1. The Asiatic Black Bear By: Breck Bowen Mrs. Hollis Hour:7 The Asiatic Black Bear’s Binomial Nomenclature is Ursus thibetanus. It has big, round ears, a black, shaggy coat, and a cream-colored crescent shape on its chest. There is a ruff of longer hairs around its neck. Its head to tail length is 1.2-1.9 meters. This species is vulnerable.

2. Threats There are many different threats towards the Asiatic Black Bear. They are hunted for game, or for their body parts, which can be used for many different things. They’re being used for their paws, their bile, organs, and many more things. Those things a being commercially shipped, along with the live bears themselves. Bears are also being used in illegal fighting rings. They can be hunted for game, or some can occasionally be hunted because they were being considered a threat or nuisance. There are approximately 28,000 bears, and their numbers are decreasing still.

3. Habitat, Food, and Adaptations Asiatic Black Bears usually live in a small variety of places such as forested areas like temperate, tropical, and subtropical forests, and can also live in open alpine meadows. Many of them also make their homes in trees. They usually eat vegetation, insects, fruit, nuts, and meat from small mammals they either killed or scavenged. They can be a 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd level consumer. Some adaptations they formed were enlarged teeth, teeth adapted to crushing, and exceptional eyesight, hearing, and smell.

4. Reproduction Asiatic Black Bears normally breed during June-July, and typically give birth in November. They can start the process of reproduction at 4-5 years of age. The bears usually give birth to 1 or 2 cubs every other year. For bears that hibernate, they give birth in their winter dens. Asiatic Black Bears give birth to live young.

5. Interesting Facts There are lots of interesting things about these bears. For example, they used to be used for fighting for entertainment, and was only outlawed in 2001. Their maximum lifespan is over 30 years. Sport hunting of them is only legal in Japan and Russia, and their numbers are decreasing the greatest in Southeast Asia and China. Their bile and many other body parts are used for medical purposes. They can also be considered a pest because they can destroy crops.

6. Trees Asiatic Black Bears often build their homes in trees. They can climb them well and spend a lot of time in them. Most bears even sleep in trees. They do this by building platforms from branches and vegetation on which they rest and feed. They can also use hollowed out trees to hibernate in sometimes.

7. Why is it a butterfly species? The Asiatic Black Bear is a butterfly species because it affects the world in so many different ways. It lives all over the world, and mainly in the East, so if it went extinct, then its existence no longer being there, would have a big impact all over. It also eats many different things, keeping the food chain, and population in check. Also, it has many contributions it makes to the world, including using some things they have for medical purposes.

8.  "Asiatic Black Bear." Red List. (2012): n. page. Web. 31 Jan. 2013..  "Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus)." The Ark. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan 2013..  " Ursus thibetanus Asiatic Black Bear." Encyclopedia of Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan 2013..  Pictures from: The Ark. URL: http://www.arkive.org/asiatic-black-bear/ursus- thibetanus/