Helarctos malayanus
Silhouette: Tracy A. Heath · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) is a bear species in the family Ursidae found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. It is the only species in the genus Helarctos and the smallest bear species, standing nearly 70 cm (28 in) at the shoulder and weighing 25–65 kg (55–143 lb). It is stockily built, with large paws, strongly curved claws, small, rounded ears and a short snout. The fur is generally short and jet black, but can vary from grey to red. The sun bear gets its name from its characteristic orange to cream-coloured chest patch.
The sun bear's unique morphology with inward-turned front feet, flattened chest, powerful forelimbs with large claws suggests adaptations for climbing, and it is an excellent climber and the most arboreal of all bears. It sunbathes or sleeps in trees 2 to 7 m (6 ft 7 in to 23 ft 0 in) above the ground. It is mainly active during the day, though nocturnality might be more common in areas frequented by humans. It tends to remain solitary, but sometimes occur in pairs such as a mother and her cub. It does not hibernate, possibly because food resources are available the whole year throughout its range. It is an omnivore, and its diet includes ants, bees, beetles, honey, termites, and plant material such as seeds and several kinds of fruits; vertebrates such as birds and deer are also eaten occasionally. It breeds throughout the year; individuals become sexually mature at two to four years of age. Litters comprise one or two cubs that remain with their mother for around three years.
The range of the sun bear is bounded by Northeast India to the north then south to southeast through Bangladesh, mainland Southeast Asia, Brunei and Indonesia. These bears are threatened by heavy deforestation and poaching for food and the wildlife trade. They are also harmed in conflicts with humans when they enter farmlands, plantations, and orchards. The global population is estimated to have declined by 35% since the 1990s. It is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 2 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Gunung Leuser National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ragunan Zoo | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 2 | Busch Gardens Tampa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Copenhagen Zoo | 🇩🇰 Denmark | |
| 5 | Tierpark Berlin | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 6 | Taman Safari Bali (Bali Safari) | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 7 | Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 8 | Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 9 | Hlawga National Park | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | |
| 10 | Zoo Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Beijing Wildlife Park | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 12 | Taipei Zoo | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 13 | Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | |
| 14 | Nehru Zoological Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 15 | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | Ningbo Wildlife Park | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 17 | Khao Kheow Open Zoo | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 18 | Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 19 | Chimelong Safari Park | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 20 | Shanghai Zoo | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 21 | Seoul Zoo | 🇰🇷 South Korea | |
| 22 | Oakland Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 23 | Audubon Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 24 | Thailand Tiger Rescue Center | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 25 | Guangzhou Zoo | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 26 | Colchester Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 27 | Burgers' Ocean | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | |
| 28 | Royal Burgers' Zoo | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | |
| 29 | Edinburgh Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 30 | Night Safari | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 31 | Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 32 | National Zoo of Malaysia | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 33 | ZooTampa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 34 | National Zoo & Aquarium | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 35 | Taronga Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 36 | Singapore Zoo | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 37 | Gembira Loka Zoo | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 38 | Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 39 | Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 40 | Zoo Atlanta | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 41 | Łódź Zoo | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 42 | 杭州动物园 | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 43 | Surabaya Zoo | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 44 | Bandung Zoo | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 45 | Bird Paradise | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 46 | El Paso Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 47 | Taiping Zoo | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 48 | Little Rock Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 49 | Rainforest Wild Asia | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 50 | Hertfordshire Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Sun Bear sighting in Taman Negara National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 21st most-seen of the 22 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and November
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Sun Bear in Taman Negara National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, March–May and August–September, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Sun Bear sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
2nd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Sun Bear sightings, Taman Negara National Park ranks 2nd at about 20%. The best odds are in Kaeng Krachan National Park (Thailand, about 50%).
Same order: Carnivora
The closest relatives of the Sun Bear that you can see in Taman Negara National Park (order Carnivora, Carnivorans) are Mainland Leopard Cat (about 20%) and Common Palm Civet (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Sun Bear is recorded against all the mammals logged in Taman Negara National Park (8 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
