Sun Bears Gallery [story]

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Sun bears are mostly active during the day, though they enjoy an afternoon nap, or three.

Still it can take a while to get moving first thing in the morning…nothing a big yawn can’t solve. Their exceptionally long tongues have an important purpose. Extending up to 20 to 25cm, it allows them to extract honey from beehives.

At the moment, 43 sun bears live at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC), which was established in Sabah, Malaysia, in 2008. It focuses on the welfare, rehabilitation, education and research of sun bears.

BSBCC’s founder Dr Wong Siew Te, a Malaysian wildlife biologist, is the world’s foremost expert on sun bears. His days start early as there is still much work to be done. Human activities are threatening the survival of sun bears in the wild.

Sun bears enjoy staying at heights of between two to seven metres. At BSBCC’s sanctuary, there is a playground for its residents to hang out with fellow sun bears. Excellent climbers, they will usually scramble up this structure’s wooden columns and sunbathe on the flat roof.

Their lazy days are interrupted annually for a health check conducted by staff and vet volunteers. Close monitoring is done for the sun bears who are sick or injured. After tranquilising the bears, staff carry the animals to the clinic and start by weighing them to monitor their growth.

The health checks last at least 30 minutes, during which the team conducts a number of physical checks and grooming chores, such as brushing the bears’ teeth.

Sun bears also need to have their sharp, sickle-shaped claws trimmed. It’s a delicate job and requires an experienced hand to do it without hurting the sleeping bear.

Next, a thorough check of the body from head to toe. This is to ensure there are no injuries and wounds that the vets need to tend to.

Speed is the key and in no time, the vets are done with the annual check-up. It takes two people to gingerly place the sun bears on a ground sheet and carry them back to their cages to rest until they awake.

The moment they are up, sun bears are back to being their playful selves. While they are usually solitary animals, they sometimes enjoy a little tussle with other sun bears.

All that fooling around can build up quite an appetite. This means, it is time to eat! Sun bears have the best tools for foraging for food. Those long paws and strong, sharp claws can rip apart a coconut husk in seconds. They have a wide range of dietary preferences, including termites, honey and fruits.

Once their appetites are sated, it is back to doing what they like best, lounging the rest of the day away. Ah! What a life!.

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Lights! Camera! Action! Photos and 360 videos - starring our featured wildlife.

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Lights! Camera! Action! Photos and 360 videos - starring our featured wildlife.

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