1. The Malayan Sun Bear
By Jane

2. Physical Characteristics
The Malayan sun bear has short, deep black or brown-black hair with a pale orange-yellow horseshoe shaped marking on its chest.
Adult sun bears can weigh from Ibs. Baby sun bears weigh only ounces when they are born.
The males are usually 5 feet long and the females are usually 4 feet long.
The Malayan sun bear is the smallest bear in the world!

3. Reproduction Gestation is usually 96 days.
One or two cubs are born at a time.
The babies are naked, small, and helpless so the mom cares for them.
The young stay with their parents for about two to three years.

4. Habitat
The Malayan sun bear lives in many lowland tropical areas like countries in Asia such as China, Burma, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
The sun bear is arboreal and makes its nest in trees.
Sun bears are not territorial.

5. Food
The sun bear is an omnivore, which means it will eat almost anything.
The diet of a sun bear may include termites, ants, beetle larvae, bee larvae, honey, fruit, small rodents, and lizards.

6. Video of Sun Bear Eating Hard Fruit
(Click on video to start)

7. Interesting Facts
Sun bears have very loose skin on the back of their necks, so they can easily turn around and defend themselves if they are bitten by an attacker.
When the sun bears are young, they are playful and are sometimes kept as pets in Asia.

8. Video of Playful Sun Bears
(Click on video to start)

9. Threats to Survival
Predators of the sun bear include other bears, tigers, clouded leopards, and humans.
The Malayan sun bear is endangered because of poaching and destruction of its habitat.

10. Six-month-old sun bear
Pictures
Full grown sun bear
Six-month-old sun bear

11. Physical Adaptations Physical Adaptation How it Aids Survival
Loose skin on back of neck
Helps them escape and fight off predators
Dark fur
Blends in with habitat, especially at night
Long tongue
Helps them sip up nectar and get bugs out of wood
Feet point slightly inward
Helps them climb trees
Large, naked paws
Long, curved claws
Extraordinarily large feet
Assists with digging and breaking into dead wood in search of insects
Short hair
Keeps them cooler in tropical climates
Large jaws
Helps them break open hard fruit like coconuts
Large canine teeth
Assists in defending against predators

12. Video Showing Physical Adaptations
(Click on video to start)

13. Behavioral Adaptations
How it Aids Survival
Does not hibernate
Food is available year-round
Becomes more nocturnal in areas near humans
Helps them avoid human hunters
Makes barking sound when threatened
Scares away predators
Rises up on hind legs when threatened
Makes it look bigger and helps scare away predators
Builds nests in trees
Keeps them away from predators and closer to their food source

14. (Click picture to start video)
Cleveland Zoo Habitat
(Click picture to start video)

15. Suggested Improvements to Cleveland Zoo Habitat
Put sun bear inside a heated space, because their natural habitat is warm and tropical
The habitat should also be darker, because sun bears are mostly nocturnal when near humans
Include trees for the sun bear to climb since they are arboreal.
Give the sun bear a ball to play with, since sun bears are playful

16. Suggested Improvements, Continued
Get another sun bear, because they are social animals and are lonely without other bears
Include a source of nectar, so the bear can use its long tongue