Sun Bear

Also known as the ‘honey bear’ for its love of honey, the sun bear is a nocturnal animal that spends much of the day resting on a branch, basking in the sun — which is how it got its other name, ‘sun bear.’ With powerful jaws, it can tear through tree trunks to find insects, and its large paws with strong claws and bare pads make it an excellent climber.

The sun bear, one of the rarest bears, is rapidly declining due to deforestation and hunting. Habitat destruction for coffee, rubber, and palm oil plantations forces them into smaller, more isolated areas. Poachers take advantage of this, capturing them for bear bile farms. Organizations like Free The Bears work to rescue these bears, providing sanctuaries and rehabilitating them when possible.