Moon bear, White-chested bear, Asian Black bear, Tibetan Black bear, Himalayan Black bear
The Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus) is a medium-sized bear species native to Asia. It is unique among bears in that it is largely adapted to an arboreal lifestyle. It is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and is threatened by deforestation and poaching for its body parts, which are used in traditional medicine.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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ScansorialScansorial animals are those that are adapted to or specialized for climbing. Many animals climb not only in tress but also in other habitats, such...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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PolygynandryPolygynandry is a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season.
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HibernatingHibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy charac...
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Altitudinal MigrantAltitudinal migration is a short-distance animal migration from lower altitudes to higher altitudes and back. Altitudinal migrants change their ele...
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starts withThe Asiatic black bear is a bear of medium to large size with a large rounded head and small eyes. It has large ears which are farther apart than those of an American black bear. Its body is heavy, and its legs are strong and thick with broad paws. It walks on the soles of its feet, as humans do. It has a short tail that can hardly be seen under its long, coarse coat. Its fur is black with a “V” shape of light beige to white on its chest, a small beige to white crescent on its throat, and a small white spot on its chin. Its muzzle is white.
Asiatic black bears inhabit a small area from southeastern Iran through to Afghanistan and Pakistan and across the Himalayan foothills in India to Myanmar. They are also present in all of mainland Southeast Asia except Malaysia and scattered throughout the northeastern and southern parts of China. There are also clusters living in North Korea and South Korea, the southern Russian Far East, the Japanese islands of Shikoku and Honshu, and Hainan and Taiwan. Asiatic black bears are found on steep mountains, in deciduous forests, mixed forests, thorn brush forests, moist forests, and in areas of thick vegetation. In summer they live at high elevations, descending during winter.
In general, Asiatic black bears feed at night, sleeping in a cave or a hole in a tree during the day, but they do sometimes go out during the daytime to feed. In autumn, they increase their nocturnal activity. Asiatic black bears are solitary but may live in family groups consisting of two adults and two successive litters of young. Asiatic black bears are good climbers of rocks and trees and will climb to feed, rest, sun, elude enemies and hibernate. Half of their life is spent in trees and they are one of the largest arboreal mammals. Asiatic black bears do not hibernate over most of their range. They may hibernate in their colder, northern ranges, though some bears will simply move to lower elevations. Nearly all pregnant females hibernate. Asiatic black bears prepare their dens for hibernation in mid-October and will sleep from November until March. Their dens can either be dug-out hollow trees (60 feet above ground), caves or holes in the ground, hollow logs, or steep, mountainous, and sunny slopes. They may also den in abandoned brown bear dens. Asiatic black bears communicate using a wide range of vocalizations, including grunts, whines, roars, slurping sounds, and "an appalling row" when wounded, alarmed, or angry. They emit loud hisses when issuing warnings or threats, and scream when fighting. When approaching other bears, they produce "tut tut" sounds, thought to be produced by bears snapping their tongue against the roof of their mouth. When courting, they emit clucking sounds. Asiatic black bears usually avoid humans and will only attack if they are wounded or are protecting their young.
Asiatic black bears are omnivores. They mainly eat fruit, berries, seeds, nuts, honey, grasses, invertebrates, fish, birds, rodents, and other small mammals, as well as carrion.
Asiatic black bears are polygynandrous (promiscuous), with two or more males mating with two or more female bears. A social hierarchy based on the age and body weight of the males means that only larger males are able to mate with the females. This occurs between June to July as well as January and February. Gestation is for 6 to 8 months and usually, 2 cubs are born (but the number can be 1 to 4) in a safe, warm winter den between March and April. They are born blind and helpless, depending totally on their mother. Cubs are weaned at 6 months old when they start to eat solid foods only but often stay with their mother until 2-3 years of age. Young bears are able to breed from 3-4 years of age.
The main threat to this species is illegal hunting for body parts, in particular, the gall bladder, skin, and paws. Asiatic black bears also suffer from habitat loss due to logging, the development of human settlements, and the building of roads.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Asiatic black bear total population size. According to the IUCN Red List, specific populations of this species have been estimated in such areas: China: around 28,000 individuals; Japan: 12,000-19,000 individuals; India: 5,000-7,000 individuals; Russia: 5,000-7,000 individuals; Iran: around 100-200 individuals; South Korea: around 40 individuals. Overall, currently, Asiatic black bears are classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List, and their numbers today are decreasing.
