Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo has a new member - a one-month-old sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), a species on the brink of extinction and under protection.
Zoo director Thanachon Khensing said on Thursday that the yet-to-be-named cub is strong and healthy. It was born on Aug 24 to a pair of male and female sun bears, both 10 years old.
Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo, also known as Korat Zoo, now has seven sun bears - three male, three female and the newborn, whose gender is still undetermined.
Mr Thanachon said the zoo has compiled a report detailing its research and successful efforts in sun bear breeding. The zoo has been chosen to represent the Zoological Park Organisation of Thailand at the 31st Southeast Asian Zoos and Aquarium Association (SEAZA) Conference in Taiping, Malaysia, scheduled for Nov 5-8, 2023. The report will be presented during the meeting.
Sun bears are a protected species on the verge of extinction, and they are crucial to conservation efforts.
Belonging to the Ursidae family, they inhabit the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, standing at nearly 70 centimetres at the shoulder and weighing between 25 and 65 kilogrammes. These stocky mammals exhibit large paws, strongly curved claws, rounded ears and a short snout.
Sun bears are found in the tropical rainforest of Southeast Asia, encompassing regions from northeastern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam to southern Yunnan province in China. They can also be found on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.