Sun bears, the world's smallest, are added to list due to poaching, logging
GENEVA - The world's smallest bear was added to a list of wildlife that could face extinction, joining five of the world's eight bear species already classified as in danger.
Experts with the World Conservation Union took the step of adding the sun bear, whose habitat stretches from India to Indonesia, because of deforestation and poaching in its Southeast Asian home.
The sun bear was classified as "vulnerable" — one step below "threatened" and two below "endangered."
We estimate that sun bears have declined by at least 30 percent over the past 30 years and continue to decline at this rate," said Rob Steinmetz, a bear expert with the Geneva-based group, which is known under its acronym IUCN.
The bear, which weighs between 90 and 130 pounds, is hunted for its bitter, green bile, which has long been used by Chinese traditional medicine practitioners to treat eye, liver and other ailments. Bear paws are also consumed as a delicacy.
Another threat comes from loggers, who are destroying the sun bear's habitat, Steinmetz said.
The re-assessment of the sun bear's situation will be reflected in IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species, a comprehensive inventory of some 41,000 species and subspecies compiled by a network of experts around the globe.
Venturers of the Raleigh expedition in 2006 will fondly remember the sun bear for visiting the Mengaris Camp at Danum Valley for several midnight snacks. At this world-renowned rainforest research and conservation area, Raleigh venturers have the opportunity to meet rare local animals in the wild as well as scientists from all over the globe. With special access through close cooperation with Sabah Parks, Raleigh venturers have in the past built infrastructure and assisted scientists in important field studies of the endemic flora and fauna.
Next year, Raleigh International will run three 10-week expeditions in Sabah, beginning February, July and October respectively. For more information and application forms email
Experts with the World Conservation Union took the step of adding the sun bear, whose habitat stretches from India to Indonesia, because of deforestation and poaching in its Southeast Asian home.
The sun bear was classified as "vulnerable" — one step below "threatened" and two below "endangered."
We estimate that sun bears have declined by at least 30 percent over the past 30 years and continue to decline at this rate," said Rob Steinmetz, a bear expert with the Geneva-based group, which is known under its acronym IUCN.
The bear, which weighs between 90 and 130 pounds, is hunted for its bitter, green bile, which has long been used by Chinese traditional medicine practitioners to treat eye, liver and other ailments. Bear paws are also consumed as a delicacy.
Another threat comes from loggers, who are destroying the sun bear's habitat, Steinmetz said.
The re-assessment of the sun bear's situation will be reflected in IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species, a comprehensive inventory of some 41,000 species and subspecies compiled by a network of experts around the globe.
Venturers of the Raleigh expedition in 2006 will fondly remember the sun bear for visiting the Mengaris Camp at Danum Valley for several midnight snacks. At this world-renowned rainforest research and conservation area, Raleigh venturers have the opportunity to meet rare local animals in the wild as well as scientists from all over the globe. With special access through close cooperation with Sabah Parks, Raleigh venturers have in the past built infrastructure and assisted scientists in important field studies of the endemic flora and fauna.
Next year, Raleigh International will run three 10-week expeditions in Sabah, beginning February, July and October respectively. For more information and application forms email
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Hey, coincidentally i'm working on sun bears 4my postgrad studies!
ReplyDeleteLol.. >;)