The Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus malayanus) is a subspecies of sun bear, occurring in southeast Asia.

Taxonomy

The Malayan sun bear was first described by Stamford Raffles in 1821. The Malayan sun can be found across Malaysia.

Description

Although the sun bear is the smallest species in the bear family, its subspecies, the Malayan sun bear is even smaller, with a maximum length of 1.5 m and weight of 35 - 70 kg. The Malayan sun bear appears very similar to the sun bear, but is distinguishable by its golden-white chest patch, which is thinner than that of the sun bear.

Distribution and habitat

The Malayan sun bear can be found in mainly coastal areas in southeast Asia, but is less dispersed within it than the sun bear, with specific populations living as follows: Like the sun bear, the Malayan sun bear lives within rainforests (both evergreen and deciduous) of diverse altitudes, ranging from coastal, lowland areas to mountainous regions of above 2000 m.

Ecology and behavior

Unlike the sun bear, the Malayan sun bear is primarily nocturnal, although it is also active in the daytime. However, equally to the sun bear, they do not hibernate like other bears due to their warm, tropical environment, which provides nutrients all year round.

Diet

Similarly to the sun bear, the Malayan sun bear is omnivorous and eats fruit, honey, and nuts. The meat in their diet is composed of insects such as termites, bee larvae and beetle larvae. They can reach these foods with their long tongues (which can reach 30 cm) and claws.