Habitat and Vulnerability

The Malayan sun bear being one of the most endangered of the 8 bear species, also happens to be among the least researched. It is however known that the Malayan sun bear’s top predator happens to the humans. Humans negatively effect the Sun Bear population in two ways (ICUN Redlist of Endangered Species).

These bears live primarily in Southeast Asia. As this cities continue to grow, the habitat of the sun bear is being destroyed in order to make room for the expansion of Asian civilization. Since these bears are relatively small, they rely on trees as a form of protection from the other land dwelling cats and predators. The sun bear is a very agile climber and has been known to spend much of it's daylight hours several meters up in a tree sunbathing. The sun bear also uses these dead, fallen trees as a den during mating season. The climate in Southeast Asia is usually wet and rainy year-round and these dead trees provide a dry den that the mother sun bear can use to raise her cubs. They also depend on fruit-bearing trees as a nutritional part of their diet (Journal of Tropical Ecology). The fig tree is one of the most important parts of the sun bear’s diet. Since most trees in Southeast Asia follow the same general fruiting cycle, it makes it easy for the sun bear, along with other species to find food during this part of the season. Once these trees are out of cycle, access to fruits in the area becomes scarce. The fig tree is one of the few trees that follows a completely different cycle and allows the sun bear to find food and fulfill this demand in their diet for the remaining portions of the year. When trees are being cut down for logging purposes the sun bear is not only left vulnerable to it’s other animal predators, but without one of it’s major food sources (Journal of Tropical Ecology).

Humans indirectly effect the sun bear through the expansion of cities and deforestation, but they directly endanger the sun bear in several other ways. Poaching is a common practice that significantly effects the bear population, since the Mayalan sun bear’s assets can be used in many ways (Ecology of the Malayan Sun Bear).

Although the pelt of the Malayan sun bear isn’t the driving force behind the poaching of the bear, as it is for several other animal species, it can be used in multiple ways, ranging anywhere from rugs to clothing. The meat of the sun bear again isn’t the major reason the Malayan sun bear is being poached, but smaller, rural civilizations are known engage in active poaching for the sun bear’s meat. The brute force behind the poaching of this animal is the bear’s bile (Biological Conservation). It serves a wide array of purposes, ranging anywhere from folk medicine to common ingredients in many of Asia’s everyday food and beverage ingredients. Since the gall bladder is believed by many of the locals to be such an important part of the sun bear, many bears are being captured and sold to bear farms. The bear is then killed and it’s bile is processed and in turn sold for large sums of money. While this practice is slowly becoming less popular, recent medical research has shown that the sun bear’s bile produces little to no health benefits. It’s just a myth that has been passed down from generation to generation in the rural Asian societies (Biological Conservation).

The problem is that most of the inhabitants of Southeast Asia don’t understand the severity of the poaching that they are engaging in. They aren’t aware that the poaching of these animals can come with major consequences if they are caught. Any killing, eating, or production of the Malayan sun bear is considered a federal offense (Biological Conservation). The problem with this is the fact that this law is rarely enforced by officials. Many people know about the laws against poaching, but continue their practices knowing that the chances of being caught are slim, others are completely oblivious to the fact that the sun bear is endangered. This is due to the fact that much of Southeast Asia is made up of independent rural communities.

Unlike many of Southeast Asia’s other endangered species, the vulnerability of the sun bear isn’t commonly known. Others animals in the area such as tigers and other large cats that are on the Vulnerable Species List have several organizations backing them and spreading awareness of the problem (ICUN Redlist of Threatened Species). This helps to bring attention to their cause. Unfortunately the sun bear’s endangerment isn’t as widely known. Although more and more foundations are being formed to help bring to attention the increasing threat sun bear’s are facing with extinction (ICUN Redlist of Threatened Species).

Also, because one of the sun bear’s important dietary needs is fruit and the source of their fruit diet is continually being cut down for logging purposes, the sun bear is forced to look to other places to obtain this portion of their diet (Journal of Tropical Ecology). This typically happens to be farmer’s fields. The reason for deforestation in a major part of these lands, is because this land is needed to increase the areas agricultural output. The sun bear’s habitat is being cut down and in it’s place farmer’s are planting huge fields to grow crops. Unfortunately the bear’s see this as a food source, while the farmer’s see the bear a threat to food production (Journal of Tropical Ecology). This has caused the poaching of the sun bear to be further increased.

Since the number of these bears continue to dwindle, it has become increasing hard for researchers to track them. Researchers return time after time to areas that are known to be common roaming grounds of the bear only to come up empty handed, because their habitat was destroyed due to the expansion of nearby cities or because most of the vegetation had been cut down for logging purposes. Researchers then have to start from square one following possible bedding sites or scat (Ecology of the Malayan Sun Bear). Since Southeast Asia is home to a wide variety of animals, it’s easy for biologists to be led amiss. They can follow signs of what they think to be a Malayan sun bear for days, even weeks, only to find out that they have been following a different bear species or a different animal altogether (Ecology of the Malayan Sun Bear). Although the journey can be frustrating, they’re many devoted biologists that haven’t given up hope. Among the most well-know is Siew Te Wong. He has been studying this species of bear since 1998. In a six year span he only managed to trap a total of ten bears. They were then fit with tracking collars that allowed their general location to be assessed (Conservation Biology). Wong then sets out on foot or in a small bush vehicle to find the bears. Once Wong believes that he is in the general location of the bear, he will set out on foot to ensure he didn’t disturb the bear. He then tracks the bear, from a distance, taking note of the Malayan sun bear’s diet and habitat ranges (Conservation Biology).

Although the Malayan sun bear is not yet considered endangered, it remains one of the vulnerable species in the Conservation Status List. There are several organizations working to help maintain and eventually repopulate the sun bear population (ICUN Redlist for Threatened Species). Among the top of these conservation programs is Siew Te Wong’s Borean Sun Bear Conservation Centre.

Visit the website below for additional information on what you can do to help!

Siew Te Wong's Borean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus)

Habitat and Vulnerability

Pages