Sloth Bear

A sloth bear whose scientific name is Melursus ursinus is a myrmecophagous bear is native to the Indian subcontinent. The sloth bears are omnivorous in nature and are comfortable in eating fruits, berries, flowers, honeycomb, insects, larvae, and termites that are present in nature. The sloth bears could be easily recognized in the wild by their shaggy black coat, protruding lips, long muzzle, and a unique V-shaped patch on their chest. 

For many centuries these sloth bears have been killed for various reasons but mainly because of habitat loss and degradation and that is the reason that they have been listed as Vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List.

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Sloth Bear (Melursus Ursinus)

The sloth of bears has also been called "labiated bear" considering its unique long lower lip and palate which is used for sucking up the insects from the ground. It has long, shaggy fur, a mane around its face, and sickle-shaped claws. It is shorter than brown bears and Asian black bears. It has characteristics of insectivorous animals and diverged from the original brown bear during the Pleistocene.

Sloth bears breed in the spring and early summer and give birth to the baby sloth bear in the early winter season. When people intrude on their territories, they may fight them. Humans have historically decreased these bears' habitat and number by killing them for food and goods such as their bacula and claws. Sloth bears have been tamed and utilized as both performers and pets.

In this article, we are going to discuss the sloth bear, its description, habitat, reproduction, behaviour, conservation status, food habits, and also a few of the most important and frequently asked questions related to the sloth bears will be answered. 

Physical Description of a Sloth Bear 

• Sloth bears have a shaggy black coat, particularly around their shoulders. Brown and grey hairs on the coat give certain bears the impression of being cinnamon-coloured. This thick garment might be an adaptation to the cold. These bears have snouts that are comparable to but not as long as those of anteaters. The molars are wide and flat, indicating a shift away from carnivory.

• The sloth bear body structure could be said to be weird in the way that it has huge feet and enormous sloth bear claws are attached to it. The face seems bare and grey in comparison to the rest of the body. They have unusually big tongues, a movable snout, and the ability to open and shut their nostrils freely, all of which aid with their meals. 

• On the chests of the sloth bears, they feature a light "U" or "Y" shaped patch. These marks range in hue from white to yellow to chestnut brown. Males weigh 30 to 40% more than females and can weigh between 80 and 140 kilograms. whereas the female’s weights are between 56 to 95 kilograms. The adult sloth bears ranged in size from 60 to 90 cm at the shoulder.

• As mentioned before, the Sloth bears have a shaggy fur coat but this coat does not have an undercoat to keep them cool in their native warm climate and also to protect them from dangerous tropical insects. When attacking termite nests or beehives, sloth bears' noses may seal entirely, shielding the animals from dust or insects. They have a great sense of smell as well as human-like near-sight.

• Adult sloth bears lack the top two front teeth which are the incisors that allow them to easily suck up termites and other insects. Their premolars and molars are smaller than those of other bears due to their diet of insects and fruit, but they have big canines for defence. Their feet are supposed to be bent inward to enhance digging efficiency.

Habitat and Geographic Range of the Sloth Bears 

• Sloth bears may be found in a wide range of dry and damp woods, as well as certain tall grasslands, where rocks, scattered bushes, and trees provide cover. Their distribution extends over India, Sri Lanka, and southern Nepal.

• The Sloth bears are usually found through India and further north of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. The sloth bears were very common and easy to find in India a few centuries ago but due to the humans and their cunning ways, there has been a drastic decrease in the south bear’s population in India and Srilanka. Many have speculated that the drastic decrease in their numbers is due to habitat loss and hunting. 

Behaviour of Sloth Bears 

• The adult sloth bears are known to travel in pairs and while travelling male sloth bears are known to be very gentle with the baby sloth bear. The sloth bears walk slowly and stumble, with their feet placed down in a loud, flapping motion. They have the ability to gallop faster than humans. Despite their sluggish and awkward appearance, both juvenile and adult sloth bears are superb climbers. They do occasionally climb to either feed or to rest but never when they need to escape an enemy as the sloth bears prefer to stand on the ground. 

• Instead of sending their kids up trees, sloth bear mothers carry them up trees as their major defence against predator assaults. Predators such as tigers, leopards, and other bears may pose as a treat to the cubs. They are capable climbers on more accessible trees, but due to the sloth species' more extended claw shape, they cannot climb as rapidly or on as diverse surfaces as black bears. Sloth bear pups are likely to climb more adeptly than adults due to their smaller size and even shorter claws. They are strong swimmers that mostly enter the water to play.

• The sloth bears scrape the trees with their sharp claws to mark their territories and also they rub themselves against the trees with their flanks. Sloth bears in the past have been observed to produce many vocals and sounds.

• During violent interactions, howls, squeals, screams, barks, and trumpet-like noises are uttered, while blowing is used as a warning signal. When disturbed, chuffing calls are made. Females use a grunt-whicker to communicate with their cubs, whereas youngsters scream when separated.

Food Habits 

• The sloth bears are omnivorous in nature which means that they can eat meat as well as the fruits present in nature. Although they are omnivorous their diet mainly includes a large number of insect foods. The sloth bears food consisting of leaves, honey, flowers, and fruits. Fruits are more common throughout the months of March through June, and can account for up to half of sloth bears diets on different occasions. 

• The sloth bears like termite or bee nests and will go to great lengths to obtain them. These bear assault termite nests by inserting their large snouts into the nest, ripping apart the nest with their strong claws, blowing away the dirt and dust, and then sucking the termites into their mouths. This sucking is accompanied by a succession of puffins and belchings that may be heard up to 185 meters distant. The capacity to open and shut the nostrils freely reduces dust intake during this procedure. Termites are a highly safe food source since they are present all year. Sloth bears graze on cultivated crops such as sugarcane and maize when they are near populated areas.

Sleeping Habits of the Sloth Bears 

• The sloth bears adapt their sleep and wake cycle to their environment and depending on their adaptability to the cycle they can be nocturnal, diurnal, or crepuscular in nature. 

• Basically, the sleep cycle of the sloth bears purely depends on the area in which they live. For example, if the sloth bears are in the protected areas they may be more active during the daytime. 

• Sloth bears are active for around eight to fourteen hours per day and do not hibernate. They follow a crepuscular schedule at the Zoo, which means they are active in the morning and evening but sleep in the middle of the day and nighttime.

• In captivity, the sloth bears live up to 40 years but in the wild, the number might be different as there are many predators that could hunt them down. These bears are only at risk of being eaten by big predators like tigers and leopards. To escape these nocturnal predators, female sloth bears with pups will occasionally deviate from their nocturnal habits.

Reproduction in the Sloth Bears

• There are different studies that show that the breeding season of the sloth bears differs in different places. In India, the sloth bears mate during the months of April, May, and June and give birth by December whereas in Srilanka mating occurs all the year. 

• These variations of the mating season might be attributed to the sloth bears' studied geographic location. A couple only mates for around 1 to 2 days in captivity. From September through January, most babies are born. Pregnancy usually lasts 6 to 7 months. Typically, one to two children are born; three offspring are unusual, although they do occur. 

• The gestation period for the female sloth bear is around 21o days and at the end, the female gives birth in the caves or any shelter that could protect them from any predator during this time. The female could give birth to two or three cubs. These baby sloth bears are born blind and it’s only after four weeks that they open their eyes. 

• When compared to most other bear species, sloth bear pups grow quickly. They begin walking a month after birth, become independent at 24–36 months, and reach sexual maturity at three years. Young cubs ride on their mother's back while she walks, runs, or climbs trees until they reach the size of a third of her. Cubs strive to keep their individual riding spots. Litter intervals might span two to three years.

Conservation Status of the Sloth Bears 

• IUCN reports that less than 20,000 sloth bears exist in the wilds of the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka and in Sri Lanka these bears are called the Sri Lankan bear

• . The sloth bear is classified in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which provides for their legal protection. Because the sloth bear is classified in Appendix I of the Convention on International Commerce in Endangered Species, international trade is banned.

• In many cases, the destruction of the sloth bear’s habitat is considered to be the major cause of the rapidly decreasing numbers of these species. Between the years 1956 to 1983, Srilanka has lost around 2 million hectares of natural forests. The reason for the destruction of this massive forest land includes that the land was acquired for agricultural and industrial activities. The removal of termite mounds for fine soil for tennis courts is an indirect hazard to the sloth bears. This sloth bears its primary dietary source as termites. Because of their reputation for aggressiveness and agricultural devastation, these bears have also been targeted.

• So the next question that everyone should ask is how can we save the sloth bear?. To address the human and sloth bear conflict, people all around the country should be educated about conservation ethics and it should be particularly done with the local people. To overcome this conflict, the fundamental issue of deteriorating habitat, which is the source of the conflict between people and bears, maybe encouraged through government or community-based reforestation projects.

• When sloth bears reside in high-profile parks that preserve species like tigers and elephants, their number rises. Directly managed reserves have the potential to save the sloth bear; thus, such reserves must be supported. Managing rubbish, particularly hotel waste with meals, is critical in circumstances when sloth bears become accustomed to entering communities, resulting in an increase in the incidence of unintentional assaults on humans.

• The government of India has banned the use of sloth bears for entertainment purposes. A 'Sloth Bear Welfare Project' in the country aims to stop the exploitation of sloth bears for entertainment. However, their participation in such activities remains significant. Many groups are assisting in the protection and preservation of sloth bears in protected areas. Sloth bears who were formerly used for entertainment are being rehabilitated at institutions such as Wildlife SOS's Agra Bear Rescue Facility and others. Daroji bear sanctuary in Karnataka is a major sloth bear sanctuary in India.