Sloth Bears, Sun Bears & Polar Bears: An Unlikely Trio

Annie Van Dinther lives in Alaska and has led Nat Hab expeditions in the North for more than two decades. Polar bears consume much of her interest and attention as a naturalist guide. Her friend and colleague Aditya Panda is a world away in India. Yet he loves bears, too. And yes, there are bears in India! Sun bears and sloth bears, to be precise. That sparked Annie’s curiosity...which led to this webinar! How different are the bears of India’s jungles from the big marine mammal that roams the Arctic sea ice? Do polar bears, sun bears and sloth bears still have anything in common? How did they evolve in such divergent ways? What might the sun bear or sloth bear teach us about polar bears? What questions does a naturalist from India have about the mighty bear atop the Arctic food chain? Join us for an entertaining conversation as Annie and Aditya compare and contrast bears from such different settings and climates, taking us on a deep dive into the intricacies of bear biology and adaptation.


Originally presented August 26, 2021

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