Borneo Post, 31st January 2018

Text by Yvonne Chong Yee Wen
Photos by Yvonne Chong Yee Wen, Chiew Lin May & Seng Yen Wah

The Bornean Sun Bear is scientifically known as Helarctos Malayanus. It is the smallest species of bear found in the tropical forest habitats of Southeast Asia. Characteristics of sun bears include its long tongue (which is used to extract honey and insects) and a chest marking, unique to every sun bear.

Sun bears are opportunistic omnivores that feed mainly on termites, insects, larvae and a large variety of fruit species. Sun bears have several different roles within the forest, which provide many benefits to tropical ecosystems.

Sun bears are now facing the threats of commercial hunting and poaching, habitat loss, and being illegally kept as a pet. They belong in the wild. Please spread the word and protect the sun bear!
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​< 婆羅洲之子 —— 馬來熊 >

​婆羅洲馬來熊（Bornean Sun Bear），又名太陽熊，也叫狗熊，學名為Helarctos Malayanus，屬哺乳熊科，它是全世界8種熊科動物中體型最小的熊類。馬來熊是依賴森林生存的物種，它們棲息和活動於東南亞地區的熱帶雨林，主要分佈於馬來西亞、越南、印尼、柬埔寨、泰國、緬甸、遼國、中國南部與印度東部等。

馬來熊的特征

​馬來熊的身長約120至150公分，雄性的熊體重可達30至60公斤左右，而雌性的體重是20至40公斤。它們尾巴的長度約5公分，耳朵小而圓，毛髮短，呈深棕色抑或黑色，而鼻子色澤通常為灰至橙色。此外，馬來熊還擁有約30公分之長的舌頭，而如此長的舌頭的主要功能是讓它們舔食蜂巢裡的蜂蜜，以及其他的小昆蟲，如：白蟻、球狀馬陸和其他幼蟲等。

​它們的四肢短，向內彎，行走時呈內八型；掌心粉紅色，無毛且柔軟，就像人類的掌心一樣，這能夠讓它們在森林地面安靜地行走。被稱之為爬樹高手的馬來熊，爪子呈鐮刀狀，長而銳利，這能夠使它們穩固地抓牢樹木；此外，尖銳的爪子也是它們用作挖掘和撕開朽木來尋找食物，如：白蟻、昆蟲的覓食主要工具。

​除此之外，每一隻馬來熊最為顯著的特征就是它們胸前的胸斑（Chest Mark），每一隻熊的胸斑皆有不同的色澤，大部分為乳白色或橙色，並含斑點。因此，馬來熊最為獨特的特點是每一隻熊都擁有它們獨一無二的胸斑，這猶如人類的指紋，獨一無二，也是個人的記號，儘管是雙胞胎的馬來熊也絕對不會出現相同胸斑的情況。

 
馬來熊的自衛方法
馬來熊的聽覺與嗅覺特別靈敏，當它們感受到有威脅時，會用後腿站立，這是一種向對方發出警告和自衛的舉動；馬來熊又叫做狗熊，這是因為它吠聲如狗，當它們感受到威脅或不高興時，會發出像狗吠般的咆哮怒吼聲。

對於每一隻野生動物而言，自我防衛與保護是一件非常重要的事情，與其他的熊類如大熊貓相比，馬來熊的動作較為靈敏和快速。
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馬來熊的爪子和尖銳的犬齒是它們最好的自我保護工具。它們的頸部有一圈非常厚而鬆弛的皮膚，這能夠使它們在打架時、被其他動物攻擊時或被獵人徒手抓住時，能夠及時扯起鬆弛的皮膚，鬆開和及時逃走，抑或反咬對方；而鋒利的爪子能幫助它迅速地爬上樹上閃避攻擊。

 
馬來熊繁殖習性與成長過程
馬來熊並沒有固定的交配季節，雌熊平均懷孕期為96天左右，大部分一胎只產一隻幼崽，生產雙胞胎或多隻的情況是極少的。在野外生活的雌熊通常會尋找大樹洞或已空心的大木頭為它繁殖的窩；剛出世的幼崽體型是非常小的，無毛、無牙，甚至是無視覺與嗅覺的，但胸前的胸斑卻清晰可見。   

幼熊需要花上2、3年的時間從母熊身上學習生活技能，如：覓食、爬樹、如何自衛等。因此，在幼熊還未學成前必須依賴母熊的照顧才能生存，它們需要母熊餵食和保護。
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而邁入成熟期的熊，它們會開始離開母熊獨立生活，並建立起自己的家園。雄性的馬來熊在森林的活動範圍約15平方公里，而雌性的馬來熊活動範圍是5平方公里。當馬來熊進入性成熟期時，就會在交配期間尋找交配對象，其餘時間都是獨立生活，爬樹、覓食和築巢。

​其實馬來熊壽命頗長，但由於在野外生活的它們必須面對與其他熊隻或其他動物的競爭、自然和人為的災害（各種天災、獵人的捕殺、森林被砍伐與發展）、食源短缺等的影響，它們存活的幾率和壽命便會大大減低。

一般人會認為熊類是肉食動物，但其實馬來熊是雜食性的。它們主要的食物包含了：水果、昆蟲、蜂蜜、無脊椎動物等。
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在野外，水果成了馬來熊的主食之一，如：野生榴蓮、香蕉、椰子、紅毛丹、蓮心果（Langsat）、香波羅（Tarap）等。但其實以上大部分的水果皆屬季節性的，因此常年結果的無花果便扮演了重要的角色，也成了馬來熊主要食物之一。

​在馬來文裡，馬來熊名為Beruang Madu，Beruang是熊的意思，而Madu意為蜜糖。它之所以被稱之為「蜜糖熊」是因為它非常喜歡吃蜂蜜。因此，它們會利用它們敏銳的嗅覺尋找蜂巢所在地，再用尖銳有力的爪和非常長的舌頭將蜂蜜挖舔出來享用。

​馬來熊的主食也包括無脊椎動物。無脊椎動物指的是白蟻、蜈蚣、馬陸蟲（球狀馬陸、扁背馬陸）、幼蟲等。在非水果季節的時候，馬來熊就會把大部分的時間用於尋找這些無脊椎動物來充飢。

馬來熊的角色
      馬來熊體型雖小，但卻在森林裡扮演了非常重要的角色：
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（壹）種子播遷者

在野外，馬來熊會食取各式各樣的果實，如：野生榴蓮、紅毛丹、無花果等，在食取的過程中，它們會把果實的種子也一併吞下，而那些未經消化的種子會通過它們排洩糞便的時候排除體外，這樣的過程稱之為「種子播遷」，這樣能夠使種子遠離母樹，並能夠減少和降低種子與母樹之間的生長競爭，大大提高種子生存的幾率。
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因此，馬來熊扮演了提升各種樹木生長率的重要角色。
 
（貳）森林工程師

​      擁有堅固鋒利爪子的馬來熊是非常出色的爬樹高手。馬來熊攀爬上樹的原因除了為了築巢、休息和曬日光浴以外，便是要尋找蜂巢，以獲得它們最愛的食物——蜂蜜；它們會利用它們強壯尖銳的爪子和犬齒來拔開樹幹和挖掘蜂巢。

​當熊把樹上的蜂巢都挖空了之後，便會形成一個空穴，而這些空穴便成了給其他動物，如：犀鳥、飛鼠等築巢与栖息的地方。

白蟻是一種會覓食於朽木或健康的樹木的昆蟲，而有些白蟻會在樹上築巢，因此會逐漸腐蝕和破壞它們所寄住的那棵樹，進而導致樹木死亡。
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      白蟻也是馬來熊喜愛的食物之一，當它們尋找到白蟻窩時，它們會使用長長的舌頭和爪子破壞白蟻窩以取食。馬來熊通過食取白蟻的這個習性有效地控制白蟻族群的數量，為森林的健康做出了一份保障與貢獻。

（肆）森林農夫
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除了水果和蜂蜜以外，馬來熊還喜好吃無脊椎動物，例如：蚯蚓、幼蟲、扁背馬陸、球狀馬陸等。馬來熊會翻動和挖掘泥土以尋找這些食物，而這樣的過程能夠將貧瘠的土壤和營養豐富的養分混合在一起，促進了森林裡的養分循環。

您曾設想過倘若一天森林消失了，我們將會面對什麼問題？對動物們又會造成什麼樣的影響？森林是所有野外動物，包括馬來熊的家園，因此當森林被肆意砍伐和破壞時，許多動物就會失去家園。
      然而，如今大部分的森林已被過度伐木和發展農業活動，如：油棕園、橡膠園等給取代了；如此過度的發展其實已經嚴重影響和破壞了馬來熊的棲息地。如果無法阻止森林過度發展和砍伐的浩劫，馬來熊將會面臨絕種的危機。
 
（貳）盜獵活動盛行

您可知道在婆羅洲獵殺或盜獵馬來熊已經被列為非法的活動？

在1997年沙巴野生動物保護憲法之下，馬來熊已屬「完全受保護」品種（Totally Protected Species），凡觸法者，即盜獵、獵殺、販賣、飼養以及擁有有關馬來熊產製品的人將會面臨10萬馬幣罰款或被判10年徒刑，或兩者兼施。

但不幸的是，儘管馬來熊已得到憲法的保護，但獵殺馬來熊的活動卻依舊盛行至今。他們捕殺馬來熊絕大部分是為了取得它那能被製成傳統藥物，俗稱能醫百病的熊膽與膽汁；而為了獲取被稱之為尚品佳餚的熊掌也是他們捕殺馬來熊的主要原因之一。

​不僅如此，儘管社會文明已在逐步進步與發展，但對於婆羅洲部分的原住民而言，馬來熊的肉仍是他們傳統的食物之一，其爪子、犬齒以及皮毛等更被當成裝飾品。因此，至今馬來熊仍然難逃非法獵殺的厄運！

​（叁）被當寵物飼養
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由於馬來幼熊長得十分可愛，和幼犬長得非常相似，因此很多人會把它們當做寵物來飼養。但您可有想過，馬來熊真的適合被當做寵物飼養嗎？

儘管馬來熊是熊科裡體型最小的熊類，但它的力氣、尖銳的牙齒和爪子可是不容忽視的！當幼熊成年後，它將會成為具有攻擊性的馬來熊。許多飼養馬來熊的飼主常常會認為年長的馬來熊具有危險性，會給他們帶來威脅，因此會把它們常年關在鐵籠子裡，甚至會使用非常粗重的鐵鏈套在它們的頸項，以防止它們攻擊自己。
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但馬來熊真的適合被飼養在籠子裡嗎？

被當做寵物來飼養的馬來熊，一般都被困在狹窄的鐵籠子裡生活，總日活在恐懼不安與不健康的環境當中，並且會被餵食不適當的食物，從而造成它們營養不良的情況，嚴重影響發育與健康狀況。

一般的獵人在野外捕捉幼熊作為寵物時，他們就必須先把母熊給射殺。在森林裡，幼熊其實需要花上2、3年的時間從母熊身上學習生活技能，可是獵人把它們從母熊身邊帶離當做寵物飼養時，幼熊就失去向母熊學習的機會，導致不能獨立生活。而且絕大多數的人並不了解馬來熊的習性，因此在這樣的因素下，在不恰當的飼養方式中生活的馬來熊，都過著糟糕的生活，也就是說，它們沒有能力在野外森林裡生存，無法做隻真正的馬來熊了！
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請記住，森林才是馬來熊的家，而不是那個冷冰無情的銅鐵籠子！

Text by Chiew Lin May
Photos by Azzry Dusain, Tee Thye Lim, Seng Yen Wah and Chiew Lin May

Without the BSBCC, many captive sun bears would still live in small cages without HOPE; without the BSBCC many people in the world still would not know there is a bear species called the sun bear
​– CEO & Founder, Dr. (Hon) Wong Siew Te, D.J.N

​​Poaching, pet trade and loss of habitat continue to pose a MAJOR threat to the survival of sun bears. Mother bears are often killed and their infants are sold in the illegal wildlife pet trade. Sun bears are very similar to humans - they cannot survive on their own without their mothers. It is tragic that sun bears are still being found orphaned. Sun bear populations have declined by more than 30% in the past 30 years, leaving the danger of imminent extinction in the wild a very real possibility.
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Utusan Borneo, 19th January 2016

The Borneo Post, 19th January 2016

See Hua Daily News, 19th January 2016 

Text and Photos by Chiew Lin May

On the 30th of October 2015 we were pleased to welcome two new rescued sun bears to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre. 

Both bears were handed over to the Sabah Wildlife Department in Singgaron village, Ranau district. They were both ex-pets. Their names were given to them by their previous owners who surrendered them to authority.
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The story reported to the rescue team was that Boboi originally was from Pitas, Sabah and Kitud was originally from Mengkapoh village, Ranau district. Both of them were handed over by people. They were kept together in one cage and were fed with milk, rice and fish.

On the 1st of November 2015, we conducted a health check for Boboi and Kitud. Dr. Pakeeyaraj Nagalingam from the Wildlife Rescue Unit of Sabah’s Wildlife Department performed a general health check. This included an assessment of their overall health, potential sickness, function of the internal organs, and physical condition. Boboi was 15.55kg and Kitud was 12.1kg. The blood test results have shown Boboi and Kitud are healthy.

​We are glad to report that Boboi and Kitud are showing positive signs of improvement. Kitud is very slow paced when eating and quite well behaved compared to her friend, Boboi, who is a very cheeky and energetic sun bear. He will find ways to enjoy himself. These two bears have a very close bond and can be seen loving to hang out together. They spend their time foraging, exploring, sharing their food, play fighting and climbing together. 

On December 15th, 2015 Kitud and Boboi were integrated with Tan-Tan (an eight month old, female sun bear cub). This was a special day for Tan-Tan as it was her first contact with another sun bear after a very long time. They discovered a wonderful new friendship.This allowed them to greatly improve social skills. Tan-Tan seems to become more playful when interacting with Boboi and Kitud. The three sun bear cubs are living together and are sharing one large den. All worked out well with the integration and they did not show any signs of aggression. 

Here are some pictures that show how the three sun bear cubs play fight and settling into their new life.

Boboi, Kitud and Tan-Tan are given different types of enrichment to stimulate and prepare them for life back in the wild. Boboi is always curious, huffing on the new enrichment toys while Kitud and Tan-Tan will normally without hesitation just destroy or play with it. They like to be dirty while enjoying the never ending enrichment and love getting care from our bear care staff. They are relishing in the extra space to play, run and climb. Boboi and Kitud have quickly adjusted to their new surroundings. They get a balanced diet that comprises of milk, vegetables and fruits. They are not choosy when it comes to food and have a good appetite. These three cubs are happy to leave their past lives behind and are learning to be wild bears again. 

The sad reality of each rescued sun bear cub at our center is that they came from having lived through a bitter past; usually kept or traded by humans and having been separated from their mother at a very young age. These three little rescued bears are no different. The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre’s mission is to conserve sun bears through improving animal welfare, raising conservation awareness with education, conducting research, and rehabilitating the sun bears like Boboi, Kitud and Tan-Tan who have a second chance at returning to life in the forest! Sun bears are in grave danger of extinction in the wild and we need to help them as much as we can. Please spread the message that sun bears belong in the wild and should not be kept as pets, no matter what the circumstances.

KUALA LUMPUR: Apart from standard fare, the kitchen of a restaurant in Cheras was allegedly serving up exotic dishes featuring bear’s foot and tapir’s nose under its “special order” menu.


Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) enforcement officers raided the restaurant and seized 2.95kg of bear flesh, 1.2kg of pangolin scales, three soft-shelled turtles, 20 bats, 7.4kg of wild boar parts and other types of exotic meat.


“The animal parts were found in the kitchen and freezer of the restaurant during a raid by the Perhilitan wildlife crime unit,” said Perhilitan enforcement director Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim during a press conference here yesterday.


He said Perhilitan officers had observed the restaurant for two months before making their move because the exotic meat was not offered daily.


“The demand for the dishes is high. The average price of an exotic dish sold by the shop is about RM60.


“Those featuring bear’s foot or tapir’s nose should fetch higher prices,” Abdul Kadir said.


Two restaurant workers – a man and his sister, both in their 40s – were arrested to assist in investigations but were granted a RM15,000 bail each with two sureties.


The pair are expected to face court charges on Sept 19.


Among others, the case falls under Section 68(1)(b) of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 for taking or keeping any part of a totally protected wildlife without a special permit.


Those convicted can be fined up to RM100,000, jailed up to three years or both.
Abdul Kadir said Perhilitan officers also raided four restaurants in Kedah for similar offences and made similar seizures that included what is thought to be the head of a clouded leopard.


“There have been 78 cases involving wild boar meat, five involving bats and four involving tapir parts reported since 2006,” he said.