The sun bear is the smallest living bear and a specialist of Southeast Asian rainforests.
Sun bears inhabit tropical forests from northeastern India and Bangladesh through mainland Southeast Asia and parts of Indonesia. Their short, sleek black fur helps them cope with a warm climate, while a pale horseshoe-shaped chest mark gives the species its common name.
Sun bears are excellent climbers and use their long claws and powerful forelimbs to reach fruit, honey, termites, beetle larvae, and other foods. Their unusually long tongues are useful for extracting insects and honey from crevices and nests. They may forage both on the ground and in trees.
The species is often confused with the larger Asiatic black bear, which may also have a pale chest marking. Sun bears have a more compact build, shorter snout, and very small rounded ears. Deforestation, hunting, and the illegal wildlife trade threaten populations across their range.