sun bear

Description

Also known as the ‘honey bear’ for its love of honey, the sun bear is a nocturnal animal that spends much of theday resting on a branch, basking in the sun — which is how it got its other name, ‘sun bear.’ With powerful jaws, it can tear through tree trunks to find insects, and its large paws with strong claws and bare pads make it an excellent climber.

Threats and preservation

The sun bear, one of the rarest bears, is rapidly declining due to deforestation and hunting. Habitat destruction for coffee, rubber, and palm oil plantations forces them into smaller, more isolated areas, often insufficient for their still poorly understood needs. Poachers take advantage of this, capturing them forbear bile farms. Organizations like Free The Bears workto rescue these bears, providing sanctuaries and rehabilitating them when possible.