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Sloth Bear

Melursus ursinus

A shaggy black bear of India and Sri Lanka that slurps up termites and carries its cubs on its back.

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About the Sloth Bear

Sloth bears live in dry and moist forests and tall grasslands of India, Sri Lanka and southern Nepal. They are 5 to 6 feet long and weigh 200 to 300 pounds. Long, curved claws dig termites and ants out of rock-hard nests. They're missing their top two front teeth, and they can close their nostrils, so they can suck up insects without breathing in dust. They also eat fruit, flowers and honey.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Melursus ursinus[2]
Size
5 to 6 feet long; 2 to 3 feet tall at the shoulder.[1]
Weight
About 200 to 300 pounds.[1]
Diet
Termites, ants, other insects, fruit, flowers and honey.[1]
Habitat
Dry and moist forests and tall grasslands.[1]
Where it lives
India, Sri Lanka and southern Nepal.[1]
Babies
Mothers carry cubs on their backs.[1]
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).[2]

Fun facts

  • Sloth bears are the only bears that regularly carry cubs on their backs.[1]
  • They can close their nostrils while raiding termite nests.[1]
  • They are missing their top two front teeth.[1]

Vocabulary

myrmecophagous
Eating mostly ants and termites.
termite
A small insect that lives in large colonies and eats wood.
carrion
The meat of an animal that is already dead.
extirpated
Gone from one area but still living elsewhere.
vulnerable
A conservation label meaning a species faces a high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Sloth bear.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/sloth-bear (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Melursus ursinus (Sloth Bear).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/13143/166519315 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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