Sloth Bear

[brotherbear]

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Sloth bears subsist primarily on termites, ants, and fruits. This is the only species of bear adapted specifically for myrmecophagy (ant and termite-eating; Garshelis et al. 1999b, Sacco and Van Valkenburgh 2004). The ratio of insects to fruits in the diet varies seasonally and geographically (Baskaran et al. 1997, Joshi et al. 1997, Bargali et al. 2004, Sreekumar and Balakrishnan 2002). 

Understanding Sloth Bears — An Interview With Dr. K. Yoganand 
by Yoganand K 
What is unique about the sloth bear?

The sloth bear is an ant and termite eating (myrmecophagus) bear. It is the only bear species that seems to depend almost entirely on these social insects for its protein requirements and thus, in this respect, it is unique among bears.
What else do they eat? While ants and termites form their year-round staple, they also feed a lot on fleshy fruits, which are available seasonally. In Panna, fruits contributed 56%, ants 29%, and termites 10% to the annual diet, in terms of ingested biomass. As with the seasonal variability, the diet also varies from place to place depending on the availability of various insects and fruits. 
Do sloth bears really like honey?

Yes, they do feed on honey commonly. The energy rich sugar in honey and the fat rich larvae and other early growth stages of bees housed in the honeycombs are important nutritional sources for sloth bears. Further, the availability of honeycombs over a large part of the year when other seasonal food can get scarce is an advantage. 
Why do sloth bears carry their cubs on their backs and is this common among all bear species?

Cubs are frequently carried on their mothers’ backs from the time they leave the den until they are about six months of age. Carrying cubs by the mother seems to be a defence against attacks by predators such as tigers, leopards or other bears. This behaviour is commonly seen only in the sloth bear and is a trait shared with other anteaters. Reply