Sun Bear facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sun Bear |
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| Sun Bear | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
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| Phylum: | |
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| Genus: |
Helarctos
Horsfield 1825
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| Species: |
H. malayanus
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| Binomial name | |
| Helarctos malayanus (Raffles, 1821)
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The Sun Bear (Ursus malayanus or Helarctos malayanus) is a bear living in Southeast Asia.
Contents
Appearance
The Sun Bear is the smallest bear. It has short black fur, and a yellow spot on its chest. Its ears are small and round. It has big feet with naked soles and long claws, which help the Sun Bear climbing. It can climb very well. It cannot see very well, but its sense of smell is very good.
Life
Sun Bears mostly live in tropic rainforests. They are mostly active at night, and they stay in trees a lot of the time.
It eats a lot of different things: fruit and other plants, eggs, honey and insects. They also eat small vertebrate animals, like reptiles, birds and mammals.
After a pregnancy of 96 days the female gives birth to 1-2 babies. Young Sun Bears become mature when they are 3-4 years old. Sun Bears can become up to 28 years old when in captivity (held by humans, e.g. in zoos).
Sun Bears do not hibernate.
Images for kids
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Skull, showing short snout.
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Sun bears are among the most arboreal of bears.
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Sun bears have a broad omnivorous diet including plants.
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Sun bear in the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (Malaysia)
See also
In Spanish: Helarctos malayanus para niños
