Sun Bear

Sepliok has two animal sanctuaries, one for Orangutans and one for Sun Bears. The Sun Bear is the world’s smallest bear and all the ones at the sanctuary have been rescued, mostly from being kept as pets.

The centre opened in 2008 and has 44 Sun Bears living there. They live in large forest enclosures, a few of which have walkways so visitors can watch them. The bears have to learn how to forage for food and climb trees. Two bears have been released into the wild so far and they hope to release another four this year.

This one climbed into a tree and went to sleep. The light patch of fur on its chest has a unique pattern. No two Sun Bears have the same chest pattern. The first extra is of this bear, draped over a branch, sleeping. I have no idea how it manages to not fall out of the tree! They are very good tree climbers and the second extra is of a different bear on its way up.

There was a little one, two years old, who had been kept in a cage until she was rescued when she was about 6 months old. She's doing well and I watched her foraging for food, but she still paces up and down as if she was in a small cage. The ranger said it's a habit based on her early trauma. It’s really sad to see. Hopefully she will stop that eventually.