Ursidae's New World

Type of bear

Asian Black Bears are also known as the Moon Bear or the White-Chested Bear, because of their white chest (duh). The shape on their chest is similar to a crescent moon. They are on the smaller end from about 4ft to 6ft tall (1.2-1.9M). Their historic range is from Afghanistan, through the Himalayas, and then all the way to Japan, Vietnam, and Korea. Their historic range included a massive area that was mainly mountainous and jungle, but its now shrunk to rural regions of China, Japan, Vietnam, and the Himalayas.

While being omnivores they don't eat lots of meat; their diet consists of fruit, insects, and nuts. They have adapted to create a wide variety of noises to communicate.

These bears are one of the most aggresive species of bear which can lead to revenge killings. They can be harmed from human expansion into their habitat or poachers; and animal traffickers. Like many animals, traditional practices has been a source of their decline. Overhunting for their skin, paws, and especially their gallbladder. Their gallbladder contains a chemical that could be used as medicine.

On the Bear rating I would put it at 4th, they have a fun shape and are pretty cool overall. They are the bears I know the least about so I can't put them any higher.

Subspecies

  • Balochistan Black Bear
  • Formosan Black Bear
  • Himalayan Black Bear
  • Indochinese Black Bear
  • Japanese Black Bear
  • Tibetan Black Bear
  • Ussuri Black Bear