Asiatic Black Bear

In News: The Kashmir Valley has bucked the trend of Asiatic black bear attacks on humans rarely reported throughout the animal’s global range.

Asiatic Black Bear

• Scientific name – Ursus thibetanus
• It is also called Himalayan bear, Tibetan bear, or moon bear
• It has a glossy black (sometimes brownish) coat with a whitish mark shaped like a crescent moon on the chest.
• Its long, coarse neck and shoulder hair forms a modified mane.
• It is omnivorous, eating insects, fruit, nuts, bees and honey, small mammals, and birds as well as carrion.
• It occasionally attacks domestic animals.
• They are generally nocturnal, sleeping in caves or tree hollows during the day
• During the summer the Asiatic black bear lives mainly in forested hills and mountains at elevations up to 3,600 metres (11,800 feet).
• Becoming fat by fall, it spends the winter at elevations of 1,500 metres (5,000 feet) or less and may sleep for much of the time.
• An adult male weighs 100–200 kg (220–440 pounds), a female about half as much; its length averages about 130–190 cm (51–75 inches), in addition to a 7–10-cm (3–4-inch) tail.
• Asiatic black bears may live as long as 25 years in the wild and up to 39 years in captivity.
• IUCN status – Vulnerable
• All Indian Bear species are listed under Appendix I in CITES and Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • This provides complete protection to the species from hunting and trade.

Distribution

• Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; Cambodia; China; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Japan; Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Myanmar; Nepal; Pakistan; Russian Federation; Taiwan, Province of China; Thailand; Viet Nam

Reproduction

• Males and females become sexually mature between ages three and four.

• Mating occurs between June and October, and pregnancies typically produce two cubs some seven to eight months later.

Sources: The hindu

Previous Year Question

Q1) consider the following statements: (2019)

1. Asiatic lion is naturally found in India only.
2. Double-humped camel is naturally found in India only.
3. One-horned rhinoceros is naturally found in India only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3