Sloth bears live in a variety of dry and moist forests and in some tall grasslands, where boulders, scattered shrubs and trees provide shelter. By becoming a member, you'll help the Zoo save species and get great benefits for you and your family each time you visit! They have a keen sense of smell, as well as near-sight similar to that of humans. Sloth bears are solitary creatures and generally nocturnal. Another was to rouse them at daytime by firing flares into the cave to draw them out. Many other animals that primarily consume ants also carry their young on their backs. They have long lower lips which can be stretched over the outer edge of their noses, and lack upper incisors, thus allowing them to suck up large numbers of insects. [2] It has a long, shaggy fur, a mane around the face, and long, sickle-shaped claws. Other sloth bears are captured for use as sideshow animals called "dancing bears." The species is the most vociferous when mating, and make loud, melodious calls when doing so. The sloth bear is the only bear with long hair on its ears. Until recently, approximately 100 cubs were taken from the wild annually for this purpose. [31] They were once common in the towns of Calcutta, where they often disturbed the horses of British officers. Support organizations like the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute that research better ways to protect and care for this animal and other endangered species. [21][22][23][24][25] Besides being smaller than males, females reportedly typically have more fur between their shoulders. Strict protection of both bears and their forest and grassland ecosystems is their best hope for their future. [44], The government of India has banned use of sloth bears for entertainment, and a 'Sloth Bear Welfare Project' in the country has the objective of putting an end to their use for entertainment. The bile from their gall bladders is used in shampoo, eye drops, wine and medicine thought to cure liver disease and heart disease, improve eyesight and decrease high blood pressure. Cubs will nurse for about a year. Avoid buying products made from animals, which could support poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. Currently, Zoo scientists are also studying the behavior, welfare and cognitive abilities of sloth bears in human care. Individual riding positions are maintained by cubs through fighting. Historically, sloth bears have also been reported in Bangladesh and Bhutan, but it is unclear whether sloth bears are still present in the wild of these countries. Despite being banned since 1972, this practice was difficult to control, because the dancing bears were the primary source of income for India's Kalandar tribe. [32], The large canine teeth of sloth bears, relative to both its overall body size and to the size of the canine teeth of other bear species, and the aggressive disposition of sloth bears, may be a defense in interactions with large, dangerous animals, such as the tiger, elephant, and rhinoceros. Sloth bears are considered solitary, although they are occasionally seen in groups when resources are plentiful. Are you a student? Tigers usually give sloth bears a wide berth, though some specimens may become habitual bear killers,[34] and it is not uncommon to find sloth bear fur in tiger scats. [28] Cubs are born blind, and open their eyes after four weeks. © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, © 2015- Fifty-three percent of males and 38 percent of females die as cubs. [45] Major sloth bear sanctuaries in India include the Daroji bear sanctuary, Karnataka. Educational Activities You Can Do at Home, About the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Sloth Bears Recognize 2D Images as Representations of 3D Objects Smithsonian’s National Zoo Cognition Study Finds. They are currently considered extirpated, or no longer present, in Bangladesh and may also be absent from Bhutan. Burton deduced from comparing statistics that sloth bears killed more people than Asian black bears,[51] and Theodore Roosevelt considered them to be more dangerous than American black bears. [28], IUCN estimates that fewer than 20,000 sloth bears survive in the wilds of the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka. These bears live in a variety of habitats with large insect populations, particularly termite mounds. When threatened they respond by standing on their hind legs and displaying their formidable foreclaws. (Eds.). It has also been called "labiated bear" because of its long lower lip and palate used for sucking up insects. Make it the topic of your next school project, or start a conservation club at your school. [28] On arriving at a mound, they scrape at the structure with their claws till they reach the large combs at the bottom of the galleries, and disperse the soil with violent puffs. Emitting noisy grunts and snorts, it wanders alone, usually at night, in search of insects and fresh fruit. [64], In Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, Baloo "the sleepy old brown bear" teaches the Law of the Jungle to the wolf cubs of the Seeonee wolf pack, as well as to his most challenging pupil, the "man-cub" Mowgli. Going on raw numbers, this is the species of bear that most regularly attacks humans. This "bear's bread" is considered a delicacy by some of India's natives. Sloth bears are noisy, busy animals. [3], Shaw in 1791 named the species Bradypus ursinus. About 20,000 or fewer total sloth bears remain in the wild. Support our Giant Panda Program and help provide the best possible care for our little guy. They make their day beds out of broken branches in trees, and rest in caves during the wet season. Their shaggy fur does not have an undercoat, so it keeps them relatively cool in their native, warm climate and protects them from tropical insects. They are capable of galloping faster than running humans. [11] Their long claws, which are ideally adapted for digging at termite mounds, make adults less capable of climbing trees to escape danger, as are other bears such as Asian black bears.
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