Research Paper about The Sun Bear

The Sun Bear is known for being the smallest species of bear. The Sun Bear stands at four to five feet and weighs sixty to one hundred and fifty pounds (“Sun”). The Sun Bear is classified as in the Animalia kingdom, the Chordata phylum, Sarcopterygii class, Carnivora order, and the Ursidae family (Myers).  The Sun Bear is a very interesting bear with many cool facts about it. The Sun Bear is a reclusive bear. Sun Bears have interesting habitats, food chains, adaptations, and life cycles. 

The Sun Bears habitats are deeply forested areas (Scotson). The area where the Sun Bears live is forested areas from North Eastern India to South Eastern China (Scotson). These areas will usually have deep forests for the Sun Bear to be in. The bear enjoys being in these deep forested areas for resources and the ability to hide if they need to. The Sun Bear has been known to go up into trees and hug branches while sleeping (Scotson). This odd sleeping behavior is protection from predators as the bear sleeps keeping it safe and off the ground. The Sun Bear has a deep forest habitat that has an interesting food chain inside of it. 

The Sun Bear may not be the top of the food chain but it is up there. The Sun Bear is prey to giant reticulated pythons and sometimes tigers, leopards, wild dogs, and even humans (Scotson). Sun Bears Get nutrition from ants, beetles, termites, larvae, small vertebrates, and a lot of different fruits (Scotson). The Sun Bear will even go to farms and eat the crops in the fields this has made farmers have a disliking for the bear. The Sun Bear is hunted by predators because of its small size, its size granting it the nickname of the “Dog Bear” (“Sun”). It also has the nickname of “Honey Bear” because of its long tongue used to eat honey from bees nests (“Sun”). If caught by a predator the Sun Bear has this loose skin around its neck allowing it to move its head and fight back even if caught by the neck (“Sun”). This adaptation has allowed Sun Bears to survive many attacks from predators and live longer lives. The Sun Bear is an important part of the food chain it is in. It survives in this food chain thanks to its adaptations. 

The adaptations of the Sun Bear help it greatly to survive. Unlike most bears the Sun Bears paws have no fur (Blashfield). This helps it to climb trees and get to bees nests and escape predators. Its claws are long and sharp which also helps it to climb trees. The Sun Bear has small ears, massive canines, and a tongue that reaches up to 18 inches long (Scotson). The Sun Bear's fur is short and black with a “O” or “U” shaped crest on its chest that ranges from gold, orange, and cream coloration (Scotson). The Sun Bear only takes one mate in its life so sexes are similar in size, with the males only being slightly larger (Blashfield). The Sun Bear has adapted well for where it lives. 

The life cycle of the Sun Beat is interesting. The Sun Bear has a lifespan of up to twenty five years (Scotson). In this time they are weaned, grow up, reproduce, and then die. When born the Sun Bear is a hairless cub that will not leave its mother until two years after its birth at this time it will leave to find its own territory (Scotson). The Sun Bear leaves its mothers territory and will find a territory as well as any mates along the way so it can reproduce. The Sun Bear is classified by the IUCN as vulnerable (“Sun”). Their population is decreasing every year (“Sun”). Although unknown, the population can be estimated at less than a thousand left (“Sun”). This is due to their habitat being destroyed by deforestation. Also a large number of poachers who hunt them for their body parts and fur, as well as farmers who kill them on sight for eating crops (“Sun”). The Sun Bear has a dwindling population and needs to be protected. 

The habitat, food chain, adaptations, and life cycle of the Sun Bear are very interesting. They live in deep densely forested areas in China and India. They are an important part of the food chain they are in. They may not be the top but they are higher than most animals in its food chain. Its adaptations have allowed it to survive for a long time. Finally its life cycle is very interesting with the sun bear living to twenty five and staying with its mother for two years after being born this life cycle is very fragile and vulnerable to being ended. If you care about animals you should help this beautiful bear which is getting close to extinction. 

Works Cited

Blashfield, Jean F. "Bears." The Gale Encyclopedia of Science, edited by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, 5th ed., vol. 1, Gale, 2014, pp. 509-513. Gale eBooks, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3727800283/GVRL?u=herscherhs&sid=bookmark-GVRL&xid=c6813541. Accessed 23 Feb. 2022.

Myers, et al. “ADW: Helarctos Malayanus: CLASSIFICATION.” Animaldiversity.org, 2022, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Helarctos_malayanus/classification/. Accessed 1 Mar. 2022.

Scotson, Lorraine. "Sun bear." World Book Student, World Book, 2022,

https://worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar757051. Accessed 24 Feb. 2022.

“Sun Bear.” AZ Animals, a-z-animals.com/animals/sun-bear/#. Accessed 2 Mar. 2022.

"Sun Bear." National Geographic, National Geographic, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/sun-bear. Accessed 28 Feb. 2022.