Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus) Maternity Denning Behavior Observations at Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam, India

Abstract

The Sloth bear is an average-sized black bear with a long, shaggy coat. a long ruff of hair around the back, and a white V- or Y-shaped mark on the breast. Males that are considered to be "large" often top out around 145 kg and 170 centimeters. An endangered species, the sloth bear  (Melursus ursinus) is extensively spread over the Indian subcontinent, including India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and perhaps Bangladesh. It is found in wooded regions from the Indian peninsula to the foothills of the Himalayas. Despite the species' widespread occurrence, nothing is known about its ecology or behavior. We studied den characteristics and maternity denning behavior in captivity. The den use was more from June to August, possibly to take shelter against heavy rains from the southwest monsoon. (June - September). Breeding observed based on the association of adult females and males as well as the birth of cubs revealed that mating is likely to occur during late summer or early monsoon and cubs are born mostly during November-December. This study presents observations on den site characteristics and maternal denning behavior patterns of sloth bears in captivity at Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam.