Sun bear

Our sun bears are fed ant eggs, silkworm larvae, meat and plants. This diet closely replicates the kind of food they’d find in the wild.

Wild sun bears climb high up in the treetops to search of insects or sap. Their strong jaw muscles, large canines and sickle-like claws help them to crush the bark of hardwood trees to get at burrowing insects or stingless bees nesting within. Using their long tongue, they can extract insects and honey from even the tiniest crevices.

To stimulate the bears mentally and physically, keepers come up with food enrichment ideas, like hiding sunflower seeds under logs and rocks to encourage foraging behaviour. The bears’ favourite is the honey-drizzled coconut stuffed with sugarcane — they make short work of it with their powerful bite.

In case their sweet tooth causes any decay, our bears are conditioned for voluntary oral inspection. This allows our vets to give dental care with minimal stress all round.

Though it’s the smallest bear, the sun bear is one of the fiercest animals found in the Southeast Asian forest. It is known to battle even tigers and large pythons when threatened. Its short, dark-brown coat is unusually dense for a bear living in the tropics. If a predator latches on during a struggle, the sun bear can turn in its loose skin and return the bite. This bear is also nimble on its feet and can move very quickly when it wants to.