There are many, many kinds of bears, including the well-known black bear, brown or grizzly bear, and polar bears. But did you know that there are lots more than those few? The other species include moon bears, sun bears, sloth bears, spectacled bears, and Asian black bears. In this article, I will be telling you about Sun bears, Moon bears, and Sloth bears. If you're interested in the other species, it's worth a google. Oh, and check out Kermode Spirit Bears. Bet you didn't know that there were more species of white bears than just our Polar friends! :D

Sun bear

Sun bears can be found all the way from China to eastern India, and as south as Indonesia. They're named for the golden or white area on their chest. The sun bear is one of the smallest bears, only around 4.5 feet long and they only weigh up to 100 pounds. They have sleek, short black fur and are stocky in build. They can also be known as honey bears and Malayan sun bears. 

They are very reclusive and shy animals, and rarely attack humans unless they are with their cubs or are injured. Sun bears are one of the most arboreal of all bears, and they are excellent tree climbers. They also usually sleep in trees, mostly ones 7 to 23 feet above the ground. They are omnivores, and they eat a variety of foods including ants, beetles, bees, termites, honey, seeds, lots of kinds of fruits, and sometimes birds or deer. 

Moon bears

Moon bears are found across Asia, with numerous subspecies inhabiting areas from Pakistan to Japan.

Moon bears have very shaggy black fur with a distinctive yellow crescent across the chest and large ears. Moon bears have an average of 200 to 300 pounds and are about five feet tall.

They will eat almost anything. In some areas, they eat only plant matter. Where small animals are available they are omnivorous. Their diet can include leaves, fruits, nuts, seeds, berries, termites, crickets, and lizards. They will also eat nesting birds and their eggs. They like honey and will eagerly raid bee nests. Rodents and other small mammals are also on their menu. 

Sloth bears

The sloth bear has thick shaggy fur that is black to brown. Its ears are lined with long fur and it has a very long snout, a big tongue, round eyes, and a large nose. Its head resembles a domesticated dog. The area around its muzzle and eyes are cream-colored. The sloth bear has a distinct V or U-shaped pattern displayed on its chest that is white or gold-colored. At one time this curious species was classified as a sloth. It does have long claws, it is an excellent tree climber, and it moves slow. However, it is actually a member of the bear family Ursidae.  They are found in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Nepal.

Their favorite food is termites, other insects, and grubs. In their habitat, these are abundant and available all year long. They will also eat leafy plants, fruits, nuts, root vegetables, and honey. Like black bears, their diet consists of up to 80% or more vegetable matter or other non-carnivorous foods.  

More Q + A

Which is most dangerous?

Sloth bears are incredibly dangerous, far more so than the Black bear that they look like. They can and will attack unprovoked, useing their long, sharp claws to tear and maul your face. In fact, the number of sloth bear attacks annually rivals and even exceeds the total number of all bear attacks from the seven other bear species combined. 

Panda bears?

 bearsoftheworld.net says...

"Giant pandas are classified in the Ursidae family as bears by most scientists. In the past, they had been grouped in the Procyonidae family along with raccoons and lesser pandas. However, DNA testing in the 1980's determined that giant pandas were true bears, belonging to Ursidae more so than the Procyonidae family. Fossils have been found showing that giant panda bears evolved somewhere between 2 and 3 million years ago. Yet, they were unknown to the western world until 1869. The giant panda's trinomial name Ailuropus melanoleucus Melanoleucus means black and white bear. Its Chinese name Da Xiong mao means great bear cat."

However, chicagotribune.com says

"A bear is a bear is a bear is a bear. Unless it's a panda."

My opinion: Bears, bears, bears, BEARZ.