Sloth Bear
Ursus ursinus
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Carnivora
Family:
Ursidae
IUCN Red List status:
Vulnerable
Description
Protected by the follwing WLT projects:
An adult male sloth bear can weigh up to 145 kg, while the smaller females weigh up to 95 kg. Sloth bears have the longest tails of any bear; 15-18 cm (6-7 in).
Behaviour
Uniquely among bears, the Sloth Bear feeds primarily on insects, such as ants and termites, using its long snout and bare lips to catch them.
Habitat
Sloth bears live on the Indian subcontinent where they are found in a wide variety of habitats, such as grasslands, thorn scrub and forests.
Threats and Conservation
Sloth Bears are threatened by poaching, habitat loss and habitat fragmentation. Bears are hunted for their gall bladder, used in traditional eastern medicine, and also captured live and used as 'dancing bears.
Protect habitat for Sloth Bears: Donate to the Indan Elephant Corridors Appeal
Learn more
- See IUCN Red List of Threatened Species for more information on the classification of the Sloth Bear.
