By Jane
Physical Characteristics
The Malayan sun bear has short, deep
black or brown-black hair with a pale
orange-yellow horseshoe shaped marking
on its chest.
 Adult sun bears can weigh from 60-150
Ibs. Baby sun bears weigh only 10-15
ounces when they are born.
 The males are usually 5 feet long and the
females are usually 4 feet long.
 The Malayan sun bear is the smallest bear
in the world!

Reproduction
Gestation is usually 96 days.
 One or two cubs are born at a
time.
 The babies are naked, small, and
helpless so the mom cares for
them.
 The young stay with their parents
for about two to three years.

Habitat
The Malayan sun bear lives in many
lowland tropical areas like countries in
Asia such as China, Burma, Malaysia,
and Vietnam.
 The sun bear is arboreal and makes its
nest in trees.
 Sun bears are not territorial.

Food
The sun bear is an omnivore, which
means it will eat almost anything.
 The diet of a sun bear may include
termites, ants, beetle larvae, bee larvae,
honey, fruit, small rodents, and lizards.

Video of Sun Bear Eating Hard Fruit
(Click on video to start)
Interesting Facts

Sun bears have very loose skin on the
back of their necks, so they can easily
turn around and defend themselves if
they are bitten by an attacker.

When the sun bears are young, they are
playful and are sometimes kept as pets
in Asia.
Video of Playful Sun Bears
(Click on video to start)
Threats to Survival

Predators of the sun bear include other
bears, tigers, clouded leopards, and
humans.

The Malayan sun bear is endangered
because of poaching and destruction of
its habitat.
Pictures
Six-month-old
sun bear
Full grown
sun bear
Physical Adaptations
Physical Adaptation
How it Aids Survival
Loose skin on back of neck
Helps them escape and fight off
predators
Dark fur
Blends in with habitat, especially at
night
Long tongue
Helps them sip up nectar and get
bugs out of wood
Feet point slightly inward
Helps them climb trees
Large, naked paws
Helps them climb trees
Long, curved claws
Helps them climb trees
Extraordinarily large feet
Assists with digging and breaking
into dead wood in search of insects
Short hair
Keeps them cooler in tropical
climates
Large jaws
Helps them break open hard fruit
like coconuts
Large canine teeth
Assists in defending against
predators
Video Showing Physical Adaptations
(Click on video to start)
Behavioral Adaptations
Behavioral Adaptation
How it Aids Survival
Does not hibernate
Food is available yearround
Becomes more nocturnal in
areas near humans
Helps them avoid human
hunters
Makes barking sound when
threatened
Scares away predators
Rises up on hind legs when
threatened
Makes it look bigger and
helps scare away predators
Builds nests in trees
Keeps them away from
predators and closer to their
food source
Cleveland Zoo Habitat
(Click picture to start video)
Suggested Improvements to
Cleveland Zoo Habitat
Put sun bear inside a heated space,
because their natural habitat is warm
and tropical
 The habitat should also be darker,
because sun bears are mostly nocturnal
when near humans
 Include trees for the sun bear to climb
since they are arboreal.
 Give the sun bear a ball to play with,
since sun bears are playful

Suggested Improvements,
Continued
Get another sun bear, because they are
social animals and are lonely without
other bears
 Include a source of nectar, so the bear
can use its long tongue
