Jul 2, 2005 2:02 pm US/Central
CBS 2 At Brookfield Zoo: Sloth Bears
These Cute Animals Are Also Known As Honey Bears
by Susan Carlson
(CBS)
They may look cute and cuddly, but sloth bears are feared more than tigers in some parts of the world.
These bears are also known as honey bears because they will break into bee hives to eat honey.
You'll find these animals in Southeast Asia around Sri Lanka, and they will usually eat termites – up to 170,000 a day!
When they eat the termites, they use their long snouts that mimic a vacuum hose. They're missing their top canine teeth, and they have strong, flexible lips so they can make a hose-like appendage with their mouths.
These animals are very good at climbing trees and will also eat eggs if they find them.
And as cuddly as they look, they actually inspire fear in their native lands. The largest predator in their natural habitat is the tiger, but people living in these areas fear the sloth bear more because even though these animals look gentle, they will do whatever it takes to defend their territory.
They've got a lot of fur, but it actually helps protect them from the heat because it helps prevent their bodies from absorbing the heat. It also helps protect them from the bees when they break a hive to take the honey!
Check out these bears and all other bears at the zoo's Go Bear weekend next weekend.
(© MMV, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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