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Black ghosts and bears
Friday, 24 November 2006 - 9:15 AM SL Time |  | |
Sri Lanka has an unusual forest resident that is only seen when a particular specie of tree bears fruit. Find out about the creature in the documentary Season Of The Spirit Bear.
IN the forests of Sri Lanka lurks a creature whose history is a combination of myth and legend. It stays hidden for the majority of the year and then, at the peak of the drought when the Palu tree ? a species endemic to Sri Lanka ? suddenly blossoms with life, it re-emerges from its hideout.
Little is known about the sloth bear`s habits, but once it catches the scent of the fruits, the animal heads directly for the Palu trees.
This month, Animal Planet (Astro Channel 51) chronicles the mysterious habits of the elusive sloth bear in the hour-long Season Of The Spirit Bear, airing Nov 26 at 9pm. It repeats at 11am the following day.
When the dry season is at its most unbearable in the plains and forests of Sri Lanka, an invisible trigger causes one particular tree to burst into fruit. It`s a signal for the island`s most enigmatic animal to materialise from the undergrowth.
Unlike most bears, the sloth bear does not hibernate, but for most of the year, its whereabouts remain a mystery.
Even the island`s indigenous folk, the Veddhas, are at a loss to explain the bears` absence from the forests. Mystery surrounds this lesser known member of the bear family, but during the few weeks of the fruiting season, the sloth bears certainly make their presence felt.
Drawn by the sugar-laden fruits of the Palu tree, the bears lose their inhibitions, exhibiting complete disregard for their neighbours, both human and animal. Even the leopard, the island`s top predator, steers clear of the bears, and the Veddhas retain their age-old respect for an animal whose spirit can neither be tamed nor over-powered.
Season Of The Spirit Bear documents the re-appearance of these black ghosts, as seen through the eyes of the Veddhas. |
Source(s)
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Friday/Features/20061123194302/Article/index_html |
Achilles
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24 Nov 2006 10:42:10 GMT Report for Abuse
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The sloth bear:
The sloth bear (Ursus ursinus), formerly found in most dry zone low country jungles, is now confined to pockets of relatively undisturbed forest. It seems that with encroachment and the general disturbance of our forests, the sloth bear is among the first animals to disappear.
Although they are omnivorous, the bears' selective feeding habits seem to demand a large extent of healthy forest. It does not hunt, fish, browse or graze. What it does demand, however, is an apparently endless diversity of fruit, flowers, seed pods, yams, grubs, insects, honey and insect larvae. It is therefore the disappearance of suitable habitat that poses the greatest threat to the sloth bear's survival in Sri Lanka. An example is the area that is now occupied by the Udawalawe National Park. Although this once supported a healthy bear population, the extensive felling of trees in catchment areas, made worse by replanting with exotic tree species during the formation of the reservoir, resulted in the bear population, the extensive felling of trees in catchment areas, made worse by replanting with exotic tree species during the formation of the reservoir, resulted in the bear population crashing dramatically. Even if sloth bears are reintroduced to this National Park, it seems doubtful whether they would survive, given the Park's poor habitat quality at present.
Unfortunately, we have very little scientific data on the sloth bear in Sri Lanka. Its population dynamics, breeding patterns, feeding requirements, range, size, etc., are all largely unknown. It the species is to continue to survive in Sri Lanka, we desperately need to protect quality habitats and undertake the scientific study these magnificent bears.
Revy i like bears!
my faorite bear is a panda bear and i like Polar bears, Grizzly bears, Black bears.... |
Revy
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24 Nov 2006 13:51:32 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Yes Achilles bears are cool, especially Polar Bears and Girzzlys, gotta have respect for anything that can stand as tall as two story house and rip your head off with one swipe! ;) |
MaKaSo
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24 Nov 2006 17:32:14 GMT Report for Abuse
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Looks like he is a relative of Makaso's little monkey......
he/she looks sad! perhaps he misses his pals. |
Pera
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25 Nov 2006 04:27:18 GMT Report for Abuse
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Achi/Revy,
You guys should see a poor victim who was attacked by a bear (in Sri Lanka). The bear goes for the victims face and, scratch/eat/bite the nose and whole face!
The people who live near areas where there are bears roaming, fear them most!
PERA |
Revy
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25 Nov 2006 22:48:54 GMT Report for Abuse
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Pera, yeah bears can be pretty nasty!
But here is some advice for you when in bear country:
If you ever face an encounter with an aggressive bear, run. Remember: you don't need to run faster than the bear, all you need is to run faster than your slowest friend!
;-) |
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