Asiatic Black bear

Ursus Thibetanus, is similar to the American black bear in many ways, but have evolved separately for the past 3 million years. There common ancestors most likely lived in western Asia, overtime with glacial periods the sea level was lower making it possible for these bears to expand across the Bering land bridge to the New World. Further ice ages would change the sea levels creating different black bear species.

Today the asiatic black bear is distributed into two large areas. One group is in South East Asia from Malaysia, and through the Himalayas to Pakistan and India, Iran, and Iraq. The second group is found along western Asia coast which includes Japan, Korea, and Russian far east. These two groups may of got divided recently because of the expansion of humans, and most likely have been excluded from western China there historical range for eight thousand years when the rise of Agriculture started .

Asiatic black bears are generalists like their North American cousins . They come into conflict with farmers often where they live close to humans . On the eastern edges feeding on figs , olives , dates, insects, and buds. Only 30 bears may only be left in Iran.

Forest habitat is their favorite including tropical forests, oak forests in Vietnam, Laos, China, and Cambodia ; broadleaf forests to deciduous oak forests. Passing through plantations and scrub lands, agriculture land , and even close to villages when traveling to other forests they face usual threats from humans.

They can be found in forested areas at sea level to 9,800 ft. ( 3,000 m ) . The asiatic black bear as a crescent shaped white patch on their chest , their great tree climbers and in these regions will forage on fruits from trees, leaves, flowers, honey and insects. Bears will also attack and kill goats and other livestock if there is a shortage of food.

In India the bear can be found as high as 12,300 ft. ( 3,750 m ) where their habitat overlaps with the Himalayan Brown bear, and below 3,900 ft. ( 1,200 m ) overlapping with the Sloth bear.

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