Sloth Bear

Description:

The coat is long, shaggy and unkempt, and is particularly heavy behind the neck and between the shoulders, forming a mane which can be 30 cm long. The belly and underlegs are almost bare. Adult sloth bears weigh 100 kg (220 lbs) on average, though weight can range variously from 55 kg (121 lbs) to 190 kg (400 lbs). They are 60–90 cm (2–3 ft) high at the shoulder, and have a body length of 1.4-1.9 m (4.6-6.3 ft). Females are smaller than males, and have more fur between the shoulders.

Habitat:

monsoon forest, dry scrub

Notes:

I spotted these sloth bear at Daroji. I did a day trip to the park from Hampi. At first we watched them from a viewing tower at a far distance. For a bit more money, the guide took me through the bush to get a closer look. He was taking a chance doing this, not so much as from danger from the bears, but from his supervisor! Sloth bears are very vicious though and when I was in India I heard that they are responsible for more attacks on humans than tigers.