Sloth Bear Basics

[brobear]

factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub433/entry-3574.html
Sloth Bear Behavior
Sloth bears are generally solitary and nocturnal but can be observed at any time of the day. The only time males and females come together is to mate (often in June and July). Generally, the only groups are a mother with cubs but brief groups of five to seven bears have been observed, communicating with strange facial expressions and a variety of sounds. Sloth bears spend much of their ambling along in a slow, deliberate fashion, looking for food. If motivated they can gallop at a relatively high speed. Sloth bears generally don't hibernate but retreat to caves and have a period of relative inactivity during the rainy season.

Sloth bears can not be accused of sloth. They are quite busy. They spend almost all their free time searching for food. They generally don't defend territories; they just roam to where the food is. Their long claws are ideal for digging and fending off attacks not so good for climbing trees, which many other bears their size are good at. They produce a variety of sounds, including roars, squeals, howls, huffs, yelps, rattles and gurgles. They are particularly noisy when mating, when they also engage in mack fighting and hugging. When resting they make humming and buzzing noises sucking on their paws.

Sloth bears are known for their pugnacity and aggressiveness They can do some serious damage with their long claws. They sometimes bite with their semi-toothed muzzle and hold on like a pit bull. Females are generally accommodating to other females. Fights sometimes break out between males.

Sloth bears have been observed fighting with tigers and holding their own. One ranger told Smithsonian magazine he observed a sloth bear slap a tiger in the face and push it away. The tiger fled after that. The same ranger said the once saw a sloth bear take on three large tigers, each of which fled in a different direction after the encounter. However, tigers do kill sloth bears more often than visa versa. In most cases a tiger can kill a sloth bear of it wants to but is fearful if suffering severe wounds in the process.

Sloth bears are regarded as very intelligent, employing reasoning when they feed. Sometimes before a rainstorm they dig a number of small holes in a termite nest and allow the rain to make them bigger before they dig up the hole. Like other bears, sloth bears can stand up on their hind legs, It first though this was a sign of aggression but it turns out they seem to do it to get a better view or survey the landscape and. more importantly, to sniff the air for food or danger.

[brobear]

www.factzoo.com/mammals/sloth-bear-shaggy-coat-insectivore.html
Sloth Bear - Shaggy-Coated, Insect Sucker
The sloth bear is a shaggy, untidy-looking member of the bear family. They’re indigenous to Southeast Asia and are mostly found in India. Their preferred habitats are flat tropical forested areas and they prefer to live alone although for mating, or if there is some food for many, they may be seen together. They can climb but not very effectively so they stay on the ground mostly. This species is fairly shy and usually nocturnal.
These bears can grow up to 6 feet (1.8 m) in length and males can weigh up to 310 pounds (140 kg). Females very rarely weigh more than 210 pounds (95 kg). When they feel threatened, they rise up on their back legs and wield their fearsome claws. Sometimes they also stand up just to get a good look around or smell the air. The coat of the sloth bear is extremely long, shaggy and black in color. They also sport a cream/beige snout and often have a patch of Y-shaped cream fur on their chests.
Sloth bears are essential insectivorous which means they prefer to feast only upon insects. Their main prey is the termite and they’re known for their formidable claws which can smash through a termites nest. They use an interesting technique to catch termites. First, they smash a hole in the nest and then they use their lips to make a vacuum and suck out all the content. The noise produced when the bear inhales the termites is deafening and some liken it to a roar! It can be heard several hundred yards away. Along with the insects like termites, the bears may feast upon fruits such as the mango and pawpaw and very rarely they may prey on other mammals. They have also been known to climb trees to get to bees nests and enjoy the sweet honey. This is where they’ve gained their nickname the ‘honey bear’.
The sloth bears’ gestational period is around six-to-seven months and the female bear usually gives birth to two cubs per litter. They tend to mate in the months of June and July although bears living in Sri Lanka are known to mate all year round. A fascinating and unique feature of this species is that they carry their offspring on their backs until they’re ready to fend for themselves.

[brobear]

shaggygod.proboards.com/
Sloth bears subsist primarily on termites, ants, and fruits. This is the only species of bear adapted specifically for myrmecophagy (ant and termite-eating; Garshelis et al. 1999b, Sacco and Van Valkenburgh 2004). The ratio of insects to fruits in the diet varies seasonally and geographically (Baskaran et al. 1997, Joshi et al. 1997, Bargali et al. 2004, Sreekumar and Balakrishnan 2002).

Understanding Sloth Bears — An Interview With Dr. K. Yoganand
by Yoganand K
What is unique about the sloth bear?

The sloth bear is an ant and termite eating (myrmecophagus) bear. It is the only bear species that seems to depend almost entirely on these social insects for its protein requirements and thus, in this respect, it is unique among bears.
What else do they eat? While ants and termites form their year-round staple, they also feed a lot on fleshy fruits, which are available seasonally. In Panna, fruits contributed 56%, ants 29%, and termites 10% to the annual diet, in terms of ingested biomass. As with the seasonal variability, the diet also varies from place to place depending on the availability of various insects and fruits.
Do sloth bears really like honey?

Yes, they do feed on honey commonly. The energy rich sugar in honey and the fat rich larvae and other early growth stages of bees housed in the honeycombs are important nutritional sources for sloth bears. Further, the availability of honeycombs over a large part of the year when other seasonal food can get scarce is an advantage.
Why do sloth bears carry their cubs on their backs and is this common among all bear species?

Cubs are frequently carried on their mothers’ backs from the time they leave the den until they are about six months of age. Carrying cubs by the mother seems to be a defence against attacks by predators such as tigers, leopards or other bears. This behaviour is commonly seen only in the sloth bear and is a trait shared with other anteaters.

[brobear]

Physical Description
Sloth bears have a shaggy black coat, especially over the shoulders. Brown and grey hairs found on the coat give the appearance of a cinnamon color on some bears. This heavy coat may be an adaptation to deal with cold. These bears have long snouts, which are similar to but less elongate than those of anteaters. The molars are broad and flat, representing a trend away from carnivory. The body structure of M. ursinus is awkward with huge feet and enormous claws. Sloth bears are nevertheless capable of galloping faster than a person can run. Compared to the body, the face appears naked and grey. They have extremely large tongues, a mobile snout, and they can voluntarily open and close their nostrils, all of which prove helpful with their diets. These bears have a light "U" or "Y" shaped patch on their chests. The color of these markings varies from white to yellow to chesnut brown. Females can weigh between 55 and 95 kg. Males are 30 to 40% heavier than females and can weigh between 80 and 140 kg. Adults measure 60 to 90 cm at the shoulder. (Blomstrom, 2000; International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA), September 22, 1999; Sanderson, 1972; Ward and Kynaston, 1995)

animaldiversity.org/accounts/Melursus_ursinus/

[brobear]

Ecosystem Roles
Since these bears include some fruit in their diet, they disperse the seeds of the fruit they eat. Also, by feeding on numerous amounts of termites, they keep the termite populations in check (Ward and Kynaston, 1995).

Ecosystem Impact disperses seeds - animaldiversity.org/accounts/Melursus_ursinus/

[brobear]

Sloth bears are mainly solitary except for mothers with their cubs. They occupy home ranges that are marked by stripping bark from trees, although intruders appear to be tolerated. Adults are generally active throughout both the day and night, except for females with cubs, which seem to restrict their activity to daylight hours. The mating season is recorded to run from June to July, although it may run year-round in some areas. A number of males will follow a receptive female around for days, mating with her in turn, and generally lacking aggression between each other (5). Females give birth (usually to two cubs) after a gestation period of around six to seven months (5) (6), in a den located in the base of a hollow tree. She will remain with her cubs for the first three months and once they are able to leave the safety of the den they will spend the majority of the time riding on her back. Cubs stay with their mother for up to 2.5 years and females therefore only breed at two or three year intervals (5). Sloth bears are unique amongst bears in that the majority of their diet is composed of insects, particularly termites and ants (5). Breaking open a termite mound with its strong front claws, the sloth bear will then insert its snout and blow away earth and dust before sucking the termites into their mouth (4). The lack of upper incisors creates a channel through which the bear sucks insects, and they are able to voluntarily close their nostrils, which prevents the inhalation of dust (5). Sloth bears also feed on honey, enduring the stings of bees to obtain honeycombs (2), as well as eggs, carrion, vegetation and fruits when in season (6).

eol.org/pages/328075/details

[brobear]

"Sportsmen in India generally either drive patches of jungle or hills, and shoot the bears as they run out, or else mark them down in until morning, and go up to their lair on foot. Elephants are seldom used, they have a great dread of bears, and are but rarely steady with them, and the country is frequently too rough and rocky for the sport. When bears inhabit hills, sportsmen occasionally post themselves before daybreak in a commanding spot, and intercept the animals on their return from their nocturnal rambles. Bears are occasionally speared from horseback, and have sometimes been hunted with large dogs and killed with a knife when seized. This is described by Sanderson. Jerdon gives an account of a curious method of hunting with dogs, practised by the Polygars, among the hills in the extreme south of the Peninsula. When the bear is brought to bay, the hunters each thrust a long bamboo loaded with strong bird-lime into the shaggy coat of their quarry, and thus hold him firmly. Nets have also been employed. A wounded bear usually escapes without attempting to fight, and, unless he can get into a cave, runs away until he drops, no matter what the temperature may be, frequently going many miles. Occasionally, however, he charges desperately, but a shot in the face, whether it hits or not, will almost always turn him. There is a common idea, quite unfounded, that a bear always rises on its hind legs to attack, and may then be shot in the chest. It very rarely, if ever, does this when really angry and assailing an enemy already clearly recognized. The act of rising on the hind legs is generally due to surprise, and to an endeavour, on the part of the bear, to make out his enemy better." 
 

eol.org/pages/328075/details

[brobear]

Quote from post above: "Sportsmen in India generally either drive patches of jungle or hills, and shoot the bears as they run out, or else mark them down in until morning, and go up to their lair on foot. Elephants are seldom used, they have a great dread of bears, and are but rarely steady with them, and the country is frequently too rough and rocky for the sport. 
 
*Note: I have read of this from other sources as well, that sloth bears and elephants have a strong dislike for each other. An interesting mystery. 

[brobear]

nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/sloth-bear

Fun Facts

Sloth bears' nostrils can close completely, protecting the animals from dust or insects when raiding termite nests or beehives.

Sloth bears are the only bears to routinely carry their young on their backs.

Physical Description
Sloth bears have shaggy, dusty-black coats; pale, short-haired muzzles; and long, curved claws which they use to excavate termites and ants. A cream-colored “V” or “Y” shape usually marks their chests. 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. Sloth bears' nostrils can close completely, protecting the animals from dust or insects when raiding termite nests or beehives. They have a keen sense of smell, as well as near-sight similar to that of humans.
Adult sloth bears are missing their top two front teeth (incisors), which enables them to suck up termites and other insects with ease. Due to their diet of insects and fruit, their premolars and molars are smaller than those of other bears, but they have large canines to use for defense. It is thought that their feet are turned inward to increase digging efficiency.
The first valid scientific description of this species was by George Shaw in 1791. He called it Ursine bradypus, ursine meaning bearlike and bradypus meaning slow foot. Bradypus is also the genus of three species of sloth. At the time, Shaw thought that the bear was related to a sloth. Time and additional specimens eventually revealed the true taxonomic relationships, but the confusing common name remains.
Size
Sloth bears grow 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 2 meters) long, stand 2 to 3 feet (0.5 to 1 meters) high at the shoulder, and weigh, on average, 200 to 300 pounds (90 to 140 kilograms).
Native Habitat
Sloth bears live in a variety of dry and moist forests and in some tall grasslands, where boulders, scattered shrubs and trees provide shelter. Their range includes India, Sri Lanka and southern Nepal. 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. They are currently considered extirpated, or no longer present, in Bangladesh and may also be absent from Bhutan.

Communication
Sloth bears are noisy, busy animals. They grunt and snort as they pull down branches to get fruit, dig for termites and ants, or snuffle under debris for grubs and beetles.
If threatened, they will stand on two legs, brandishing their clawed forepaws as weapons. Their large canines are used for defense against tigers. Other potential predators include jackals, wild dogs, wolves, leopards and other Asian bear species.
Food/Eating Habits
As animals who consume termites and ants, sloth bears are considered myrmecophagous. When trees are in fruit, usually during the monsoon season, sloth bears dine on mango, fig, ebony and other fruits, as well as on flowers.
Termites, dug out of their cement-hard nest mounds, and some ants are year-round staples. During non-fruiting season, insects constitute 95 percent of a sloth bear's diet. Sloth bears climb trees and knock down honeycombs, later collecting the honey from the forest floor. Beetles, grubs and other insects round out their diet. During food shortages, sloth bears will eat carrion. They also sometimes raid farm crops.
The Smithsonian's National Zoo's sloth bears eat a dry-food mixture designed for omnivores, plus fruits and vegetables, such as apples, sweet potatoes and grapes. At the Zoo, they are offered food at least three times daily: a large morning meal, a large evening meal and one or more snacks throughout the day. They also receive treats as enrichment, such as mealworms, crickets, nuts, coconut and honey.
Social Structure
Sloth bears are considered solitary, although they are occasionally seen in groups when resources are plentiful.
Reproduction and Development
In India, sloth bears breed in late spring to early summer. In Sri Lanka, however, there is no seasonality to sloth bear breeding. Mating occurs over several days to weeks and is very noisy.

While embryonic development takes approximately two months, gestation lasts four to seven months due to delayed implantation. In the weeks to months before a birth, the female may exhibit "denning" behavior. She digs a den or prepares space in a cave. She may become less interactive, or easily agitated, disinterested in food, defend the cubbing area and sleep more. These behaviors, correlated with hormonal changes, may occur even if the bear is experiencing a pseudopregnancy.
In the North American zoo population, births generally occur in late December to early January. One or two cubs (rarely three) are born in each litter in an underground den. They are born weighing about 1 pound (2 kilograms), open their eyes at about 2 to 3 weeks old and start to "walk" around 4 weeks. After emerging from the den at around 9 to 12 weeks, cubs stay with their mother for approximately two to three more years before heading off on their own. Cubs will nurse for two to three years, which is long in comparison to other bears. Sloth bears are the only bears to routinely carry their young on their backs as a primary mode of transportation; the cub clings to the extra shag of fur ("saddle") on the mother's back until it is 6 to 9 months old. Many other animals that primarily consume ants also carry their young on their backs.
Sloth bears are sexually mature at age 3, but are rarely mothers until later in life. They breed once every three years, more often if they have not given birth or have lost their cubs. Sloth bears exhibit low fecundity and high infant mortality. Fifty-three percent of males and 38 percent of females die as cubs.
Sleep Habits
These bears adapt their sleep-wake cycle to their environment and may be on a nocturnal, diurnal or crepuscular schedule depending on how many other bears, people or predators share their habitat. In protected areas, for example, sloth bears may be more active during the day. Sloth bears are typically active for about eight to 14 hours each day, and they do not hibernate. At the Zoo, they tend to keep a crepuscular schedule, meaning they are active in both the morning and evening but sleep midday and overnight.

[brobear]

www.petworlds.net/sloth-bear/

The lazy bear (Melusus Ursinus), also known as the spearhead bear, is a predominantly bear insect species of the Indian subcontinent. During the Pleistocene, the lazy bear was developed from ancestral brown bear and found in congenital growth in shared eating mammals.In Sri Lanka, different populations are considered as a subspecies.Compared to brown and black bears, sloth bears have longer, long shaggy coats, which have a necklace around the face (like a lion), long, saddle-shaped claws and a specially Customized lower lip and palate are used. Sucking insects.

Initially thinking it to be related to the South American sloths, Shaw and Nodder in 1791 called the species Bradypus ursinus, noting that it was bear-like, but giving weight to the long claws and the absence of upper middle incisors. Meyer (1793) identified it as a bear and called it Melursus lybius, and in 1817, de Blainville called it Ursus labiatus because of the long lips. Iliger called it Prochilus hirsutus, the Greek genus name indicating long lips, while the specific name noted its long and coarse hair. Fischer called it Chondrorhynchus hirsutus, while Tiedemann called it Ursus longirostris

Sloth Bear. Washington, DC. A lazy bear at the National Zoo, the dull bear (Melruss Ursinus) is also known as a spearhead beetle, the native native of the Indian subcontinent is an insect bear species.

Sloth bears are noisy, busy animals. They throw branches to trap, they dig for termites and ants, or keep roaming under debris for greens and beetles. … Other potential predators include lavender, wild dogs, wolves, leopards and other Asian bear species.

Sloth bears live in a variety of dry and moist forests and in some tall grasslands, where boulders and scattered shrubs and trees provide shelter. Their range includes India, Sri Lanka and southern Nepal. They have also been reported in Bhutan and Bangladesh.

There has been a steady decline in the number of sluggish bears over the years. Their total population is estimated to be between 7,000 and 10,000, with the most wild animals, the greatest threat to their existence is the destruction of their habitat.

Lazy bears live in many dry and humid forests and in some large grasslands, where stones and scattered shrubs and trees provide shelter. Their range includes India, Sri Lanka and Southern Nepal. They have also been informed in Bhutan and Bangladesh. Sloth bears are noisy, busy animals.

In order to initially associate it with South American fears, shows and Nodders, species were called Bradypsus Urcinus, given that it was tolerant, but giving weight to long claws and absence of upper middle rodents, mayor (1793)Recognized it as a bear and called it Malicious Libius, and in 1817, Blanville called it Ursus Lewitis for a longer period of time. An ogre named it Propleus Hirsuts, the name of the Greek genus whose name is long lips, while its name is long and thick, Fisher mentioned it as Chondrinhinhus Hirsuts, while Tidiman called it Ursus laniariostris.

Sloth bear shaggy, black hair that looks messy. They have long, curved claws
Bears eat fruit….
Sloth bear sucks ants and grubs with their long lips
Sloth bears are mostly sleepy
Sometimes sloth bears eat out of gardens or farmers’ farms

The sloth bear is a bit messy in appearance. It has long, thick, uncontrolled hair all around its ears, shoulders, and neck, which is dark brown cinnamon in color. Snuff out of yellow snout and a flexible nose interesting odor. In the lazy bear there is often a white patch on the chest in the shape of Y, O or U. With a close body and powerful feet, it is capable of climbing medium-sized bears. Lazy bears can not pull like a cat in their claws, so while walking, it seems a bit weird.
Sloth bears in human care generally live into their 20s. The oldest recorded male in the North American Species Survival Program population lived to 29; the oldest recorded female lived to 36.

The first valid scientific description of this species by George Shaw in 1791, it is called Ursin (i.e., bear) bradypsus (literally, the slowest name and the name of the three species of lethargy).Shaw thought that the bear was a lazy, primarily based on the shared qualities of the lack of upper fingers. The time and extra samples eventually revealed true taxonomic relationships, but the misleading general name remains.

[brobear]

www.petworlds.net/sloth-bear/ continued:

COMMON NAME : Sloth bear

Country of Origin : Washington, DC. A lazy bear at the National Zoo

Scientific name : Melursus Ursinus

Size : 5 to 6 ft; tail, 2.7 to 4.7 in

Diet : carrion.

Top Speed :30 To 35 km/h

Habitat : Habitat Sloth bears live in forest areas and grasslands in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. They like low altitude and drying forests with Rocky Outcrops.

Lifespan : Up to 40 years

Height/Weight : 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 2 meters) long /120 to 310 lbs

Proportion, Substance
Proportion : In a recent study, scientists from the life Conservation Society Republic of India Asian nation Program examined Melursus Ursinus very limits inside India covering two, 969,340 km2 of potential bear habitat) and proportion of space occupied by the species in Western Ghats region of state 38,540 km2, of that 21000 km2 is roofed by forests. The study examined ecological and human-induced factors that confirm patterns of Melursus Ursinus distribution at the 2 levels.

Substance : These sticky substances are rigid in the mass of a dark yellow, circular, rate which is fed to the cubs. This “bear bread” is considered a humble by some of the original inhabitants of India.

Skull :
Sloth bear found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh. Feed primarily on termites are modified for more efficient consumption of its nose and lips termites. For this purpose, especially two upper central incisors are missing.

Muzzle : Adults are weighing about 130 kilograms (290 lb) of medium-sized beer, although in men 55 to 124 kg (121 to 273 lb) and males from 80 to 192 kg (176 to 423 lb) Between weight may vary. They are 60-90 cm (2.0-3.0 feet) high on the shoulder, and body length is 1.4-1.9 meters (4.6-6.2 feet). Females are lesser than men, and there is more fur between their shoulders

Eyes :
Adult: As with other bears, sloth bears have small eyes. And a well-developed nictitating membrane.

Ears : The lazy bear does not have a mobile exhaustion and long, protrusible, mobile, hair lip, where there is no explosion. Nose rings can be stopped using the projection.It is pushed by the bear to its nose against a surface such as a hole which it is digging.It is used to suck the bear in ants or termites with a mouth, tongue is also unusually active. The palate is a deep gap, with other bears, ears are small.



Teeth : Sloth bears have the same number of teeth as other bears, but the front upper incisors are lost at an early stage.

Neck, Body
Neck : 30 cm (12 in.) Long.
Body :
weighing about 130 kilograms (2 9 0 lbs) average, although the weight of 124 kg (121 to 273 lb men from 55 to 55) and men 80 1 9 2 kg (in 176 423 lb) on the shoulder 60-90 cm (2.0-3.0 ft) tall, and body length is 1.4 to 1.9 meters (4.6 to 6.2 feet).

Shoulders :
Little sluggish bears are unique among bears, because insects are its main food source. There are long hair on the shoulder, long hair, especially long hair, and usually black, although some people with cinnamon or red coat have been seen. A typical yellow, white or cream marked on the chest makes a ‘U’ or ‘Y’ shape, and the relatively long, mobile snout is also yellow in color. The lazy bear’s snout, its bare lips and lack of upper fingers, are adapted to its pest-based diet. Front legs.

Front Feet :
Little sluggish bears are unique among bears, because insects are its main food source. There are long hair on the shoulder, long hair, especially long hair, and usually black, although some people with cinnamon or red coat have been seen. A typical yellow, white or cream marked on the chest makes a ‘U’ or ‘Y’ shape, and the relatively long, mobile snout is also yellow in color. The lazy bear’s snout, its bare lips and lack of upper fingers, are adapted to its pest-based diet. The front legs are.

Rear Legs :
The sloth bears in front of the bear are longer than their hind legs. The paws are in front of them and their toes are mixed with padding at the bottom of their toes. They have long, curved paws, which are 3 inches long, while excavating for ants and termites, all these facilities are great assets.

Hind Feet :
The legs behind them are not very strong, although they are knee pieces, and allow them to absorb almost any condition. The ears are very big and floppy. The lazy bear is the only long-haired bear on his ears.

Tail : up to 15-18 cm (6-7 inches).

Coat & colors
Sloth bears are shaggy, dust-black coats; Yellow, short-haired muse; And long, curved claws that use termites and ants to dig a cream-colored crescent usually has their chest marks. Their shaggy fur does not have a scalp, so it is relatively good, and protects them from tropical insects.
Black with ‘white’ in the shape of ‘Y’ under the chest. They live in the evergreen forest and grasslands of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma and Nepal.

Personality and temperament of sloth bear
The first factor one has to do is to avoid moving into a state of affairs wherever one might encounter a bear suddenly, like avoiding dense shrub-covered localities, notably within the evening and morning times once bears are a unit seemingly to move. And to avoid being alone in such places at such times.

Within the event of associate attack, if one isn’t able to move away or chase the carry away, it’s typically been suggested to safeguard the face, head, neck, and back end by lying on the bottom face down and covering the back end with secured hands.It ought to be noted that sloth bears don’t take advantage of humans, and at the foremost, they’re going to bite and claw.



If no any provocation happens, they’ll retreat once the initial attack. It ought to even be noted here that there’s no strict rule regarding the method a bear might attack or a failsafe guideline regarding however humans ought to react throughout such encounters.The behavior of a bear is also formed by its past encounters with humans – briefly, there are also temperament variations within the method bears attack or retreat in such encounters.

How Long Do Sloth Bears Live?
The cubs will nurse for two to three years, which is relative to the other bears. The Sloth bear is the only bear that regularly puts the youth on their back; On the back of the mother on the back of the fur (“saddle”), it grows the shag until it is 6 to 9 months old.

HISTORY OF SLOTH BEARSLOTH BEARSLOTH BEARS FACTS AND SIZESLOTH BEARS LIVESLOTH BEARS PHOTOS
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One comment
Carole Lessard says:
June 9, 2018 at 10:21 pm
I cannot believe these beautiful, peaceful animals are actually being sold through China to the rest of the world. Do these morons believe that money is everything? Do they not have a conscience that tells them this is wrong and cruel? Would they like to be uprooted from their homes and families and sold for someone’s pleasure? These morons should be caught and thrown in jail for a long time and all their possessions taken Way. God forgive them for what they do!

[brobear]

The need to know for those living in sloth bear country:

[brobear]

By Pradyumna: Bears are member of the family Ursidae. According to Prater (1948), the family Ursidae’s home is distributed largely in the northern hemisphere, where every region has its characteristic species. The Arctic is the home of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). The temperate zone, south of the Arctic, is the typical habitat for brown bear (U. arctos) and the black bear (U. americanus and U. thibetanus). South of the temperate zone, forests of India and south-eastern Asia are the home of two tropical bear species; the sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) and the sun bear (Helarctos malayanus). One species of bear found only in the southern hemisphere is the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), a native of the Andes (Prater 1948).
Sloth bears are the most widespread species of bear in India. They are one of the largest termite-eaters (up to 175 kg) of lowland India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. At least 50% of its diet consists of ants and termites, whereas much of the remainder is fruit (Eisenberg and Lockhart, 1972; Laurie and Seidensticker, 1977; Schaller, 1967). Movements and habitat use of a sloth bear include nocturnal activity, carrying young on the back, and extended parental care. In addition, other myrmecossphagous mammals tend to occupy relatively small home ranges, presumably due to their low metabolic rates and a general abundance of prey (Gittleman and Harvey. 1982). Ants, termites, and fruit are foods associated with low basal metabolic rates in mammals that weigh >100 g, and surely this is expected to be the case in the sloth bear. (McNab B. K. 1992)
Sloth bears are found widely in Indian subcontinent; it is reported in Srilanka, Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Bhutan. The bear lives in a variety of habitat such as Teak forest and Sal forest, low land evergreen forest, hill country and up to elevation of 1700 meter. They are also found in river side forest and tall grass areas on the floodplains of Nepal, and in Bhrahmaputra valley of Assam (Cowan 1972,

Krishnan 1972, Brander 1982). Presently sloth bear occurs commonly and is distributed widely across the tropical forest of the Indian sub continent (Yoganand, et al. 2006). Whereas, in the past, until the early 1800s sloth bear may have occurred in most non-arid, low-altitude forests of India. They were reported to be abundant during mid 1800s, but declined severely due to hunting and habitat loss from late 1800s until the 1950s (Gilbert 1897, Dunbar-Brander 1923, Prater 1948, Phythia-Adams 1950, Krishnan 1972). A similar or accelerated habitat loss continued even after 1950, until about the 1980s, primarily due to conversion of forest for agriculture (FSI 1997). As a result of the continued habitat destruction and degradation, sloth bear populations have declined or become fragmented all over and as a result, they have become locally extirpated in some areas. (Krishnan 1972, Garshelis et al. 1999, Singh 2001). Sloth bears are found occurring in the forest patches where there is sufficient availability of food, and favor places where outcropping of rock and tumbled boulders offer them shelter during the hot weather and the rains.

In India, sloth bear occurs fairly in moist and dry deciduous forest (42% and 33% respectively) and less frequently in wet evergreen (13%) and dry scrub (6%) type of forest (Yoganand, et al. 2006). Sloth bears are reported to exist in 174 protected areas in India, which includes 46 National Parks and 128 Wildlife Sanctuaries (Chauhan, 2006). Whereas in Gujarat sloth bears found to occur mainly in north eastern and central part of the state (Nishith 2009). Except previous research study by our RSG team (Nishith 2009, Ratnayeke and Dharaiya, 2009) and a Ph.D. thesis on bear-human conflicts (Mewada, 2011), very few studies have been carried out on sloth bear in Gujarat.

Out of five protected areas where sloth bear occurs in Gujarat, (Shoolpaneshwar, Jambughoda, Ratanmahel, Jassore and Balaram Ambaji wildlife Sanctuaries) Balaram Ambaji and Jassore wildlife Sanctuaries of Banaskantha forest of the North Gujarat region have reported with the highest sloth bear population which is also reported to have highest densities of sloth bear anywhere in India by Garshelis, et al. 1999, whereas the state’s highest bear population is reported in Vijaynaagr and Dholvanai ranges of

Sabarkantha forest having maximum dry deciduous forest patches with some evergreen patches, according to the latest bear population census (in 2011) by Gujarat forest Department.

Sloth bear population in Gujarat is facing the problem of habitat degradation, habitat fragmentation and high level of anthropogenic pressure due to increasing human population (Cowan 1072, Servheen 1990, Garshelis et al. 1999 and Kemf et al. 1999) and developmental activities (Nishith 2009). The human-animal interaction mostly manifest as conflict rather than being competition. Conflict resolution may influence the survival of a species and therefore has crucial conservation implications. Wildlife management itself, frequently, is about managing these conflicts that occurs at various levels. The study of an animal’s behavior ecology cannot be complete without dealing with the question of how that animal interacts with humans, why it reacts the way it does, and what factors lead to such interactions.

We started the research study in one of the highest bear density districts of North Gujarat (Banaskantha) in 2007, with the financial support from the Rufford Small Grants Foundation, UK which met all the following objectives successfully. In the previous study we,

Studied the status and distribution of bear in Banaskantha,
assessed and documented the nature and frequency of human-bear conflicts
Made the recommendations to minimize human-bear conflicts in study area.

We already completed the study with above objectives in Banaskantha district with significant findings through which we extended our research in the other districts of north Gujarat (i.e. Sabarkantha and Mehsana) through 2nd Grants from Rufford and continued with the following objectives:
To study the status and distribution of sloth bear in Mehsana and Sabarkantha District, where the high population of sloth bears in the state is reported,

To assess the nature and frequency of human bear conflicts in the study area,

To organize the awareness campaign in the forest villages of the area and
To recommend the strategies to minimize conflicts in the study area, that will benefit both people and wildlife.

In the previous study we have found considerable answers which can helps in bear conservation with local participation, which enthused to expand our study in two other districts of north Gujarat, viz. Sabarkantha and Mehsana adjoining to Banaskantha and also possessing good bear population. However the forests in these districts are neither declared as wildlife Sanctuary nor a National Park. According to current population estimation by the forest department Gujarat, the total bear population in the state is reached the figure of 293, out of which around 40% bear population is concentrated in Banaskantha, Sabarkantha and Mehsana districts (i.e. the North Gujarat), which indicates the systematic and scientific studies on bears and some concrete conservation actions for this bear population. We studied bear distribution in Banaskantha (2009) and the rest of the area is illustrated in the present study. We also aimed to continue the research on mapping bear population and documenting the human-bear conflicts in the state in other areas possessing bear population (Panchmahal and Vadodara) in future to congregate with the goals of IUCN Bear Specialist Group. Figure 1 below depicts the scope of our study in the north eastern parts of the state with high bear population.

[brobear]

More from Pradyumna: The study area for the present study falls under the jurisdiction of two districts of the North Gujarat region, Sabarkantha and Mehsana. Geographically the district of Sabarkantha falls in sub biotic province 4B3-hilly area, while Mehsana belongs to zone 4B4- the arid/semi arid lands. The present study area is shown in figure 2.1

Climate:
Both the districts have almost same climatic conditions with infinitesimal variations. The climate of the study area is sub-tropical with three main seasons. There is considerable variation between the different parts of the both the districts and between the summer and winter months.

Monsoon or Rainy Season start from the first week of June and lasts up to the month of September. Winter or cold seasons encounter from November to February while summer or hot season is externs from March to June. Winter is quite pleasant however extreme cold and frost are experienced in Dholwani and Vijayngar areas of Sabarkantha district. Climate on an average is healthy, warm and dry.

The Forests
Out of two districts, Sabarkantha is having comparatively good (1270.2 sq. Km) forest cover (figure 2.2) at the terminating ends of Aravali mountain ranges.

Mehsana is mainly known as a land of pastoral and agricultural activities with very scar forest patches (3.8%) and hilly terrain around. Although the forest cover is fairly low in the region (3.8% of the total state forest cover, out of which 0.58% having open forest and 3.32% having scrub forest). There are some patches with good forest cover adjoining the Banaskantha district and harbouring significant variety of floral and faunal species where the bear found to occur.

In Sabarkantha according to revised classification of Champion and Sheth (1968) the dry deciduous forest (21.8% of the total state forest cover) The forest cover can be again classified as dense forest (5.83%), open forest (5.52%) and scrub forest (9.87%) spread through the west and south–west part of the district. These forests are scattered in Khedbrahma, parts of Bhiloda, Meghraj, Modasa and Bayad Taluka (sub districts). The crown density of these forests is less than 0.4. The forest of this category is degraded due to


unmanageable biotic pressure and high human activity. It is also reported that Polo forest of Vijayanagr range having good teak forest cover.


Figure 2.2: Forest cover in the Study area

There was a time when tiger roamed in the area. Polo forest, a rich biodiversity area, is northern limit of teak forest in the country. Forests of Vagheshwari, Zer, Bhankhra, Vandol, Golwada, Abhapur, Kaherwada, Saroli, Vanaj and neighboring villages are a compact block of dense forest. Sloth bear, leopard, and four horned antelope are frequently seen in forests of Vijaynagar, especially in forests of Polo and Vanaj. A forest guard at Vanaj claimed that he saw a group of eight bears in Vanaj forest in 1999 (Singh, 2001).


Flora and Fauna:
The main flora of the study area are Cassia fistula, Madhuca indica, Butea Monosperma, Aegle mamelos, Soymeda febrifiga, Oroxylum indicum, Sapindus emarginatus, Anogeissu latiflia, Diospyros melanoxylon, Lannea coromandelica, Miliusa tomentosa, Boswellia serrata, Sterculia urens, Emblica officinalis, Bridelia retusa, Mitragyna parviflora, Adina cordifolia, Pterocarpus marsupium, Acacia catechu, Acacia leucophloea, Terminalia crenulata, T. belerica), Albizia lebbeck, Dalbegia latifolia, Holoptilia integrefolia, Gmelina arborea, Zizyphus spp., Phonix spp., Ficus spp. etc. Out of which many plant species or their parts are commonly preferred by both human as well as Sloth bear results in conflicts.

The common wild animals in both the districts include Sloth bear, leopard (Panthera pardus), blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus), striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), wolf (Canis lupus), jackal (Canis aurius), porcupine (Hystrix indica), wild boar (Sus scrofa), small Indian civet (Viverricula indica), Jungle cat (Felis chaus) and Indian ratel (Mellivora capensis). These animals often found moving outside the forest area, invading the villages and farms mainly in search of food or water where there may be acute possibility of confrontation between wildlife and human.

Apart from these general characters following are some district specific peculiarities which can be best describe the variations in the study areas with respects to location, soil regimes, rivers etc.

Mehsana District:
Mehsana district is located between the parallels of latitude 23.2' and 24.6' and the meridians of longitude 71.56' and 72.52'. The length from north to south of this territory is about 118.1 km and from east to west is about 94.0 km. The total area is around 4,400 km2. The district is bounded by four districts mainly Banaskantha in north, Sabarkantha in east, Patan in west and Ahmadabad in Southern side. Banaskantha and Sabarkantha shared some good forest patches with the district.


Soil Regimes:
Nearly 90% of the soil is light sandy. Black soil is met with but only in patches and chiefly towards the south and west. The sandy loam soil differs in richness and contents in some parts of the district.

Water Supply:
Water supply is mainly through the Banas River; irrigation dams like Dharoi Mokeshvar and other small natural water bodies which dries out during the summer season and results in water scarcity problem.

Sabarkantha District:
The name Sabarkantha is derived as the district is located on the bank of the river Sabarmati. It is located between Latitudes 23o 13’ 15” and 240 35’ 30” North and longitudes 720 47’ and 730 37’ 30” East. The forests are mostly confined in the northern and eastern hilly region of the district but isolated patches are also distributed over the southern and western part of the district.
Ridges of the hills and the rivers normally constitute the boundary with the state of Rajasthan in the north and east. District is bounded in southern elevation with Ahmadabad district and western with Gandhinagar and Banaskantha district.
Soil Regimes:
The soil, in general, is sandy with varying proportion of loam. Generally plains, valleys and pockets have deep and fertile soil. Again the Soil varies from red loam to yellow loam and it is deeper with good fertility.

Water Supply:
Water supply is mainly through rivers, rivulets and streams, many of which run dry in summer causing water scarcity. The tract at present is traversed by seven main rivers, viz., Sabarmati, Khari, Hathmati, Meshwo, Mazum, Vatrak and Harnav.

Altogether diverse climatic condition support different types of forest covers in the region which serve as good habitat for different wild animals. The main
animal, Sloth bear occurs in good number as the forest supporting many plant species which serves as chief components in their diet.

[brobear]

shaggygod.proboards.com/thread/925/understanding-sloth-bears-dr-yoganand

Understanding Sloth Bears — An Interview With Dr. K. Yoganand
by Yoganand K

A sloth bear with cubs in Panna

Photo: Yoganand K

Cubs are frequently carried on their mothers’ backs till they are about six months of age.

Yoganand fitting a sloth bear with a radio-collar in Panna

Photo: Yoganand K

Radio-collaring several sloth bears helped Yoganand learn more about their secretive lives

CI: Tell us about your research on sloth bears

I conducted intensive field research on sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) between 1996 and 2000 in Panna National Park (Madhya Pradesh), a partly degraded, dry deciduous forest habitat in Madhya Pradesh, central India. I captured and fitted radio-collars on several sloth bears and followed them to observe their behaviour and learn more about their secretive lives, such as, when did they sleep, what did they eat, how far did they move in a night, where did they give birth, where did they get all the food they needed, what did they do when they met a tiger, what circumstances prompted them to attack humans…

I also assessed the quality of the forest from a sloth bear’s point of view – how much area of the forest was covered by woodland, grassland and other types of habitats; how many different kinds of trees and shrubs were there that produced fruits eaten by sloth bears; how many fruits were produced by a single tree in a year; how many ant nests could be found in a hectare of forest, etc. I put all this information together to form a picture of a typical day in the life of the sloth bears of Panna.

Dry deciduous forests probably hold a major proportion (about 50%) of the sloth bear population in India. Unfortunately, degradation of habitat by humans has been severe in this forest type. For informed conservation planning and management of this habitat and the sloth bears that inhabit it, it was essential to have baseline information on their behaviour and ecology. Further, we felt that conducting a study in a human impacted area would help in objectively assessing how various human-induced impacts affect bear behaviour. From 2002 to 2008 I also periodically conducted additional field research in other sites, including a preliminary assessment of the distribution and status of the sloth bear across India.

CI: What methods did you employ to capture and collar sloth bears? Any interesting encounters?


I used barrel/culvert traps, which is a type of cage trap, and foothold cable snares to capture sloth bears for fitting radio-collars for my research.

One day I had a real surprise in store when a tigress got caught in one of the traps set for bears – something that I did not expect or want. The traps were not meant to withstand the weight or force of tigers. Anyway, I did not want to waste an opportunity. So I approached the big cat on one of the Forest Department’s camp elephants and got close enough to shoot a tranquilizer dart and immobilize it. I then fitted a radio-collar on it, which proved useful for my research on interactions between sloth bears and tigers, and for a colleague’s tiger research in Panna.

CI: A lot of your research involved following sloth bears on foot. Given their ferocious reputation, how risky was this?

It was quite risky! They are powerful animals and are known to sometimes attack and injure people even without any provocation. This is an integral part of their survival tactic in the jungle where they have to live alongside powerful predators such as the tiger. My tracking on foot was mostly limited to daylight hours except on some occasions when it became absolutely necessary to track at night. In general, my field assistant and I were very watchful. We kept our distance and were confident of reacting quickly if the situation became tricky. We had some close and tense encounters but were never injured by the bears.

CI: Describe a typical sloth bear attack on a human.

Most sloth bear attacks can be classified as ‘defensive’ attacks. When a human intrudes into its space suddenly, a bear may sense a danger to its life and respond by attacking.
In Panna NP, attacks typically happened when the bears were resting during the day or foraging in the early evening period in dense shrub-covered areas (degraded Lantana covered areas). When people traveling through forests or tending cattle inadvertently went too close, the panicked bears attacked in self-defense.

CI: How should one behave in case of a sloth bear attack?

The first thing one needs to do is to avoid getting into a situation where one may encounter a bear suddenly, such as avoiding dense shrub-covered localities, particularly in the evening and morning times when bears are likely to be active. And to avoid being alone in such places at such times. In the event of an attack, if one is not able to move away or chase the bear away, it has generally been advised to protect the face, head, neck, and nape by lying on the ground face down and covering the nape with locked hands. It should be noted that sloth bears do not feed on humans, and at the most they will bite and claw. If no further provocation occurs they may retreat after the initial attack. It should also be noted here that there is no strict rule about the way a bear may attack or a failsafe guideline about how humans should react during such encounters. The behaviour of a bear may be shaped by its past encounters with humans – in short, there may be personality differences in the way bears attack or retreat in such encounters.

CI: What are some of your key research findings?

Life History: Although my study was not long enough to gather information on all life history aspects, I was able to make many observations, which I combine here with what is known from other studies.
•In Panna, cubs were born in secure dens where the mother bears secluded themselves for several weeks to nurse and protect the newborns. Cubs stayed with their mother for up to two-and-half years and even rode piggyback for several months while she moved about foraging.
•After learning seasonal food finding and other survival skills from their mothers, cubs set out on their own. Males probably disperse into new areas while females set up their home ranges near their natal home ranges. The independent young adults/sub-adults carry out their normal activities of finding food, water, shelter and mates through the year within an area generally known as home range.
•Females may first breed at the age of three or four and give birth to one or two young ones every second or third year until the age of about 15 years. Adult males seek out breeding females every year and mate with them. Many males may mate with a female, according to a pecking order established among the adult males. Who actually sired the offspring will be unknown to the males and that perhaps ensures the protection of cubs from possible killing by adult males. Male longevity in the wild is probably up to 12-15 years; females may live a few years longer.

Home range: sloth bear home ranges range in size from a few square kilometers to more than a hundred square kilometers; male ranges are much bigger than those of females. In habitats with abundant food resources, home range sizes are likely to be small and vice versa.

Social behavior: sloth bears live mostly solitary lives, except for mother-young associations. Sometimes, siblings that have become newly independent of a mother may stay together for some time. During the breeding season male bears may stay with females for some days. They are not territorial and their home ranges overlap to a considerable extent.

CI: What is unique about the sloth bear?

The sloth bear is an ant and termite eating (myrmecophagus) bear. It is the only bear species that seems to depend almost entirely on these social insects for its protein requirements and thus, in this respect, it is unique among bears.

Understanding Sloth Bears — An Interview With Dr. K. Yoganand (Page 2)
by Yoganand K

CI: What else do they eat?

While ants and termites form their year-round staple, they also feed a lot on fleshy fruits, which are available seasonally. In Panna, fruits contributed 56%, ants 29%, and termites 10% to the annual diet, in terms of ingested biomass. As with the seasonal variability, the diet also varies from place to place depending on the availability of various insects and fruits.

CI: Tell us about their breeding behavior

Mating generally takes place between May and July and the cubs are born between November and January. However, there have been reports of cubs being born at other times of the year, especially in Sri Lanka.

CI: Do sloth bears really like honey?

Yes, they do feed on honey commonly. The energy rich sugar in honey and the fat rich larvae and other early growth stages of bees housed in the honeycombs are important nutritional sources for sloth bears. Further, the availability of honeycombs over a large part of the year when other seasonal food can get scarce is an advantage.

CI: Why do they have such long claws?

The front claws of sloth bears are long (up to 7 cm) and curved. They are an adaptation for digging the earth to reach ant and termite nests underground, or inside mounds. They sometimes dug as deep as 1.5 m in Panna NP to reach underground ant colonies. The claws on the hind legs are shorter (about 3 cm).

CI: What are their peak activity times?

This may vary from place to place, depending on heat conditions and human disturbance. In the generally hot and dry forests of central India, the peak activity times were around dawn and dusk and in the nighttime, whereas they rested in dens during the day.

CI: In areas without caves where do sloth bears give birth?

There have been some observations recorded in the literature of sloth bears giving birth in holes dug along river/stream banks, and in dense shrub thickets. They could also use crevices in big boulders along dry riverbeds, hollows in large tree trunks, fallen logs and even storm-water culverts. I am doubtful if they will use disused buildings for this purpose, but cannot rule out the possibility if there is an appropriate structure available.

CI: Why do sloth bears carry their cubs on their backs and is this common among all bear species?

Cubs are frequently carried on their mothers’ backs from the time they leave the den until they are about six months of age. Carrying cubs by the mother seems to be a defence against attacks by predators such as tigers, leopards or other bears. This behaviour is commonly seen only in the sloth bear and is a trait shared with other anteaters.

CI: What are the major direct threats to sloth bears – natural and man-made?

Natural threats in their wild habitats are predators such as the tiger and leopard. Cubs and sub-adults could sometimes face threats from adult male bears. Severity of threats from diseases is generally unknown.

Humans are a direct threat as they can gang up and kill bears even with rudimentary weapons, or set traps, which could capture or kill them. Indirect human induced mortality factors include speeding vehicles, fences with deadly electric supply, poisoned waterholes, etc.

CI: What do you think of the Daroji bear sanctuary in Karnataka?

Daroji is an interesting place. It is unique in the sense that it is where direct management interventions such as habitat manipulation, supplemental feeding, and protection measures are made with a specific focus on the sloth bears. However, what kind of impacts these interventions have on the sloth bear population is largely unknown. Further, there are several questions that arise, including whether these interventions are justified and whether they are based on prior research or merely well intentioned ad hoc actions. However, on the positive side, if not for this special focus on sloth bears, Daroji may have been lost to mining interests in the area. Overall, nitpicking aside, I think it is a laudable effort.

CI: What is the distribution of the sloth bear in India?

India is home to more than 80% of the world population of sloth bears. Within the country it is the most widely distributed bear species. It is found in forested areas across India, from the foothills of the Himalaya to the southern tip of the Western Ghats; in the west from the Aravalli hill range in Rajasthan to the east up to the terai and duars of North Bengal and Assam. However, its northeastern limit and its current distribution in the northeastern states are unclear.

CI: Where else in the world are sloth bears found?

Sloth bears are also found in Nepal, Sri Lanka and perhaps in the low-lying areas of Bhutan. They occurred in Bangladesh in the past but are probably extinct now.

CI: What is the estimate for the world population of sloth bears?

My estimate for the species, based on presently available information, is 6,000 to 11,000 in India, and another 1,000 to 2,000 in other countries where it is found – Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. So, the total world population could be anything between 7,000 and 13,000. It should be noted that this is a rough estimate, although it may be the best that is available presently.

CI: What is the status of sloth bears in India?

Overall, the sloth bear is threatened, although it appears to be secure in some parts of its distributional range. Over the past century, the sloth bear’s range has shrunk considerably and its populations have declined and have become fragmented, threatening its overall survival. Some isolated populations have even become locally extinct. Given that secure habitat of high quality for sloth bears is estimated to be only about 10% of the forest area in India, its total population size may be as low as 6,000, not all the regional populations are safe, and even the stronghold areas of the Western Ghats and central Indian forests are threatened by fragmentation and degradation, the sloth bear in India should be considered as a threatened species.

CI: What are the main threats?

The greatest threat to sloth bear survival in India is the loss of their forest habitat, especially outside Protected Areas. Other factors include:
•Degradation of forests due to over-exploitation by humans.
•Fragmentation – forests getting broken up into smaller pieces due to conversion of forestland for other uses, creating barriers to the movement of animals.
•Isolation: remaining forest patches getting separated by great distances.
•Use of forest edges by humans and use of agricultural land by bears for crop feeding, resulting in conflict between bears and humans, which sometimes ends in persecution killings of bears by humans.
•Poaching of bears for trade in bear parts (particularly, gall bladder/bile) and removal of cubs from forests for the ‘dancing bear’ trade also are known to be threats.

CI: What other studies have been done on sloth bears?

The first intensive study on sloth bears was done in Chitwan National Park in Nepal in the mid-1990s by Joshi and others. This was preceded by some short-term studies on certain aspects of the sloth bear ecology in Nepal and India. After my intensive research on the behavioural ecology of sloth bears in central India, there has been a study in the Bilaspur region in eastern central India by Bargali and others with a focus on bear attacks on humans in that high conflict region, and another one in southern Sri Lanka by Ratnayeke. There have been many other short-term studies, particularly on food habits of sloth bears in southern and central India and Nepal by various authors ranging from George Schaller, Laurie & Seidensticker, Sunquist, Johnsingh, Baskaran, and others. There have also been observations and reports focused on bear conflict with humans from southern and central India by various researchers.

CI: Tell us about the other bear species in India.
1.Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus): The Asiatic black bear occurs in the Himalayan mountain habitats from the high subalpine conifer forests down to the subtropical broadleaf forests of the foothills, from Kashmir in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east. It also occurs in most of the northeast hill ranges south and east of Assam.
2.Malayan sun bear (Ursus malayanus): The Malayan sun bear occurs in the northeastern hill ranges south of Assam.
3.Brown bear (Ursus arctos): The brown bear occurs in the north-western parts of the Himalayas in alpine habitats and in the trans-Himalayas; the eastern limit of its current distribution – whether it extends into Sikkim and east of it is unclear.

[King Kodiak]

Great interview with Biologist Yoganand. This is the same guy that said that based on his observations in the wild, when sloth bears and tigers meet, its usually a draw.

[OldGreenGrolar]

Sloth bears it seems fear almost nothing. They have adapted to living in an environment with so many predators by being defensively aggressive.

[brobear]

bearwithus.org/8-bears-of-the-world/?fbclid=IwAR0kx4pDGjKN6r4l6K07C1ahnw_BM7-4Aq0qkx4ygqX9QdxmD8D1F-tysuI

7-Sloth bear–Melursus (Ursus) ursinus -Two subspecies: Sri Lankan Sloth Bear and Indian Sloth Bear. Body length: 140-190cm, Weight: male: 80-140kg, female: 55-95kg. These shaggy-haired bears can be heard sucking up termites a long distance away. Sloth bears are stocky with long, shaggy, black hair and a white U- or Y-shaped marking on the chest. They have large lips, a long tongue, a pale muzzle and well-developed hook-like claws that enable them to climb trees and dig for termites. Sloth bears live in Sri Lanka, India, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Sloth bears are nocturnal and occupy home ranges that they seem happy to share with other sloth bears. Male sloth bears have an average range of 13 square km. This is much smaller than most other bears, probably due to the fact that they do not suffer from seasonal fluctuations of food supply (ants and termites are available all year round). The constant availability of ants and termites also mean that they do not need to undergo a winter sleep. Credit -text- BBC Science and Nature. Photo credits – Photos on left(2) of Sri Lankan Sloth Bears by photographer Cai Priestley – www.toothandclawphotography.com. Photos on right(2) – Indian Sloth Bear – courtesy of Wildlife S.O.S.

[brobear]

api.nationalgeographic.com/distribution/public/amp/animals/2020/05/sloth-bears-are-worlds-deadliest-india-human-conflict

How to make peace with the world's deadliest bears
Sloth bears feed on ants and termites, but often attack people when startled. As human populations in India grow, violent conflict is rising.

[OldGreenGrolar]

In India, there birth rate is relatively high compared to most countries around the world. That is why the human population is increasing rapidly.

Despite the increase in population, it helps to respect the space of a sloth bear. They attack when startled given the fact they are defensively aggressive.