Sloth Bear

Scientific Name: Melursus ursinus

Sloth Bears have a long muzzle and a long lower lip, which, with the upper lip, can be rolled into a tube and used to suck up their food. Learn more about sloth bears.

  • Size: head-to-body length 4.5 to 6 feet, shoulder height 23 to 35 inches
  • Weight: Males 176 to 309 pounds, females 121 to 209 pounds
  • Diet: Majority of diet is ants, termites, and fruits
  • Habitat: Found in wet or dry tropical forests, savannas, scrublands and grasslands
  • Range in the Wild: Found in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan

Conservation Status

Listed as Vulnerable - major threat is habitat loss due to deforestation.

Revised 4/29/26

Sloth Bear