14 October 2014
The Short Answer (TSA)
The “Moon
Bear” roams the wilds of Asia including the Himalaya Mountains, China, India,
Korea, Japan, and Russia. The moon bear is average-sized among its fellow
bears and lives, mostly, in trees. This black bear has an unusual look
about it and is believed to be a closer descendant of prehistoric bears than
any other living bear species.
But why
“Moon Bear?” Because this, otherwise,
completely black bear has a white crescent on its chest. The white crescent shape seems to be “laying
on its side” like a bowl. But, no matter
how it’s positioned, it reminds the viewer of a Crescent Moon.
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“Moon Bear”
is this species’ nickname. Properly, the
name is the “Asian black bear.” The technical
name for the moon bear is Ursus
thibetanus. These bears eat a wide
variety of foods including insects, eggs, mushrooms, grasses, fruits, nuts,
honey, grains and, even, garbage
The moon
bear has a place in Hindu, Chinese and, particularly, Japanese folklore. In Japan, this bear was given a name meaning
“lonely person.” In Northern Japan, the
moon bear is called “yamoatoko,” the “mountain man.” A story is told in which the mountain spirit
gives this lonely bear a good luck charm wrapped in silk to wear on its
chest. When the charm is later removed,
it’s left a mark -- the characteristic white crescent moon-shaped mark on the
creature’s chest.
For all
this affectionate folklore, the moon bear can be vicious toward humans and has
been know attack people for no apparent reason.
This bear can inflict serious and, sometimes, fatal wounds with its
claws and teeth.
In spite of
its “lonely” reputation, this bear socializes quite easily. The moon bear can mate and reproduce with a
variety of other bear species. Some time
after the escape of a moon bear in Florida, an apparent hybrid between a moon
bear and American black bear was captured in that state.
Although
moon bears, generally, roam during the day (diurnal), they often become night
roamers (nocturnal) when living close to human beings. They easily adapt to the presence of a human
population and are comfortable scavenging human garbage.
M Grossmann of Hazelwood, Missouri & Belleville,
Illinois
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