Unique Features ||
Sun Bears get their name from the yellow-ish mark on their chests which is said to resemble the rising sun. However, these marks can vary and may be completely lacking. They are the smallest of the eight species of bear.
Social Behaviour ||
Little is known about the social habits of Sun Bears. They are primarily nocturnal, and spend much of the day sunbathing or resting. They are tree climbers and spend most of their time amongst the branches, often on makeshift nests they have built out of branches, these can be as high as seven metres off the ground.
Diet ||
Sun Bears love honey so much that they are often called honey bears. In the wild they eat fruit, berries, sprouts, insects, small vertebrates, eggs, roots, cocoa and coconuts. An unusually long tongue is used in slurping up insects.
Reproduction ||
Sun Bears will mate at any time of year, as they do not hibernate in winter like other bear species. Gestation lasts 90-110 days and either one or two tiny babies will be born. The babies remain with their mother for quite some time, learning how to find food and fend for themselves. They reach sexual maturity at between three and four years of age.
Life Cycle ||
Sun Bears have been known to live up to 25 years in captivity, but it is not known how long they live in the wild.
Relatives ||
The Sun Bear is related to all the other bear species.
Interesting Facts :
- As protection from predators (tigers and leopards) the Sun Bear has very loose skin around its neck. If grabbed from behind, the bear can wriggle its body inside its skin, far enough to turn around and bite back!
- Also called "honey bear". Malayan name, basindo nan tenggil, means "he who likes to sit high".
- The pigeon-toed gait signals that this animal is arboreal.
- Adults are about 120 to 150 centimetres long and weigh 27 to 65 kilograms. Males can be 10 to 20 percent larger than females.
- The paws of the Sun Bear are large with naked soles, possibly an adaptation for better tree climbing.
- Local peoples refer to it as the "dog bear" due to it's small size.
Breeding Programme ||
Wellington Zoo is part of an international breeding programme aimed at preventing the extinction of these animals.
Environmental Conditions ||
Sun Bears are endangered. In Thailand, the primary threat is forest destruction - especially logging, and the pet trade. By law, every man, woman and child is allowed to keep two of any species as pets, except none that are on the brink of extinction. Baby Sun Bears are popular as pets but, like chimpanzees, the adults are too big and strong to safely keep as pets, and often they up being killed or chained up.
Elsewhere, poaching for meat, medicinal use of organs primarily in China, Taiwan, South Korea (greatest consumer) and Japan is the greatest threat. Thai officials say that at least 30 sun bears were illegally shipped to South Korea to fortify Korean athletes for the 1988 Olympic Games.
At Wellington Zoo ||
At Wellington Zoo we have three sun bears, a female, a male and a bear cub born at here Wellington Zoo September 2006.
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