We are NOT the official Animals Asia but we are the official Lancashire branch in the UK to help this charity, please click the banner below to visit the Animals Asia official site to see all the fantastic work they are doing.  MOON BEAR FACTS  The Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus Selanarctos Thibetanus) is one of the world's eight bear species and can be found in high altitude, broad-leafed forests from Pakistan to Japan. They often live at high altitudes and prefer heavily forested areas Moon Bears are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) as Appendix 1 - the most critical category. Population figures for the Moon Bear in China are causing concern - with estimates ranging from 50,000 to as low as 16,000. Moon Bears tend to be solitary, crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) animals once they reach adulthood. They can survive for up to 35 years in captivity, though usually live for 25 -30 years in the wild. Moon Bears love to den in hollow logs and caves and also sleep in trees. They often hibernate between November and March / April (although this can vary depending on their specific range.) Moon Bears tend to give birth to twins in April or May (but are also known to give birth earlier in hibernation) and although weaned by 4-6 months, the cubs stay with their mothers for the first two years of their life. They are highly intelligent and have a large vocabulary, making clucking sounds during play and 'tut-tut-tut' sounds in warning. Females are more vocal than males. At up to 220 kgs, males typically grow to approximately twice the size of females, which weigh 60-130 kgs in the wild. However the females tend to be dominant and can usually be distinguished by the thicker ruff of fur around their neck. Every Moon Bear's chest markings are different in colour and shape; ranging from pale yellow to deep orange-gold, from deep V's to delicate crescents, some are even speckled! Moon Bears are classified as carnivores, although they follow an omnivore diet. Their diet varies according to location and season, but predominantly consists of vegetables, fruits, nuts, insects, small mammals, birds and carrion. Occasionally, Moon Bears may attack livestock or raid crops. It's no myth - bears really do love honey and are believed to be able to smell it from up to 5 kilometres away! Moon Bears love water and like nothing more than swimming and splashing around! Moon Bears are the most valued bears for Traditional Medicine, most probably because the species was so abundant in the areas where Traditional Medicine originated. Their range extends from Iran to Japan and across South East Asia and it is estimated that there are as few as 25,000 left in the wild worldwide. www.animalsasia.org