you know...?

… that sun bears are excellent at climbing trees? They climb by hugging the tree with their front legs and then hauling themselves up using their strong teeth.

Colouring:
The fur is short and black with a pale orange/yellow horseshoe shape on the chest. The ears are small and round in shape.

Diet:
The diet of the Sun Bear varies widely and includes small vertebrates such as lizards, birds, and other mammals, in addition to fruits, eggs, termites, the young tips of palm trees, nests of bees, berries, sprouts, insects, roots, cocoa, and coconuts. Its powerful jaws can crack open nuts. The Sun Bear also possesses a very long, slender tongue, ranging from 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 inches) in length, which it
uses to eat insects and honey resulting in the nickname “honey bear”.

Habitat:
Sun bears live at all elevations of dense tropical and subtropical forests in Southeast Asia. Thanks to their sharp claws they are very good at climbing trees and actually sleep and sunbathe in trees from 2 to 7 m above the ground. This explains why their Malayan name means “he, who likes to sit high”.

Reproduction:
It is believed sun bears can delay implantation, meaning the fertilized egg reaches the uterus in a dormant state and remains there for several months before becoming active. This explains why the gestation period can be anything from 95 to 240 days. Litters usually comprise 1 to 3 cubs, with birth weights of about 325g. Cubs remain with the mother for about 18 months and reach sexual maturity at
about 3 years of age.

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