Animal Facts - Sloth Bear
Sloth Bear Description
There are two sub-species of Sloth Bear, the Indian Sloth Bear and the Sri Lankan Sloth Bear. The Sri Lankan Sloth Bear has shorter hair than the Indian Sloth Bear.
The Sloth Bear is one of the 8 species of the Ursidae family. The other bear species are the:
- American Black Bear
- Asiatic Black Bear
- Brown Bear
- Giant Panda
- Sun Bear
- Spectacled Bear
- Polar Bear.
The Sloth Bear, Asiatic Black Bear and Sun Bear all have black fur, with different distinctive (special) markings:
- The Sloth Bear has a dirty white or grey U shape on its chest.
- The Asiatic Black Bear has a white or pale yellow crescent (half moon) on its chest. Because of this it is also called the Moon Bear.
- The Sun Bear has an orange-yellow circle under its chin and on the top of its chest.
Scientists think that all the bear species share the same ancient ancestors and Sloth Bears developed as a species about six million years ago.
Ancient bears living in South Asia at that time may have been separated from those in other parts of the world by climate change or because the earth moved.
The Sloth Bear then developed different characteristics to survive.
Tell me more about the Bear family >>