sloth bear walking on grassland
The sloth bear is a myrmecophagous bear native to the Indian subcontinent, uniquely adapted to feed on insects — particularly termites and ants. It has a long, bare snout, flexible lips, and a gap in its front teeth through which it can forcefully suck up insects from mounds. Sloth bears are also known for carrying their cubs on their backs, a behaviour unique among bears.
Average Length
1.8 m
Average Weight
110 kg
Lifespan
20-25 years
Top Speed
40 km/h
Quick Facts
Sloth bears have a specialised lower lip and palate to vacuum up termites and ants.
They are the only bears known to routinely carry their cubs on their backs.
Despite poor eyesight, sloth bears have excellent hearing and smell.
They were the inspiration for Baloo the bear in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book.
Habitat & Range
Habitats
Regions
Behavior & Reproduction
Activity Pattern
Nocturnal
Social Structure
Solitary
Gestation Period
7 months
Litter Size
2
Predators
Tigers, Leopards, Humans
Found in Parks
Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve
Karnataka
Jim Corbett National Park
Uttarakhand
Ranthambore National Park
Rajasthan
Kanha National Park
Madhya Pradesh
Manas National Park
Assam
Melghat Tiger Reserve
Maharashtra
Indravati National Park
Chhattisgarh
Valmiki Tiger Reserve
Bihar
Kuno National Park
Madhya Pradesh
Bandhavgarh National Park
Madhya Pradesh
Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
Maharashtra
Periyar National Park
Kerala
Dudhwa National Park
Uttar Pradesh
Simlipal National Park
Odisha
Panna National Park
Madhya Pradesh