sloth bear

The sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) is a distinctive bear of the Indian subcontinent, uniquely specialized for feeding on termites and ants. It has a long, shaggy coat; a mobile, elongated muzzle and lips; and a characteristic dentition (including reduced upper incisors) that help it suck insects from termite mounds—often loudly enough to be heard from far away. Sloth bears are mostly solitary, except for mothers with cubs; cubs are famously carried on the mother’s back for months as an anti-predator strategy. Although adaptable across dry/moist deciduous forests, scrub, and grasslands, the species is assessed as Vulnerable because habitat deterioration, fragmentation, poaching, and human–bear conflict are driving declines, especially outside protected areas.