Asiatic Black Bear   BEAR
U. t. gedrosianus
U. t. gedrosianus
More images:
Scientific Name:
Ursus thibetanus
Other Names and/or Listed subspecies:
Tibetan Black Bear, Himalayan Black Bear, Moon Bear, Selenarctos thibetanus gedrosianus, Baluchistan Bear - U. t. gedrosianus (US FWS)
Group:
Mammals
Status/Date Listed as Endangered:
VU-IUCN: 2008
EN-US FWS: May 16, 1986
Area(s) Where Listed As Endangered:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Iran, Japan, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
 
Advertisement
 

The Baluchistan bear is a subspecies of the Asiatic black bear. It is also called "moon bear" because of a distinctive white crescent marking appearing on the chest. It is similar in appearance to its better-known American relative (the American black bear). The head tapers to a rather pointed snout, and it has rounded ears which are large and prominent. Adults reach between six and eight feet in head and body length on average, and weigh between 110 to 330 lbs. The tail is 2.5 to 4 inches long. Males are larger than females. Baluchistan bears have very sharp claws and are excellent climbers and swimmers.

This species prefers forest habitat which includes temperate and tropical woodlands in hilly or mountainous areas with heavy brush cover. It spends much of the day sleeping and is mainly active at night. Diet consists of fruits, nuts, buds and insects. Asiatic black bears are more carnivorous than their American counterparts since they are known to eat leftover prey killed by tigers, which helps to build up fat before winter. They have also been known to consume domestic livestock. Except mothers and cubs, they are usually solitary. Mating may occur around October, and females give birth to two cubs after a gestation period of seven to eight months. The young are nursed for three to four months and remain with the mother for two years.

The Baluchistan bear is only found in Iran and Pakistan and is threatened by habitat destruction and hunting for its skin, paws and gall bladder (which is used in Oriental medicine). They are considered a nuisance to humans since they eat crops and domestic livestock, and unfortunately, human attacks are also common. All Asiatic black bears are protected by law, but law enforcement is extremely limited in much of its range.




Wikipedia Article

This article is only an excerpt. If it appears incomplete or if you wish to see article references, visit the rest of its contents here.
Wikipedia Article
Copyright Notice: This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Asian black bear".

Featured Article

Orphaned cougar cubs progressing well at Toledo Zoo
Back in October, the Toledo zoo received new additions to their creature family... two orphaned cougar cubs, rescued from Washington state when they were 3 weeks old.

Read More...


Advertisement


Endangered Species of Our Planet

Donate, Adopt, Get Involved

EEC Conservation Directory
Donate

Mailing List

Would you like to receive a notice and link when the new Creature Feature is posted?

Enter your e-mail address below:

 

Fun & Games

Are you inspired by endangered animals? Check out our games and coloring pages! More to come soon.
color endangered creatures
play hangman