The sloth bear is bear species native to the Indian subcontinent, and has a myrmecophagous feeding behaivor (defined by the consumption of termites and ants) but it also feeds on fruits. It is listed as vulnerable, mainly because of habitat loss and degradation.
Species:
Melursus ursinus
Common Name:
Sloth Bear
Conservation Status:
Vulnerable (VU)
Subspecies:
one
(M. ursinus) Indian sloth bear
(M. u. inornatus) Sri Lankan Sloth bear
Extinct Species:
Range
The global range of the sloth bear includes India, the Terai of Nepal, temperate climatic zones of Bhutan and Sri Lanka. It is regionally extinct in Bangladesh.
Habitat
It occurs in a wide range of habitats including moist and dry tropical forests, savannahs, scrublands and grasslands below 1,500 m (4,900 ft) on the Indian subcontinent, and below 300 m (980 ft) in Sri Lanka's dry forests.
Description
It has a long, shaggy fur, a mane around the face, and long, sickle-shaped claws. It is lankier than brown and Asian black bears. It shares features of insectivorous mammals, such as it has a long lower lip and palate used for sucking up insects.
