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Sun Bears
(Helarctos malayanus)
The Sun Bear is also called the Malay bear or honey bear. It is the smallest of the eight bear species.
There is very little known about the biology and habits of the sun bear. We do know, however that it is a high priority for immediate conservation efforts as it on the red-list of endangered species.
There is a fear that the sun bear may disappear from the wild before anything is known about it.
The exact number of sun bears still in existence is not known. We do know, however, that the number of sun bears is steadily declining due to habitat loss and poaching.
Originally, sun bears inhabitated the lowland forests of southeast Asia from Malaysia and Indonesia as far west as India (see map). They are now believed to be extinct in India and possibly Bangladesh. The state of the sun bear population in Burma, Thailand, Laos, Kampuchea and Vietnam is also in dire difficulty.
A number of bears are thought to exist on the island of Borneo but even there, deforestation is occurring at an accelerated rate and the long-term prospects are unclear.
The sun bear is by far the smallest of all the bears, being about half the size of the American black bear. Its size in the wild shows high variability depending on food availability, climatic conditions, etc.
Adult sun bears stand approximately 70 centimeters (2 1/4 feet) tall and have an average length between 100 and 140 centimeters (3 1/2 and 4 1/2 feet). The weight of an adult male sun bear is between 27 and 65 kilograms (60 and 143 pounds). Female sun bears are slightly smaller than males.
Sun bears have a solid, sleek body; short tail; small rounded ears; and plantigrade feet (i.e., both heel and toe make contact with the ground when walking in a manner similar to humans). They have short bowlegs and sharp sickle-like claws. Sun bears have no hair on the soles of their feet which assists them in getting a better grip when they climb trees.
The sun bear is covered by very short, dense, black fur which is very efficient at repelling moisture. Most bears have a large yellowish- white or orange U-shaped blaze on their chest. The feet are sometimes greyish in colour.
Sun bears, like most wild creatures, seek foods which will return the highest nutritional value for the least expenditure of energy. Seasonal availability and geographic location are the biggest factors determining the primary food sources of sloth bears.
Primarily nocturnal animals, sun bears feed on fruit, small rodents, lizards, birds, ants, termites, earthworms and insects. They readily climb trees to get honey from the hives of wild bees. Another food which they seek out is the palm heart of the cultivated coconut palm tree. This kills the tree and has led to sun bears being shot in large numbers by local orchard owners.
The size of the home range of an individual sun bear will vary with the concentration of high energy food sources. Thus, the more concentrated the food sources, the smaller the range necessary to maintain an animal.
To date, there is no definitive research which details the exact nature of the home range of the sun bear. No studies involving placing radio-equipped collars on selected sun bears has been done. It is hoped that this information will be forthcoming in the near future to assist in establishing the size of the conservation areas that will be needed in order to ensure the survival of these bears in the wild.
Within their habitat, sun bears often climb trees to make day nests. This may assist in keeping them safe from the many predators within the forest.
Female sun bears mate for the first time during their third year. Sun bears have been observed breeding at all times of the year. The mating period lasts anywhere from two days to a week. It is described as a boisterous occasion, similar to sloth bears, with the bears engaging in hugging-like behaviour, mock fighting, head bobbing, head nuzzling and barking. Copulation takes place in a manner similar to members of the canine (dog) family.
The gestation period generally lasts about 100 days with normally 2 cubs being born while the mother sun bear nests deep in the forest undergrowth. Climate and food supply will be important determinants to the size of the litter.
At birth, the cubs are blind, hairless and very tiny. They weigh approximately 225 grams (7 ounces). Their skin is virtually transparent. Helpless at birth, the cubs develop quickly and within a month or two, they are able to forage with their mother.
There are reports of sun bears forming monogamous pairs in the wild but this is, at present, unsubstantiated. Pairs of adults have been observed to be in the company of cubs.
The cubs usually stay with their mothers until they are nearly fullgrown.
The survival of cubs is probably extremely tenuous as it is for most bear species. The exact details of the mortality rate for the cubs of the sun bear during the first year and subsequent years is not available because of the lack of completed research.
The sun bear cub survival is undoubtedly dependent on the skill of their mother initially protecting them and then teaching them the basics of what to eat; where and how to get it; and how to cope with the dangers of their environment.
There is no recorded observations of sun bears hibernating due to the normal availability of food sources throughout the year.
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