The Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) is a species of bear native to Asia. It hunts and eats mostly at night and has less interaction with humans than the American black bear. It is killed by farmers but mostly for body parts which are used in folk medicine. Numbers are falling and it is considered endangered. It is smaller than its American cousin with males reaching 115kg and females 90kg in weight. It too is a good swimmer, climber and runner. The Asiatic black bear is found mostly in the upland wet forests and mountain ranges of Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, China, Russia, Korea, Taiwan and Japan. It eats insects, honey, fruit, nuts, berries, green shoots and grasses but will take small animals. During hibernation from late November until early April its heart rate drops to 8-12 beats per minute and its body temperature to just 3-7 degrees C.
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