International Moon Bear Day – 08TH August
International Moon Bear Day – 08TH August
August 8, 2023, International Moon Bear Day is a celebration dedicated to one of the most intriguing species on our planet: The Moon Bear.
Asiatic black bears” called moon bears are one of the world’s eight bear species. Moon bears (ursus thibetanus)have shaggy black fur with a distinctive whitish crescent across the chest and large elongated ears. An adult male weighs 100-200kg, a female about half as much. It’s length average about 130-190cm and 7-10cm tail. Highly intelligent, they have an extensive vocabulary of sounds.
They are omnivorous and feed onacorns, beech nuts, cherries, bamboo shoots, leaves, grasses, grubs, honey and also insects, small mammals, birds and carrion as well.
Moon bears are found across Asia, with numerous subspecies inhabiting areas from Pakistan to Japan. They are skilled climbers aided by their short strong claws, and prefer high altitudes and heavily forested areas. They are typically solitary animals that sleep most of the day in hollow logs, caves, or trees and are good swimmers. They walk on all fours but stand on hind legs to reach food or fight.
Several bear species are dangerous to humans, especially in areas where they have become used to people; elsewhere, they generally avoid humans. Injuries caused by bears are rare, but are widely reported. Bears may attack humans in response to being startled, in defense of young or food, or even for predatory reasons.
Moon bears are crepuscular – active at dawn and dusk. They often hibernate between November and March, and can migrate to higher altitudes in warmer months and descend to lowlands in colder months.
Their mating is usually in late summer and gestation around eight months. Females give birth in caves in spring, usually to twins, which are weaned by three and a half months but stay with their mother for 2-3 years.
The moon bear is vulnerable as IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) standards. Although most bear species are affected by the use of their gallbladders and bile in traditional Chinese medicine, moon bears are the most threatened by this practice. Moon bears are also threatened by habitat loss and illegal hunting of their skins and paws.
– Source: Internet –