The Asiatic Black Bear

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 COMMON NAMES: Asiatic black bear, Himalayan black bear

STATUS: IUCN - vulnerable (A2cd+3d+4d); CITES Appendix I

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ursus thibetanus

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION : Southeast Asia

Physical Description
The Asiatic Black Bear has a coat of smooth black fur and can be distinguished by a V of white fur on its chest. It is similar in appearance to the brown bear, but with a slighter build.

Ecology & Habitat
Broad leaved and coniferous forests to an elevation of 4,300m.

Population & Distribution
The Asiatic black bear occupies a narrow band from southeastern Iran through Afghanistan and Pakistan, across the foothills of the Himalayas, to Myanmar. It occupies all countries in mainland Southeast Asia except Malaysia and has a patchy distribution in southern China. Another population cluster exists in northeastern China, the southern Russian Far East, and into North Korea. A small remnant population exists in South Korea. They also live on the southern islands of Japan (Honshu and Shikoku) and on Taiwan (China) and Hainan. There are no accurate estimates of population size available.

Threats
Illegal hunting for body parts, specifically the gall bladder, paws and skin poses the main threat, together with habitat loss caused by logging, expansion of human settlements and roads.

WWF

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