Helarctos malayanus | Red List of Bangladesh Volume 2: Mammals

Taxa
Helarctos malayanus | (Raffles, 1821)
Publication
Red List of Bangladesh Volume 2: Mammals
NRL Record ID
327602
Location
Countries in Assessment
Bangladesh
Country ISO code(s)
BGD
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Scope (Assessment)
National
Taxon
RRL Synonyms
Ursus malayanus (Raffles, 1821); Helarctos euryspilus (Horsfield, 1825); Helarctos anmamiticus (Heude, 1901)
Taxonomic Group
Vertebrates
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Mammals
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
Mainland Southeast Asia as far west as Bangladesh and northeastern India, as far north as southern Yunnan Province in China, and south and east to Sumatra and Borneo (Fredriksson et al. 2008). A rare species, historically occurred in mixed evergreen forests of southeast and northeast and occasionally in deciduous forests of north (Blanford 1888) and recent reports from remote areas of the Bandarban, Khagrachari and Rangamati Districts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Region up to 1970s. Then, the population started dwindling and that trend continued till date (Khan 1982, 2015). Specific locations include Satchari National Park in Habiganj District, Korerhat in Mirsharai Forest Range and Rangamati in Southeastern Bangladesh (Sarker 2006). Also been reported by local people in SanguMatamuhuri, Bilaichhari (in Rangamati) and Remacri under Thanchi Upazila of Bandarban Hill District, Naikhongchari, Dulahazara, Cox's Bazar, Inani, Rangkheong, and Teknaf (Islam et al. 2013). There is only one recent confirmed report of sigthing from the Bandarban District ( S.C. Rahman pers. comm.).
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
In Bangladesh, Sun Bear prefers only mixed evergreen forest. It is the smallest among the eight living bear species in the world. This bear is an opportunistic omnivores. Sun Bear diet includes termites and ants, beetle larvae, honey bee larvae, and even small rodents, birds and lizards, honey and variety of fruit species, especially figs (Ficus spp.). Unlike other bears, it is not known to hibernate due to year round availability of food and subtropical climatic conditions in which it lives. Little is known about social structure or reproduction in Sun Bears (Fredriksson et al. 2008).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes, in the publication/on website
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Critically Endangered
Assessment status abreviation
CR
Assessment rationale/justification
There is eighty five percent loss in the potential habitat of this bear over the last four decades (Islam et al. 2013). There is one recent confirmed record of Sun Bear from Bandarban in 2015 (S.C. Rahman pers. comm.). One individual kept in captivity at Bangabandhu Safari Park, Dulahazara collected from Chittagong Hill Tracts. Although Extent of Occurrence and Area of Occupancy are beyond the threshold levels, the population is no way close to 50 mature individuals. Thus, it has been categorized as Critically Endangered.
About the assessment
Assessment year
2015
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
Shayer Mahmood Ibney Alam
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
NGO
Academic
Assessor affiliation specific
Academic|NGO
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1 + Regional Guidelines v4.0
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN (2012) IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1. Second edition. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iv + 32pp; IUCN (2012) Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
URL (link) of redlist assessment or publication
http://iucnredlistbd.org/
Endemism
Endemic to region
No
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: No
Conservation
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Further information
History
Critically Endangered in Bangladesh (IUCN Bangladesh 2000).
Scientific Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Helarctos malayanus Animalia Chordata Mammalia Carnivora Ursidae Helarctos