One of the 8 bears on WAnimals
Mammals · Carnivora · Ursidae
Asiatic Black Bear
Ursus thibetanus
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
Also known as the moon bear for the white crescent on its chest, it is markedly arboreal and spends much of the day resting in trees. It is poached for its gall bladder, prized in traditional Asian medicine.
Weight
65 kg – 200 kg
Size
1.3 m – 2 m
Lifespan
25 years
Diet
Omnivore
Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Fun facts
- anatomíaIt has a striking white crescent on its chest, and can climb to 4,300 metres in search of seasonal food.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Broadleaf and mixed conifer forest and mountain country of southern and eastern Asia, up to 4,000 m in the Himalaya
- Birth weight
- 350 - 463 grams
- Size at birth
- Blind, helpless and all but hairless at birth
- Sexual maturity
- 3-4 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 6-8 months (with delayed implantation)
- Litter / clutch size
- 1 to 4 young per litter (most commonly 2)
- Lifespan in captivity
- Documented record of 39.2 years in captivity
Sources consulted: Encyclopedia.com; AnAge; Animal Diversity Web; Know Your Mammals; Britannica; The Animal Facts; PMC; International Association for Bear Research and Management
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapWhere to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 34 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Asiatic Black Bear — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
VulnerableGiant Panda
Ailuropoda melanoleuca
VulnerableSun Bear
Helarctos malayanus
Least ConcernBrown Bear
Ursus arctos
VulnerableSnow Leopard
Panthera uncia
VulnerableSiberian Musk Deer
Moschus moschiferus
VulnerableClouded Leopard
Neofelis nebulosa
How to help
The asiatic black bear is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 9 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about asiatic black bear.
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