Sloth bear

Sloth

The sloth ( Melursus ursinus ) is a predatory species from the family of bears ( Ursidae ). He has, in the construction of the snout a few adjustments to one consisting mainly of insect food and is native to South Asia.

Features

Sloth bears look outside the collar bears similar, but are not closely related to these. Particular, they have the face to some characteristics that distinguishes it from all other bears. The hairless lips are extended, very mobile and can be extended. Also extended the narrow tongue which can be widely protruded. The nostrils can be closed if necessary. These are all adaptations to dietary habits. The teeth are unique within the bear: the innermost pair of upper incisors missing, creating a gap the molars are exceptionally broad and flat.

The fur of the sloth bear is long and shaggy, the longest hair in the neck area. It is usually black in color and often interspersed with brown or gray hair, but there are also red-brown specimens. On the front they have a light, usually white or yellow colored drawing in the form of a Y or V. An undercoat he has not as animal tropical climates. The feet are large and carry exceptionally long, sickle-shaped claws. They are reminiscent of the claws of a sloth bear and have this in addition to the missing incisors and the shaggy fur in English the name of Sloth Bear ( " Faultierbär " ) introduced. The soles of the feet are hairless.

Sloth bears reach a body length of 140 to 180 centimeters and a shoulder height of 61-91 centimeters. The tail is a stub 10 to 12 centimeters in length, as with all bears. Females reach a weight from 55 to 95 kg, while males are significantly heavier and weigh 80-145 kg.

Area of ​​distribution and habitat

Sloth bears live in India, Sri Lanka and isolated in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. They inhabit a variety of habitats from tropical moist forests and grasslands, but are most commonly found in wet grasslands and moist and dry deciduous forests. In the mountains, they rarely ascend to altitudes of over 1500 m. In the forests of the Western Ghats in India you can find them but also to about 2000 m above sea level. In Sri Lanka sloth bears prefer monsoon forests below 300 m.

Way of life

The animals can be active at any time of day, but usually at night. During the day they hide in caves or in dense vegetation. Unlike many other bears they keep not hibernate, but fall during the rainy season in a phase of comparative inactivity. Sloth bears live like all bears are solitary. However, their home ranges can be significant overlap in part.

Food

Sloth bears are specialized in insect food, which termites make up the main component. To get to their prey, they tear the termite mound with powerful claws on, blow away the dust and insert into the muzzle. Vigorous retraction of the air they suck like a vacuum cleaner out their prey. The long tongue helps them lick up their food.

In addition, sloth bears eat other insects such as ants and bees, are also fruits, flowers and honey, sometimes carrion on the menu, very rare small to medium sized vertebrates. In order to get hold of their food, they also rise up into the trees.

Make fruits from certain seasons between 40 and 70 % of the total diet, whereas in poor fruit periods, the proportion of insects can increase to up to 95 %. In highly degraded habitats sloth bears often go to crops.

Reproduction

In India, the pairing takes place mainly in the months of May to July, while it can take place throughout the year in Sri Lanka. To reproduce, the otherwise solitary animals found together in pairs. They stay for a few days together and mate during this time often what is described as very loud. Between reproduction and birth pass around six to seven months, but it probably comes with them as with other bears also a delayed implantation of the fertilized ovum in the uterus of the mother.

The one to two, rarely three young are born in a burrow to the world. They are blind and helpless, the eyes open after about three weeks. After four to five more weeks, the first time they leave the Geburtsbau, often you can see it on the mother's back riding. They stay with her ​​until they are two or three years old and fully grown. The zoo held sloth bears reached maximum age 27-32 years.

Sloth bears and humans

Although sloth bears are more timid animals, they are sometimes considered aggressive. This is because that, due to its extremely poor visual and auditory senses an approaching people at the last minute notice and then react scared. In defense they bring then especially their long claws are used. Sometimes they also devastate plantations and persecuted because of it. Another reason for hunting is the use of their body parts as food or for medicinal purposes. The bile are similar healing powers attributed to that of the black bear. The animals are in some regions of India captured alive as young animals so that they can be used as dancing bears later. But the main threat today is the destruction of their habitat through deforestation, through the leveling of termite mounds, they are also deprived of their food.

The World Conservation Union IUCN lists them in their Red List of Threatened Species as vulnerable ( "vulnerable "). The total population of sloth bears is estimated at around 7,000 to 10,000 animals. The highest inventory estimates assume 20,000 animals. Approximately one third to one half of the Indian population now live in protected areas where the animals are relatively safe from snares and habitat destruction. In Sri Lanka, about half of the habitat is protected.

System

The sloth bear is sometimes classified in a separate genus Melursus, then again in the genus Ursus. Molecular genetic analyzes speak for assignment to Ursus; and there is capable of reproducing offspring in crosses between sloth bears and brown bears. However, Wilson and Reeder 1993 held the anatomical differences between Melursus and Ursus for serious enough to continue the independence of sloth bears.

There are two subspecies of the Sloth bears are distinguished: ursinus ursinus Melursus on the Indian subcontinent and Melursus ursinus inornatus in Sri Lanka. The shape of Sri Lanka is slightly smaller and is characterized by a less shaggy fur.

Famous sloth bears

The Hindi name of the bear, Bhalu, inspired Rudyard Kipling to the character Baloo in his book " The Jungle Book ".