![]() However, unlike other bear species, cubs do not climb trees to escape a threat. While foraging, both cubs and adults are capable of swiftly climbing trees. Females with cubs will be more active during the day, likely to avoid potential predators of her cubs that hunt at night. Most of these bears are nocturnal, and most active at night. Their diet is similar to that of other insectivores, like anteaters, and they thrive on commercial insectivore feed and fruits. They are excellent swimmers, and most habitats include a large water body to swim and play in.Īs with other bear species, zookeepers provide a variety of environmental enrichment in the form of toys, puzzle feeders, and more. In zoos, sloth bears require large enclosures to roam and exercise. This certainly means they could easily injure or kill humans! In most places it is illegal to own a sloth bear as a pet. They are more than capable of defending themselves against tigers, elephants, rhinos, and other large animals. Humans have not domesticated sloth bears in any way. Community-based incentives to replant forests and protect sloth bear habitat is important in the conservation of this species. When confronted by humans they will attack and can cause serious injury, or even death. Sloth bears have sharp teeth and long claws. The bears are left without places to search for food, and will forage garbage and crops in an attempt to survive. Humans have degraded the sloth bear’s habitat to the point of conflict. Also unlike other bear species, they rarely feed on mammals of any kind. Unlike brown bears and other bear species, they do not congregate to a single food source. They will also feed on flowers, mangoes, jackfruit, sugar cane, honey, wood apples, and other fruits and seeds. The bears use their long, curved claws to rip open the termite mounds and slurp up the insects. Termites are their favorite food, and they use their keen sense of smell to locate termite mounds. This species feeds primarily on insects, and scientists consider them insectivores. You will find these bears nowhere else in the world, outside of zoos. Humans have driven them to extinction in Bangladesh, though these bears also reside in southern Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Human expansion has reduced some of their former range in southwestern and northern India. Sloth bears live throughout regions of India, and some surrounding areas. They prefer dry forests to rainforests, and will frequently forage in rocky outcrops and other areas with plenty of insects to eat. Most bears live in areas with lower elevation, rather than mountainous regions. They are found in forests and grasslands throughout their range. These bears live in a variety of habitats with large insect populations, particularly termite mounds. A number of coalitions are still attempting to end this practice by providing bear handlers with alternate jobs. The Indian government banned this “entertainment” because bears were frequently blinded, had their teeth removed, and were improperly fed leading to malnutrition. Despite banning the practice in 1972, India still has a large number of dancing bears. Dancing Bears – Indian dancing bears are almost always sloth bears.Cubs will seek their mother’s back for up to nine months before they are large enough to defend themselves, and will fight amongst themselves for their favorite spot the whole time. When riding on mom’s back, the cubs will fight over the best riding spot. Sibling Rivalry – Sloth bears can have two and even three cubs at a time.Cubs will also ride mom’s back when she wants to move faster than they can walk or run. At the first sign of danger the cubs hop on mom’s back and she protects them against potential predators. Piggyback – Until cubs are large enough to keep up, or old enough to protect themselves, mother bears carry them on their backs.Feeding on insects is much easier when you can easily smell them with your large nose, and slurp them up with your long lips! While these features may make the bear look like it got into a bee hive, they actually serve an important purpose. Flappy Bear – Sloth bears have long lower lips and a large nose.Learn more about what makes sloth bears unique below. Humans have threatened these bears with extinction, and they need our help. Their ears are also floppy and coated in long fur. Unlike the small round ears of most bear species, sloth bears have large ears. The two primary distinctions between this species and other bears are their ears and lips. ![]()
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