Sun Bear Heights will welcome sun bears, binturongs and a new family of Asian small-clawed otters to Paradise Wildlife Park. This Malaysian mixed habitat will be the first of its kind in the UK, with mixed living areas as well as, individual habitats for each species.
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Sun Bears (Helarctos Malayanus), the smallest member of the bear family, can be found in the dense lowland forests of Southeast Asia. From southern China to Indonesia, sun bears, also known as Malayan sun bears earned their name from the bright golden patch on their chest. These markings have been part of legends saying they represent the rising sun. Whilst sun bears are the smallest species of bear, they still hold a stocky, muscular build with a thick but sleek black coat acting as a prevention to overheating in the humid tropical weather whilst providing protection from branches.
Sun bears are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to the illegal bear bile farm trade found in Southeast Asia. Bear bile farming is an illegal trade that sadly has devasted sun bears, moon bears and brown bears across Asia and parts of Europe. Bears are poached from the wild and held in tiny cages off of the ground that they can barely turn around in. The bears then have the bile from their gallbladders extracted in horrific ways which are then used in traditional Asian medicines, none of which are scientifically proven. It is believed that there could still be as many as 20,000 sun bears, moon bears and brown bears being kept in illegal bear bile farms today.
Here at Paradise Wildlife Park, Sun Bear Heights will raise awareness of the threats faced and the need for the conservation and protection of sun bears. Working alongside our incredible conservation partner Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre BSBCC, who work hands-on to aid in the protection and conservation of the species. Their mission statement aims: ‘to promote sun bear conservation through animal welfare, conservation, rehabilitation, education, and research, giving captured sun bears a better home and restoring their right to live in the wild.’ Giles Clark, a previous zoo keeper at Paradise Wildlife Park, an ambassador for our sister site The Big Cat Sanctuary and was recently seen on ‘Bears About the House’ on BBC 2. Giles noted: ‘It’s amazing to have sun bears at Paradise Wildlife Park. It’s an incredible chance to raise some much-needed awareness for bears and the atrocious bear bile farms.’
Apart from sun bears this habitat will also house two other Vulnerable species; Binturongs (Arctictis binturong) and Asian short-clawed otters (Aonyx cinereus). Binturongs are native to Southeast Asia with a declining population estimated to be around more than 30% since the mid-1980s. They are a unique species which have a facial structure similar to a cat’s but a body like a bear’s. They have long, black hair, stiff white whiskers, and a prehensile tail that’s as long as their body. Binturongs are nicknamed bearcats, whilst they are not related to bears or cats, it is more their physical appearance which instigates this name. Binturongs are related to civets and fossas with a very unique smell of freshly made popcorn! Asian short-clawed otters are the smallest of the otter species. This species of otter is natively found across Southeast Asia and inhabit coastal regions from freshwater rivers and creeks to tropical coastal wetlands.
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Get ready to welcome the sun bears, binturongs and Asian small-clawed otters into their new home at Sun Bear Heights this Easter!
