I ran out of intros so we're getting straight to the point
Today's big puppy is the Asian black bear !!!
Asian black bears are often called moon bears ! This due to the crescent marking on their chest, which is unique to them.
These round boys have noticeably large, rounded, bell shaped ears that stick out sideways, which makes them look more friendly and pettable !
In Japanese culture, Asiatic black bears are actually traditionally associated with the mountain spirit "yama no kami" and is characterized variously as "the mountain man" (as in yamaotokoor), "the mountain uncle" (as in yama no ossan), "mountain father" (as in yama no oyaji), a loving mother, and a child.
Being a largely solitary creature, the Asiatic black bear is also viewed as "lonely person" (sabishigariya), they often spend their time alone up in trees which is how the name got popular
And in parts of the Himalayas, these black bears are somehow ablr to intimidate larger Himalayan brown bears during direct meetings
Many of them often steal the high ground while the brown bears wait below for dropped fruit and nuts !!
And while they sometimes hibernate, not all do. many southern populations stay active, and even northern ones that den, experience only a mild drop in body temperature and wake up easily.
These guys are actually known for being friendly despite how big they are, a popular moon bear at a conservation center actually formed a pretty tight bond with his friend, a black cat that would get him mice from time to time.
Today, we have a very special moon bear to talk about, and that's brandy. :)
Rescued in southern Cambodia in 1999, Brandy had a rare genetic color phase that gave her a striking golden yellow coat instead of the usual black fur, thus has made her popular becase a lot of visitors ended up mistaking her for a lion.
She died in August 2024 if my memory isn't tricking me, she was known by the team as a gentle and sweet bear that liked to play with her keepers, she died at 28-29, a common age for moon bears to die in :[
● they're actually my 2nd favorite bear specirs ever after glacier black bears ;3
Messages
Nooo , Brandyyy :'(
The bear and the cat are soo adorable . This bears look like they like they think a lot the wau theyre posing with paws over the railing/fence while looking into the distance lol . No wonder they like to be alone xD
U should do gloomy bear next he’s my fav one and I really like why they created him too
first bear of your list that i find cute or that doesnt have a mouth that looks like hell