About the Sloth Bear
The sloth bear is one of India's most charismatic and distinctive mammals, instantly recognisable by its shaggy black coat, cream-coloured V-shaped chest marking, and long curved claws designed for ripping open termite mounds. Entirely unrelated to the sloth (the name comes from early naturalists mistaking their curved claws for those of the slow-moving South American mammal), sloth bears are highly mobile and can cover great distances each night in search of food. They are the only bear species primarily adapted to insect-eating.
Sloth bears have specially modified lips and a gap in their front teeth that forms a vacuum tube for sucking up insects from nest galleries — when feeding, the sound of their noisy slurping can be heard from 100 metres away. They are notoriously unpredictable and can be aggressive if surprised at close range. Satpura National Park and Kanha offer some of the best sloth bear viewing in India, where the bears are frequently encountered digging for termite mounds in the late afternoon.
- Satpura, Kanha, and Bandhavgarh are the best parks for sloth bear viewing. The bears often emerge in the cooler late-afternoon hours to feed on termite mounds near forest edges.
- Pench and Tadoba also have healthy sloth bear populations. Look for freshly excavated termite mounds as sign of recent activity.
- Avoid surprising a sloth bear at close range — they have poor eyesight and may charge if startled. Your driver and guide will know how to maintain safe distance.