Floyd Mosher, age 9, of Monroe, La., for his question:
WHERE DO SUN BEARS COME FROM?
Sun bears live wild in the forests of Borneo, Burma, Indochina, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Thailand.
There are seven species of bears in the world: big brown bears, polar bears, American black bears, Asiatic black bears, sloth bears, spectacled bears and sun bears. The smallest of all of the bears is the sun bear.
Sometimes called the Malayan bears, sun bears grow only to be about 3 feet long. They weigh between 60 and 100 pounds, which is small compared to the big brown bear, which can tip the scales at about 800 pounds, and grow to be 8 feet long.
Most sun bears have black coats and grayish or orange noses. Some have light brown feet. Their fur is thick and their skin is loose, which makes them look bigger than they are.
The sun bear gets its name from the striking white or yellow marks on its chest. Many people of ancient times believed that the marks represented the rising sun.
Sun bears have large paws with no hair on the soles. The claws are more curved and have sharper points than those of other kinds of bears.
Sun bears usually hunt only at night. They spend the day sleeping and sunbathing in trees. They build rather large nestlike beds in trees by bending or breaking branches.
Bears are meat eating animals, but they also eat many other kinds of food. They hunt mice, ground squirrels and other small animals in fields and forests. They may also wade into streams and catch fish with their front paws or strong jaws.
Favorite foods of bears include ants, birds' eggs and grubs. Their diet may also include acorns, berries, fruits, nuts and the leaves and roots of plants.
Bears are also fond of honey and will often rip apart beehives or the nests of wild bees to get it. Their long, thick fur helps to protect them from bee stings.
Most cub bears are born during the mother's winter nap. A female usually has two cubs at a time, but the number may vary from one to four. At birth, the cubs will only weigh between a half pound and one pound. Their eyes are closed and they have no fur.
Cubs stay with their mothers in the den for about two months. When they come out in spring, they are frisky and playful. They grow rapidly during their first summer.
Cubs stay nearby their mothers for one or two years. She teaches them to hunt for food.
Bears have short, strong legs and large feet. Each foot has five toes, and each toe ends with a long, heavy claw. The claws can always be seen because, unlike those of a cat, they do not retract. A bear uses its claws to tear its prey.
Most of the time bears are peaceful animals. They usually try to avoid fights by running from danger. They have few enemies except other bears and humans.