These bears are threatened by heavy deforestation and illegal hunting for food and the wildlife trade they are also harmed in conflicts with humans when they enter farmlands, plantations and orchards. The range of the sun bear is bound by northeastern India to the north and extends south to southeast through Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam in mainland Asia to Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia to the south. Litters comprise one or two cubs that remain with their mother for around three years. They breed throughout the year individuals become sexually mature at two to four years of age. Being omnivores, sun bears have a broad diet including ants, bees, beetles, honey, termites and plant material such as seeds and several kinds of fruits vertebrates such as birds and deer are also eaten occasionally. They do not seem to hibernate, possibly because food resources are available the whole year throughout the range. Sun bears tend to remain solitary but sometimes occur in pairs (such as a mother and her cub). It is mainly active during the day, though nocturnality might be more common in areas frequented by humans. The most arboreal (tree-living) of all bears, the sun bear is an excellent climber and sunbathes or sleeps in trees 2 to 7 metres (7 to 23 feet) above the ground.

Its unique morphology-inward-turned front feet, flattened chest, powerful forelimbs with large claws-suggests adaptations for climbing. Sun bears get their name from the characteristic orange to cream coloured chest patch.

The fur is generally jet-black, but can vary from grey to red. It is stockily built, with large paws, strongly curved claws, small rounded ears and a short snout. It is the smallest bear, standing nearly 70 centimetres (28 inches) at the shoulder and weighing 25–65 kilograms (55–143 pounds). The sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus) is a species in the family Ursidae (the only species in the genus Helarctos) occurring in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia.

Bear family records