The sun bear is the smallest of all bears.
There are eight different species of bears in the world. They live on every continent except Africa, Australia and Antarctica. Within the eight species are differences in size, shape, weight and other features, including fur length. Some bears are expert tree climbers, while others prefer to fish for salmon. Bears can easily be divided based on their species and size.
Polar Bear and Brown Bear
The largest bear in the world is the polar bear. Male polar bears weigh between 800 and 1,500 pounds. They live in Arctic regions and have no natural predators. They have white fur, which provides good camouflage, and they usually feed on seals. The next largest bear is the brown bear. Weighing anywhere between 300 and 900 pounds, the brown bear includes such bears as the grizzly bear and the Kodiak bear. Their diet depends on their habitat, and can include plants, fish or animals such as elk. They live all across the Northern Hemisphere.
Panda Bear and Black Bear
The panda bear is the next largest bear. Found only in China, the panda has an average weight of 275 pounds. Pandas live in mountainous regions and feed almost exclusively on bamboo. They are seriously endangered animals. The American black bear is slightly smaller than the panda. Black bears weigh on average 250 to 300 pounds. Found throughout North America, and even in Florida and Maine, black bears live in forests and are considered to be very intelligent.
Sloth Bear and Asiatic Black Bear
The sloth bear is the next largest bear. Sloth bears live in India and Sri Lanka, and usually weigh between 175 and 300 pounds. They are docile bears and have long, shaggy fur. The Asiatic black bear is slightly smaller than its cousin, the American black bear. Asiatic black bears can weigh 200 to 225 pounds, live in Asia and eat mostly plants. They have longer fur than their American counterpart and are very good at climbing trees. This helps with finding another of their favorite foods: bees' nests.
Spectacled Bear and Sun Bear
The spectacled bear is the only South American in the bear family. Spectacled bears weigh 175 to 275 pounds. The are known for bright circles of fur around their eyes. One unusual fact about the spectacled bears is that they eat cactus. The sun bear is the smallest of them all. Sun bears live in the forests of Southeast Asia and have a varied diet of birds and fruits. They have such a love of honey that sometimes they are called "honey bears."
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