Sloth bear - Sloth bear

It is an animal of the order Carnivora and family Ursidae in the class Mammalia. It is found in India and Sri Lanka. It has long, bushy black fur with white or yellowish brown spots on its forechest. The fur around its neck is particularly long and forms a mane. Its head and body length is 1.6 meters and it weighs up to 120 kilograms. It has long, sharp claws. It is omnivorous, eating plant leaves, fruits, insects, bird eggs, etc., but it is particularly fond of termites, destroying their nests with its protruding snout and long claws. It is also called the honey bear because it eats honey. It is mainly nocturnal. It does not hibernate, but is said to hide in caves during the dry season.

[Hiroyuki Watanabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

哺乳(ほにゅう)綱食肉目クマ科の動物。インド、スリランカに分布する。毛は長くふさふさした黒で、前胸に白または黄褐色の斑(はん)がある。頸(くび)付近の毛はとくに長く、たてがみ状になる。頭胴長1.6メートル、体重120キログラムに達する。つめが長く鋭い。雑食性で、植物の葉や果実、昆虫、鳥類の卵などを食べるが、とくにシロアリを好み、突き出した鼻面と長いつめで、巣を壊して食べる。また蜂蜜(はちみつ)も食べるため、ミツグマともよばれる。主として夜行性。冬ごもりはしないが、乾期には洞窟(どうくつ)などに隠れるという。

［渡辺弘之］

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