A shaggy bear of the Indian subcontinent with a mane around its face, a long lower lip and long, sickle-shaped claws. It feeds on termites, ants and fruit, blowing away soil and sucking the insects up through its muzzle.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?Yes
One of the most aggressive bears, and attacks are fairly frequent where people live close to it.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
It forages at night and returns to its den around dawn.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inAsia
ColoursBlack, Cream
SizeLarge
Length1.4–1.9 m (body)
Height60–92 cm at the shoulder
WeightFemales 55–105 kg, males 80–145 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives alone
Lives for20–25 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- The Indian subcontinent.
- What it eats
- Termites, ants and bees, plus fruit such as mangoes and jackfruit, mahua flowers, honey and carrion.
- Conservation
- Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)
Did you know
Vacuums termites out of mounds so loudly it can be heard 180 metres away.
It finds termite mounds and bee nests by smell, and can sniff out grubs 3 ft below ground.
It has the longest tail of any bear, up to 15–18 cm.
Often confused with
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