• Scientific Name : Helarctos malayanus
  • It is the smallest bear, standing nearly 70 cms (28 inches) at the shoulder and weighing 25-65 Kgs.
  • Most endangered species world wide with only around 2000 left in the wild, making them one of the most threatened animal species on Earth.
  • Sun bears lead the  most arboreal (tree living) life style among all bears.
  • They are mainly active during the day, though nocturnality might be more common in areas frequented by humans.
  • It is also an efficient swimmer.
  • Sun bears are noted for their intelligence; a captive bear observed sugar being stored in a cupboard then locked by a key, and later used its own claw to open the lock.
  • These are omnivorous and feed on a broad variety of items such as ants, bees, beetles, honey, termites and plant material such as seeds and several kinds of fruits.
  • Sun bears are polyoestrous; births occurs throughout the year.
  • It is native to the tropical forest of south east Asia.
  • According to the IUCN status, it is vulnerable.
  • The sun bear is native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia; its range is bound by north-eastern India to the north and extends south to Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam to Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia to the south. Its presence in China was confirmed in 2017 when it was sighted in Yingjiang County of Yunnan Province. It is extinct in Singapore.