Bear Facts 16

 Pollution is another major concern for polar bears.

Pesticides and industrial chemicals contaminate fish, which the polar bears then eat. While each fish also carries only a small amount of contaminant, the sheer amount that polar bears eat causes the contaminants to build. This then causes cancer and other diseases among polar bears from the chemical contamination.

The development of oil resources in the Arctic poses a threat to polar bears.

This threat comes from how such developments inevitably result in oil spills. Oil soaking into polar bear fur actually reduces the fur’s ability to keep heat. In turn, this increases the risk of the animal freezing to death.

Even worse, polar bears tend to lick the oil away, leading them to actually ingest the oil, and risking long-term liver failure.

Asian black bears live all across Asia.

You can find them from India in the west, to the Japanese Home Islands in the east. In the north, they live in the Russian Far East, then south through Korea to Northeast China and Taiwan.

Asian black bears have other names.

Asian black bears’ scientific name changed twice over the years. Once, they had the scientific name of Selenarctos thibetanus, which has since been changed to Ursus thibetanus. Other names for Asian black bears include the Asiatic black bear, moon bear, and even the white-chested bear.

Asian black bears have longer claws on their forelegs than on their legs.

To compare, the claws of their forelegs grow as long as 45 mm, while those on their hind legs only reach up to 36 mm. Both sets of claws have greater size and hooking ability compared to other bear species. Asian black bear likely developed this feature from climbing trees more often compared to other bears.

Asian black bears are extremely resilient.

They may be smaller compared to other bears, but Asian black bears can take and pack a punch like any other. One observed case involved a fight between a tiger and an Asian black bear. Despite losing half its nose and part of its scalp, the Asian black bear still managed to force the tiger to retreat.

Scientists have also observed other cases where Asian black bears actually succeed in stealing a tiger’s kill.

Human development poses a major threat to the Asian black bear.

Specifically, the chopping down of forests and woodlands to make room for residential areas threatens the Asian black bear. The loss of forests and woodlands deprives them of their own places to live and limits their supply of food.

The Asian black bear is heavily hunted across Asia.

Asian black bears are prized by hunters for their paws and other body parts, such as the gallbladder. The Asian black bear’s paws have a reputation for bringing good luck and warding off bad luck.

The bile from the Asian black bear’s gall bladder also has a use in traditional medicine. Some captured Asian black bears are also kept alive, with their bile getting periodically removed over intervals of time. Definitely one of the unfortunate bear facts.