Pars Today

Asiatic black bear is one of the rare animal species that live in Iran. This animal is currently within the red list of threatened species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is only found in Iran and Pakistan, and is on the verge of extinction, similar to Asiatic cheetahs.

Asiatic black bear is one of the most isolated and beautiful animals. It highly resembles pre-historic bears. This animal is smaller than grizzly bears and maintains a relatively thin face with large ears. This mammal’s body hair is long, coarse, black, and shiny. It maintains a white spot in the middle of its chest. The size of Asiatic black bears varies between 130 to 160 centimeters, which is tied to its dietary regime. It weights around 200 kilograms. It has short hands and legs, which have five fingers with sharp and arched claws that in turn assist this animal in climbing trees, rocks, and mountains. Due to the shortness of this animal’s hands compared to its legs, it maintains a faster speed in uphill movement, in comparison to moving downhill. Asiatic black bears can stand and walk on their two feet like humans, which is often the case when they are enraged and aggressive. They have small eyes. Their sense of hearing and eyesight is not appropriate. However, they maintain a strong sense of smell.

Black bears are omnivorous; thereby maintaining wider teeth than other carnivorous animals. The Asiatic black bears also maintain long and cone-shaped fangs, which they use for holding on to their baits. Their molar teeth maintain sharp edges, which assist them in consuming meat. The Asiatic black bears in Iran usually feed on fruits and sprouts. They climb trees more than other bear species. In the majority of low-altitude regions in southeastern Iran, which are home to several mazari palms, black bears have been observed eating the fruits and rear sprouts of these trees, which are soft and nutritious. Within the mountainous regions, black bears usually eat almonds, figs, olives, in addition to other fruits, such as apricots. The black bears of this region also feed on insects, small vertebrates, mammals, and even domesticated livestock.

Black bears are nocturnal, usually leaving their nests early evening and returning to them at the break of dawn. They skillfully climb trees and live on their own. They make nests in caves, or cavities which have been shaped as the result of collapse of rocks. The aggressiveness of black bears is more than grizzly bears. Black bears are aggressive toward humans and have attacked humans on a number of cases.

Black bears reach puberty at the age of three or four. As long as the bear cubs live with their mother, the female bears have no inclination toward mating. Generally speaking, their mating season starts in mid-summer. In this phase in time, the male and female black bears live together for a few days. The pregnancy of the female black bears usually lasts between seven to eight months. They usually give birth to twins, late winter. In the beginning, the bear cubs are usually very small and weigh around 500 grams. They are hairless and pink in color, with their eyes closed for up to a month. The bear cubs are also highly vulnerable. Cubs are fed by their mothers for six months, and are dependent on their mothers for a period of two years. Given that they do not maintain the necessary skills for confronting their enemies, they are in need of their mother’s constant support.  Black bears usually give birth to cubs once every two years. Their average lifespan stands at 30 years. According to researchers, one of the reasons behind their endangerment is their inappropriate reproduction.

Black bears usually reside in southeastern Iran, such as Kerman, Hormozgan, and Sistan-Baluchestan Provinces. Based on the reports released by Iranian rangers, the largest numbers of Asiatic black bears are found in Sistan-Baluchestan Province. Black bears choose cooler locations for their daily rest as of early March to mid-June.

Although black bears are highly adaptable to different environments and foods, hunters easily find their hideouts due to their accessibility. Also, every year, a number of bear cubs which climb palm trees to eat dates, are hunted by villagers. Thus, this valuable animal is on the verge of extinction. Currently, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s government sends expert teams to guide local communities, in an effort to support the continued existence of Asiatic black bears.

MR/SS