Sun Bear Facts & Worksheets

In the lowland forests of Southeast Asia, the smallest and rarest of the bear species with the distinctive golden crescent on the chest lives the reclusive Helarctos malayanus, commonly known as the Sun Bear. They are nocturnal and arboreal, with an average lifespan of up to 25 years in the wild.

See the fact file below for more information on Sun Bear, or you can download our 28-page Sun Bear worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

OVERVIEW

• They live an insular life on the islands and in the forests of Southeast Asia, found from Southern China to the east of India and as far south as Indonesia; they are also called the Malayan Sun Bear. The bib-shaped golden or white patch on their chest represents the rising sun. 
• Sun bear is also a common name for the Prairie Sun Bear, a different clan or species of bears from the sun bears found in North America.  
• Sun bears are considered an endangered species. They are rare and vulnerable, as their range is decreasing due to inhumane reasons: poaching, habitat loss, and taking the cubs to become pets.

ECOLOGY

• Sun bears are nocturnal species that are more active at night. Even with their short snout, they have an excellent sense of smell. Their strongly curved claws, which exceed about four inches in length are very useful in ripping open trees and termite nests.
• Sun bears also earned the nickname “honey bear”, because of their skills in extracting honey from bee nests, thanks to their comically lengthy tongue.
• This bear species is an excellent and skillful climber. They are often seen sleeping and sunbathing on trees about 7 to 23 feet above the ground.
• They are also known for their intelligence and skillful mimicry of facial expressions seen in a few primates (there was a published study in 2019 regarding this). The sun bear is also an efficient swimmer.

HABITAT (RANGE AND THREATS)

• Sun bears are natives of the tropical areas of Southeast Asia. They can often be seen and found at altitudes of about 1,000 meters or less. They are a rare sight on mountain slopes with pinnacles or planes more than 1,500 meters high. 
• Their species’ range is bound by northeastern India to the north and extends south to Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam to Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia to the south. However, in Singapore, sun bears are declared extinct. It is calculated that over the last three decades, the global population has declined by over 35%, and the IUCN has already listed their species as vulnerable. 
• Sun bears do not hibernate, living primarily in the dense lowland tropical forests close to water sources, where food resources are available for the whole year throughout the range. However, it is believed that the western and northern ranges have been reduced and recently decreased due to large-scale habitat destruction conducted by inhumane activities. 
• They have been hunted in various regions for centuries for their meat, fur, claws, teeth, and gallbladders, commonly used in traditional medicines (that have been proven and tested by experts to have no medical value at all). This is bothersome as sun bears are labeled as one of the most endangered species worldwide, with only around 2,000 remaining in the wild.

DIET AND NUTRITION

• Sun bears are omnivorous, eating plants and animals. They feed on various creatures such as insects (ants, beetles, termites, bees), plants, seeds, nuts, and fruits—mainly figs. Of course, like any other bears, they are huge fans of honey and can also feast on carrion if it is available. With its exceptionally long tongue, it can extract insects from their nests. With its powerful jaws and claws, it can tear open hollow trees and hold the pieces of a broken mound with its paws.
• Sun bears will expend about a hundred calories for every hour they spend searching for their favorite food—honey—while climbing trees.
• Vertebrates such as eggs, birds, deer, rodents, lizards, and fish may also be part of their edibles captured. They typically hunt for their food at night, but there are times that they’ll come out during broad daylight to find larger prey or a plant that can be a significant enough source of food to feed more than a bear. 
• An interesting fact is that sun bears can go as long as two weeks without eating if needed because of the high-fat content they store in their bodies. 

REPRODUCTION

• At the age of two to four, sun bears become sexually mature. They are polyestrous, meaning they can go into heat several times yearly. Once the period of courtship is over, it is time for female and male bears to mate. Most female sun bears do not reproduce until they are at least three years of age. 
• The gestation period lasts anywhere from three to almost six months, depending on age, environmental state and condition.
• The female’s phase of sexually receptive or oestrus often lasts five to seven days. Birth occurs inside hollow tree cavities. Most litters only contain one or two cubs, weighing around 325 grams each. Just like any other newborn, they are deaf with their eyes closed. 
• They will nurse on their mother for a year and a half and are kept on buttress roots until they can walk and climb properly. With aggressive maternal instincts, female bears protect their cubs and remain with them for nearly the first three years of the offspring’s lives.

Sun Bear Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Sun Bear across 28 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Sun Bear, which is the smallest and rarest of the bear species, with the distinctive golden crescent on the chest.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Sun Bear Facts
2. Bear-y Good
3. Sun Bear, is that You?
4. Odd One Out
5. I’m Bear-y Hungry!
6. Locate Me
7. Reproduction and Bear-th Facts
8. What’s the Emoji?
9. Word Search
10. Ma(jor)grr Threat!
11. YOUth Can Do It!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are sun bears known for?

Sun bears are muscular animals that are a little bit bigger than dogs. They have small ears and a short muzzle. They got their nickname “dog bears” because they look like big dogs. They have black fur that is short and helps them stay cool in hot weather, but it is also thick so that they can stay protected from things like branches and rain.

Why are they called sun bears?

Sun bears are actually nocturnal. They come out at night to roam around in the forest. They have black fur, except for a crescent-shaped golden patch on their chest. That patch is called the sun bear because it looks like the rising sun.

Is the sun bear aggressive?

Sun bears can be aggressive and may attack without warning. However, there is some evidence that they may form long-term unions with other bears. Sun bears usually live solitary lives, except when females with offspring reside.

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