Sloth Bears - Learn About These Wonderful Bears

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 19 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #1,963 in Animals, #44,407 overall | Donates to Wildlife SOS

Find out about sloth bears aka Dancing Bears of India

Sloth Bears are one of the 8 species of bears worldwide. When I first heard the term Sloth Bear, I immediately thought of Three-toed Sloths. They are not related, however, they were originally classified as "Bear Sloths" because of their Sloth-like claws (sickle-shaped) and they can hang upside-down like sloths. They were later reclassified as a bear.

Here you'll find facts, photos, videos and links to organizations and zoos trying to save these bears. I'll include plenty of links so you can research them to your hearts content.

Come back again as I'll be adding more information and photos as I research these bears more. I'm not called the Bearmeister for nothing! LOL

Scientific Classification 


Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus: Melursus
Species: M. ursinus

Binomial name: Melursus ursinus
(Shaw, 1791)

Subspecies:
Melursus ursinus inornatus Pucheran, 1855
Melursus ursinus ursinus (Shaw, 1791)


From Wikipedia

Distribution And Habitat Of Sloth Bears 

sloth-bear-distributionsmall.jpgSloth Bears are found the forests, scrub jungles and grasslands and mainly in the lower elevations of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. They like drier forest and ones with rocky outcrops.

Where these bears used to be found in forests all over India, they are now found in only a few habitats (see map).

The biggest threats to Sloth Bears are: the poaching of adults for body parts -- gall bladder, bile, claws and genital organs -- used in traditional Chinese medicine; poaching of cubs to train as Dancing Bears while killing the mother when she tries to defend her cub; habitat destruction and encroachment of habitat by humans.

The only bears whose cubs ride on Mom's back

Sloth Bear Facts 


Sloth bears a smaller than the Asiatic-Black-Bear (Himalayan or Moon Bear).

Features
Sloth bears have long shaggy fur. There is less fur on it's belly and the back of the legs. The fur color ranges from auburn to black and it has a light colored, elongated snout and a black nose. It's lips are bare (no hair) and like other black bears has a V-shaped creamy colored mark on its chest.

Their sickle-shaped claws are good for climbing and digging. They are 4 inches long, non-retractable and curl under. They also have the longest tail in the bear family, running 6 to 7 inches long, which is hidden in it's fur.

Size
The males are larger than the females weighing between 176 and 310 pounds. Females weigh between 120 and 209 pounds.

Diet
Sloth Bears eat ants and termites. They use their long, hard claws to dig in the mounds and their longs snouts to blow the dirt away and suck up their food.

They will also eat eggs, birds, flowers, tubers, fruits, grains and meat. Above all, they love honey and, like their cousin, the Sun Bear, they have been animal's fondness for honey has caused it to be nicknamed the Honey bear.

Range
Sloth Bears are not territorial being their only competitor for termites and ants (their favorite foods) are ant eaters.

Photo Gallery Slide Show 

Some of my favorite Sloth Bear photos are by ucumari on Flickr. These are just a few. Click ucumari to see her complete sloth bear set.

Conservation Status

Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)


From Wikipedia

The Dancing Bears Of India 

In India many Sloth bears are taken from their mothers when they are just weeks old and have to witness their mothers brutally killed while trying to save their cubs.

These cubs are then sold on the black market where the buyers turn them into 'Dancing Bears'. To do that, their muzzles are pierced and threaded with a coarse rope. They're training starts on hot coals with sticks hitting their feet to make them "dance". The bear lives out her life at the end of the rope. He dances for tourists and is dragged from village to village. (If you didn't cringe or shudder at this, you have no heart.)

There is hope and safety for these bears through Wildlife S.O.S. India Bear Rescue Project.

For much more information and photos about how this practice of Dancing Bears got started and what is being done to stop it, click Dancing Bears

This Lens Supports Wildlife S.O.S. 

Who Founded And Operate The Only Dancing Bears Sanctuaries In India

This cub has been RESCUED by Wildlife S.O.S.



All monies raised on this lens is donated to Wildlife S.O.S. for their "India Bear Rescue" Project to rescue Dancing Bears in India.

To learn about little cubs like this one and other Dancing Bears, click Saving The Dancing Bears Of India

Cub saved from poachers by Wildlife S.O.S.

Sloth Bear Trivia 

I add interesting facts about Sloth Bears here. Vote for your favorite and/or share your knowledge by adding one that is missing. Don't forget to vote for it. Thanks!

Sloth Bears are the only bears that carry their cubs on their backs

1 point

Sloth bears are the only bears native to India.

1 point

Their claws are 4 inches long and curved.

1 point

Rescued Dancing Bear In Wildlife Sanctuary

Fun Sloth Bear Items On Amazon 

ASWAIL OR SLOTH BEAR 1862 Wood's Natural History

ASWAIL OR SLOTH BEAR 1862 Wood's Natural History

Antique Print, PART PAGE Wood engraving . from The more...0 points

Plush Sloth Bear Cuddlekin 12

Plush Sloth Bear Cuddlekin 12"

These stuffed animals have realistically adorable more...0 points

A sleepy sloth bear takes a breather outside its cave Framed Art Print by Joseph H. Bailey, 21

A sleepy sloth bear takes a breather outside its cave Framed Art Print by Joseph H. Bailey, 21" x 28"

AllPosters.com is the world's #1 seller of posters more...0 points

SLOTH BEARS IN FOREST Antique print Wild life

SLOTH BEARS IN FOREST Antique print Wild life

Antique Print, Wood engraving from . THE ROYAL NAT more...0 points

BEAR-ing up babies

Sloth Bear Video Showcase 


Sloth Bears

Runtime: 2:00
2293 views
1 Comments:


sloth bear wrestling match

Runtime: 1:46
3765 views
2 Comments:


sloth bear

Runtime: 0:49
1002 views
1 Comments:


Sloth Bear

Runtime: 0:39
667 views
0 Comments:


Purring Sloth Bears Cleveland Zoo

Runtime: 0:37
1178 views
0 Comments:


Sloth Bear Sisters

Runtime: 1:14
156 views
0 Comments:

Some Of My Other Bear Lenses 

Save Our Bears (SOB) Group 

Member of Save Our Bears Group -- a group of lenses devoted to help change the plight all of the 8 bear species through awareness and fund raising.

The lenses show the wonderful nature of bears and many will, at the same time, shine a spotlight on the dangers bears face including: trophy hunters, gall bladder and bile farming, pollution, bear baiting, global warming, and habitat destruction.

You'll also find fun lenses on great polar bear movies, books, teddy bears, even cartoon and toy bears.

Click Save Our Bears (SOB) to go to the group page.

Wildlife S.O.S. Sloth Ware On CafePress 



Get this adorable image of a Sloth Bear on t-shirts, hats and other apparel. To see all products with this design, click More Products

Meet Kartick Satyanarayan aka BEAR MAN 

The story behind the Dancing Bear Rescue

cubpaw-hand.jpgFor the inspiring true story of the Dancing Bear Rescue (told with photos and videos) and meet the Co-founder and Director aka BEAR MAN, click HERE.

Rescued cub playing at Wildlife S.O.S. bear sanctuary

Guest Book For Your Feedback 

Please use this guest book to share your thoughts about Sloth Bears and this lens. Thank you. You can also...

1. Join my Fan Club
2. LensRoll Me
3. Add Me To Your Favorites.
4. Rate this lens with stars

BigGirlBlue wrote...

I love reading your bear lenses.

ReplyPosted June 15, 2009

naturegirl7 wrote...

Welcome to the Naturally Native Squids group. Don't forget to add your lens links to the appropriate plexos and vote for them.

ReplyPosted October 25, 2008

Lensmaster

Lois Smith wrote

I never even heard of sloth bears before. They are adorable.

Reply Posted August 11, 2008

chefkeem wrote...

Fabulous, fabulous - Frankie! 5*s
Welcome to www.squidoo.com/groups/squidoo-activists

ReplyPosted July 20, 2008

spiritartist wrote...

Thanks for highlighting and helping these wonderful creatures.I know your efforts will not go unrewarded. Go Frankie, go!

ReplyPosted July 09, 2008

 
1 of 2 pages

Check out my Lensographies to see more of my sites 

RSS From Polar Bear News - Includes All Bear Species 

pbn_header40border.jpg

This is the feed from my Polar Bear News blog. To see the whole blog click PolarBearNews.com . You can get my blog via email or RSS feed by going to the blog itself. To see a particular article, press on the headline below. I cover news related to Polar Bears and special reports on all 8 bear species. The pictures and other graphics don't show up here so visit the site to see them.


Loading Fetching RSS feed... please stand by

Want To Link To This Lens? Here's How. 

WANT TO LINK TO THIS PAGE?

Here's the HTML code to copy and paste:
<a href="http://www.squidoo.com/slothbears/" title="Click Here to visit Sloth Bears - Learn About These Wonderful Bears">Sloth Bears - Learn About These Wonderful Bears</a>

 

This work is covered by copyright and
can not be reprinted in any matter (physical or digital)
without prior written consent.

Copyright 2008-2009 Frankie Kangas All rights reserved.


by Frankster

Hi. I'm Frankie Kangas, aka Frankster aka Bearmeister. I love animals, especially bears and cats -- both domestics and big cats. I'm a Calvin and Hobb...

(more)
Create a Lens!