Bears, Spectacled

While most of us in North America are familiar with our own bear species and the Giant Panda, there are also four species found in South America and Asia. Read more about these little-known and highly endangered bear species below.

Plush Spectacled Bear

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Spectacled Bears

Spectacled bears, named for the unusual white markings around their eyes, inhabit a wide variety of habitats from rainforests, steppes and high Andes Mountains. They are found in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.These bears are fairly small, with adult males weighing from 220-340 lbs (100-155 kg). Females are slightly smaller than the males. Their medium length dense fur can be black or dark brown. The unusual white markings around their eyes can extend down their chest, and these markings are unique for each bear.

Relatively little is known about the social lives of these bears, but they are known to make tree nests to rest in. They are believed to be nocturnal, sleeping the day away in hollow tree root cavities or tree nests. Their diet consists of meat, berries, cactus, flowers, grasses, roots and fruit. They are the only bear species found in South America.

Sloth Bears

Another fairly small bear, sloth bears live in the forested grassland regions of India, Sri Lanka, Bangaldesh and Nepal . Adult males weigh from 175-310 lbs (80-140 kg). They are covered in long, shaggy black hair and have a white 'V' shaped marking on their chest. They use their long lips to suck termites out of their mound, and they are able to close their nostrils to keep the insects out. They also possess very long claws, which look like those of a sloth - hence their common name. These claws are used to dig ants and termites, their main food source, out of their mounds. They also eat eggs, insects, honeycombs, carrion, vegetation and fruits. To read more about their conservation status, click the image below.

Asiatic Black Bears

Weighing from 110-440 lbs (50-200 kg), Asiatic black bears live in the mountains and forests of southeast Asia. Like the sloth bear, their fur is black and they have a white "V" shape on their chest. Their fur is shorter however, except for a large mane that sticks out on both sides of their head. They are primarily plant eaters, feeding on different plants at different times of the year to extract the most nutrients. Their diet includes nuts, flowers, fruits, berries, bamboo, and grasses.

The Asiatic black bear is suffering from human encroachment on their territory, and poaching for their body parts. They are also one of the most exploited bear species for so called 'dancing bears', a brutal practice designed to make money for their human tormentors. For more details, click the image above.

Sun Bears

Sun bears are the smallest members of the bear family, and they are found in the tropical rainforests of southeast Asia. They have very short, dense coat that is black with brown markings on their face, and a 'U' shaped mark across their chest. They have an extremely long tongue that helps them eat termites and other insects. Their diet also includes small mammals, birds, plants, fruits and nuts. Very little is known about these small bears. Like most tropical wildlife species, deforestation and human encroachment are no doubt endangering their population. Poaching for their body parts is also a likely threat.