Asiatic Black Bear

  • IASbaba
  • February 4, 2023
  • 0
Environment & Ecology
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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

 

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