Sun Bear Sun Bears Written and Illustrated By: Alyssa Foster 2 nd Grade 2012

Sun Bears Written and Illustrated By: Alyssa Foster 2 nd Grade 2012 Thompson Publishing Company Inc., Copyright 2012

For my family, my classroom, and Jonesville Elementary School

Table of Contents 1 Sun Bear Facts 2 – 4 Sun Bears Diet 5 Sun Bears Habitat Sun Bear Diagram 8 Sun Bear Life Cycle 9 Glossary 10 References 11 Sun Bear Photos 12

The Sun Bear is one of the smallest bears. It measures around 1.4 meters (4.5 ft. long) and weighs up to 100 lbs. They have short, black fur. The Sun Bear has an orange-yellow horseshoe shape on their chest. Sun Bear Facts 2

The Sun Bear is also known as the honey bear and Malayan sun bears. Sun Bears have loose skin so that they can twist when being attacked or bitten. They have very strong legs that make them great Sun Bear Facts (continued) 3

at climbing trees. They have an extra, long tongue. The Sun Bears use their long claws to help tear open trees and look for insects and bee nests. The long tongue helps to slurp the honey. Sun Bear Facts (continued) 4

Sun Bears Diet The Sun Bear eats mostly lizards, little birds, rodents, insects, termites, fruit, and honey. 5

Sun Bears Habitat The Sun Bears live in the tropical rainforests of southeastern Asia. They live in tropical temperatures, so they do not need to hibernate and can mate at any time of the year. They usually 6

have two cubs at a time and they care for them up to two years or until the cubs are old enough to survive on their own. The cubs are sometimes taken from their mothers and kept as pets. Sun Bears Habitat (continued) 7

Sun Bear Diagram 8

Sun Bear Life Cycle Life cycle When sun bears are born they are very small with no fur. At first they cannot see. They grow very fast. A young sun bear Life Cycle About 100 days after mating, the female gives birth, normally to two cubs, in a nest in the forest undergrowth. The cubs weigh about 225 grams, and are blind, hairless and helpless. Their skin is almost transparent. However, after about 1-2 months, they are able to forage for food with their mother. The cubs stay with their mother until they are almost fully grown. 9

Glossary 10 attacked – charge, fly at, undertake, go to work on, tackle forage – seek, hunt, explore, look about hibernate – To spend the winter in a torpid state with all the body functions greatly slowed down and the body temperature reduced. horseshoe shaped – a curved flat face shaped to fit the rim of a horse’s hoof. rainforest – hot, wet, equatorial forest characterized by high broadleaved, evergreen trees rodents - A small gnawing mammal of the order rodentia including rats, mice, squirrels, marmots, etc. survive – to continue to live or exist termites – order of very small, white, soft bodied, social insects tropical – A climate characterized by high temperatures and heavy rainfall

References 11 Websites facts.htm als/creaturefeature images.com Books The Bear, Sabrina Crewe Bears, Lynn Stone

Sun Bear Photos 12