The only bear species in our country

Last week we introduced you to a cute and cuddley member of the Ursidae family, the beautiful spectacled bear. Most of you must have enjoyed reading about this animal species because bears have always had a strong appeal, especially for children. Today too we like to enlighten you about yet another member of the Ursidae family. But unlike the spectacled bear, which is native to South America, the sloth bear is found in our very own country too. In fact, it is the only bear species found in our country.

Those of you who have visited some of our wild life sanctuaries may have already seen this animal. sloth bears can also be seen at the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens.

The sloth bear, Melursus ursinus is a mammal of the bear family-"ursidae", and is an omnivore. (feeds on both plants and animals)Apart from our country, sloth bears are found in neighbouring countries like, India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. There are two identifiable types of these bears: the Sri Lankan sloth bear Melursus ursinus inornatus and the Indian sloth bear M. u. ursinus. It is also called the lip bear, the five-fingered sloth and the honey bear by some. In our country the bear is known as the walaha in Sinhala and karadi in Tamil. However, it is the sickle shaped claws which have an unmistakable resemblance to the claws of the animal called "sloth" that has given this bear its common name the sloth bear.

The sloth bear prefers forested areas, scrub jungles and grasslands, predominantly at lower elevations. (Such as 'Yala' and the Udawalawe national parks). They favour drier forests and prefer areas with rocky outcrops. As is the case for many species, the destruction of sloth bears' habitats is a major cause for their rapidly declining numbers.

According to wildlife experts, the number of sloth bears remaining in the wild has fallen dramatically and even though exact numbers aren't available, it is estimated that the population ranges between 7,000-10,000. However, it is not merely habitat loss that is the cause of the dwindling numbers of sloth bears. The destruction of their source of favourite food; termite mounds for fine soil for tennis courts and also hunting them for body parts are other reasons.

Did you know that in India,these bears are poached for their gall bladders and also other parts which are highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine? It is estimated that in the late 1970s parts from up to 1,500 bears a year were sold in Japan. Even though these bears are protected by international and national laws, the capture of live bears continues to this day.

They have also been hunted because of their reputation for aggression and crop destruction. But these bears are generally not aggressive. Their sense of smell is well developed, but as their sight and hearing are poor, this paves the way for humans to draw close to the bears without their knowledge. So, when suddenly they feel threatened, they naturally defend themselves, perhaps even becoming very aggressive. Even though they are excellent climbers, they do not climb trees to escape danger. Surprisingly, these bears have been described as shy, by researchers.

Now, let's check out their appearance because though they generally look like the bears we described last week, there are many differences .The size and weight of the sloth bear varies with the availability of food, They are generally smaller than Himalayan black bears. They average a length of 140-170 centimetres, a height of 85 centimetres and a weight between 125-145 kilograms as adults, the male being larger. The body is covered with long, shaggy black hair with slightly less hair on the belly area and under the legs. A whitish or cream coloured 'V', "Y" or 'U' shaped mark adorns the chest.

The body is slender and the limbs are designed to climb trees as well as to dig the ground for one of their favourite food, termites. Like other bears and humans they are able to walk on the entire foot.

Their ears are visible and the tails which are 15-18 cm (6-7 inches) long, the longest in the bear family, are hidden in the long hair.

Sloth bears are omnivorous and although their diet typically includes a large proportion of insect foods, with termites and ants high on their preference list, their diet includes leaves, honey, flowers, and fruits as well. They are also known to eat carrion, but are not predatory in nature. During the months of March through June, fruits are more common and on occasion may make up 50 per cent of these bears' diet.

Would you believe that sloth bears can close their nostrils completely at their own will?. The elongated nose and muzzle are specially designed to "hoover up"(vacuum) termites and ants. Termites are a very secure food source, as they are present all year round.

They relish termite or bee nests and will do everything to get at them. While raiding termite nests these bears insert their long snouts into the nest, rip open the nest with their long claws, blow away the earth and dust, and then feast on their prize, by vacuuming the termites into their mouths. This sucking action is also accompanied with a series of puffings and belching which can be heard over a hundred metres away. The ability to voluntarily open and close their nostrils prevents the inhalation of dust during this process.

When populated areas are nearby, sloth bears tend to feed on cultivated crops like sugar cane and maize.They are mainly nocturnal. (active at night).. During the day they sleep in caves, especially caves by river banks. They do not hibernate, but do have a period of inactivity during the rainy season.

Sloth bears share a habitat with many predatory carnivores such as tigers, leopards and wild dogs and are constantly under pressure from natural predation. The size of the home range varies with the amount of food to be found within that region. Not much research has been conducted into the extent of the home range, it has been established that these bears do like to share it with other members of their species .

Information on the reproductive behaviour of these bears varies. In Sri Lanka breeding appears to occur all year around whilst in India the breeding period is restricted to June and July.

After a gestation (pregnancy term) of six to seven months, the cubs are born in the dry season (December to January). Sloth bears give birth to one or two 300-500 gram cubs. Mothers usually give birth to her cubs in an underground den. After birth, the cubs stay blind for about three weeks. After a period of about four to five weeks, the young leave the den. If the cub survives the first year of life it will stay with the mother for two to three years, Male cubs leave their mother after a year.

When feeding, the bears are known to make loud, sucking sounds which can be heard for many miles. Sloth bear cubs tend to travel sooner than in other bear species, and will ride on their mother's back while walking, running or climbing.

Cubs will fight for space when clinging on to the sow, the female, as it is generally referred to.

The sow carries the cubs until they are a third of her size. The cubs attain independence at the age of 24-36 months. What is special when it comes to sloth bear mothers is that they carry their cubs on their backs on a regular basis while the mother grizzly/brown, black and polar bears do so especially while swimming and occasionally while walking.You will be really surprised to learn that mama bears , sometimes regurgitate (vomit) a mixture of half digested jak fruit, wood apples and pieces of honey comb. This sticky substance is said to harden into a dark yellow circular bread-like mass which is known as" bears bread "is fed to the cubs. This "bear's bread" and is considered a delicacy by some of India's natives.

Due to a lack of research estimates on cub mortality is not available. The lifespan is believed to be about 30 years although it is believed that the survival rate is dependent upon the mother's skill.

Sloth Bears communicate with each other using a lot of facial expressions and grunts. (like humans) They are extremely lovable and they're very popular in zoos or wildlife preservation zones.

-Shalindri Perera

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Dancing bears

Dancing bears are seen frequently at major tourist centres in India, particularly Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. This so-called 'tradition' is supported primarily by tourists, who delight in seeing these bears perform. However most are not aware of the torturous process involved in training these bears: the painful piercing of the sensitive snout in order to thread ropes and chain through the perforation, the removal of teeth without an anaesthetic, and the placement of tender paws on hot plates in order to train the bear to "dance". As a result of such treatment these bears, which are capable of living up to 25 years in the wild, rarely live to be 10 once captured, succumbing to infection, malnutrition and stress. Where they come into contact with humans, these bears have an aggressive reputation and individuals may be killed in retaliation.

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