Sloth Bear

The Sloth Bear (aka: Lip Bear) is a species dubbed as vulnerable by the IUCN Redlist. It was thought to be a sloth (because of the shape of its claws and its arboreal habits) until the 1880s, where it was revealed to be a bear.

The body is 150 to 190 centimeters long, covered in long, shaggy fur, ranging from reddish-brown to black, with a unique V-shaped white mark on its chest, a whitish snout and black nose. The snout is long with bare lips and a lack of upper incisors, adaptations for its insect-based diet. The front feet are turned inwards and have 4 inch long, non-retractable, curved claws that are adapted for digging and climbing. The males, weighing 80–140 kg, are larger than the females, which weigh only 55–95 kg. The tail is 15 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) long, the longest in the bear family. Their natural lifespan is unknown, however, a captive specimen was recorded to have lived 40 years.

The Sloth Bear is troubled by poaching and habitat loss.