What Do Baby Asian Black Bears Eat?

Asian black bears, which are also known as ursus thibetanus, are considered a vulnerable species of bear. They can be identified by a white crescent shape on their chest. Though largely herbivorous in their pursuit for food, they are also considered omnivorous.

  1. First Food

    • An Asian black bear cub weighs approximately 13 oz. at birth and begins nursing from its mother. The nursing period for an Asian black bear cub is 2 to 2 1/2 years.

    Solid Foods

    • The Asian black bear cub becomes independent of its mothers care between 2 and 3 years of age. It then starts looking for solid foods, including mushrooms, grasses, acorns, bees, eggs, garbage, insects, grain, oak, cherries, fruits, seeds and honey.

    Other Solid Foods

    • The Asian black bear is capable of killing water buffalo by breaking its neck, and this becomes another addition to the black bear's diet. A black bear cub will occassionally eat dead fish during spawning season.

    Geography and Habitat

    • Sightings of the Asian black bear have appeared in Russia, Japan, Korea and China, but these are becoming rare because of hunting and deforestation. Mixed forests, deciduous forests and thorn-brush forests are the ideal habitats for the black bear.

    Predators and Threats

    • The biggest threat to Asian black bear cubs are leopards, wolves and lynxes. Tigers are another threat to the cubs because tigers see these cubs as prey. Other threats include human hunting of the black bear for its skin, paws and gall bladder and the influx of human settlements destroying the forest habitat.