Sun Bear or Honey Bear :



the smallest and least known of bears. Sun bears are black with a very large yellow or white crescent on their chest, have very short hair, and have five long claws on their front feet for tearing open bee trees and insect sites. They are spread across south-eastern Asia from Myanmar and Thailand to Indonesia and Borneo. They have the typical plantigrade (flat) feet of bears, and their soles are almost totally devoid of hair, which may be an aid in climbing trees. Their alternative name, the honey bear, is indicative of their main food source. They have a very long tongue, possibly to aid them in reaching insects and honey.

Sun bear females weigh as little as 30 kg (66 lb), the males little more than 65 kg (145 lb). Without adequate range, they increasingly feed on agricultural crops and gardens, causing damage.
Little is known about the breeding activity, reproduction, or family life of this species. Their habitat is declining rapidly because of intense human impact, and they may become extinct in the wild in the next few decades. They are excellent climbers, and spend considerable time in trees, perhaps even sleeping there. As with other bears, they are being hunted excessively for their gall bladders, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine, or paws, used for soup. They can be very dangerous in close jungle encounters.