IUCN Red List: Data Deficient CITES Appendix I
Also known as the honey bear for its love of honey, Sun Bear is the smallest, rarest and least well-known of all the bear species.
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Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus)
It can be clearly distinguished from others by its white or yellowish patch on its chest shaped like a half-moon. Sun Bears are excellent climbers and spend considerable time in trees. They feed on sweet fruits, small rodents, birds, termites, and other insects and are ready to climb trees to get honey from beehives by using their sharp pointed claws.
Shrinking range
The Sun Bear was formerly widespread in the lowland forests of South-East Asia; however it has mostly disappeared in recent decades from most of its former ranges. Nevertheless, Sun Bear is still found widespread in a few protected areas in Cambodia 's Mondolkiri province and Virachey National Park.
Threatened by traditional medicine
Like other bears in Asia, Sun Bears are hunted for their gall bladders and other body parts for superstitious medicinal uses that have been proven by scientist to have no medical value at all.
Sun Bear cubs are even captured and kept as pets in some places. Habitat destruction is also another major threat to the small remaining critical population of this species.