Animals On Earth: India, Asia, China, Hawaii, And Madagascar

Sloth Bear

The sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), also known as the Indian bear, is a myrmecophagous bear species native to the Indian subcontinent. 

It was a European zoologist, George Shaw, who named the sloth bear for its long, thick claws and unusual teeth. He thought that the bear was related to the tree sloth due to these features. The sloth bear is a bit messy in appearance.

If threatened, they will stand on two legs, brandishing their clawed forepaws as weapons. Their large canines are used for defense against tigers. Other potential predators include jackals, wild dogs, wolves, leopards and other Asian bear species.

Sloth bears are considered to be one of the most dangerous mammals in India. The number of sloth bear attacks annually rivals and may even exceed the total number of all bear attacks from the seven other extant bear species combined

Sloth Bears are tropical bears, native to India and Sri Lanka. They do not hibernate like the American Black Bears we have here in Arkansas. Sloth Bears are omnivores, they eat both meat and plants. Their favorite foods are insects, fruits, and honey.