Know Before You Go

© 

Asiatic Black Bear Facts | China Wildlife Guide

Physical Characteristics

Asiatic black bears differ in size between males and females. Males typically weigh 242 to 330 pounds, while females weigh between 143 and 198 pounds. Their head and body measure approximately four to six feet in length, and they have large, rounded heads and small eyes. Their large ears are placed farther apart on their heads than the American black bear. Their body is heavy, with strong, thick legs, and broad paws. Their tail is short, two to four inches in length, and can barely be seen from underneath their long, coarse fur. Their black coat is marked with a light-colored chin and a white, “V”-shaped chest patch, from which their other name, moon bear, derives.

Habitat

Asiatic black bears are found in many Asian countries including China, Japan and Korea. They inhabit broadleaf and coniferous forests, foothills, and mountain regions with thick vegetation. During the summer, they travel to higher elevations, descending to warmer areas in the winter. Periodically, they journey out of the forests to search for food on the plains. The Asiatic black bear can occupy anywhere from 4 to 22 square miles, depending on the available food.

Reproduction

Asiatic black bears start breeding when they are 3 to 4 years old. Like panda bears and red pandas, delayed implantation of the embryo occurs during the first two months, and pregnancy lasts seven to eight months. The mother typically gives birth to two cubs in a hollow tree or rock cavity in winter, with each cub weighing 8 to 10.5 ounces.

Newborn cubs keep their eyes closed during their first week, and are weaned at about three months. Cubs live with their mother until they are two to three years of age.

Behavior & Communication

Asiatic black bears feed at night, sleeping in hollow trees and rock crevices during the day. In the fall, the bears increase their nocturnal activity, descending to lower elevations to forage for foods in broadleaf forests. They are adept climbers and skilled swimmers. They walk on the soles of their four feet, but will stand on their hind legs when fighting, slapping their rival with their forepaws. Asiatic black bears are reclusive, and won’t attack humans unless they are wounded, or they believe their cubs are threatened, though there have been instances of unprovoked attacks.

Many Asiatic black bears hibernate. They forage in the late summer and fall, creating stores of fat for the winter. While some bears hibernate the entire winter, others only sleep when the weather is at its most severe. During hibernation, Asiatic black bears don’t urinate or defecate, eat or move. Their heart rate slows from 40 to 70 beats per minute to between 8 and 12 beats per minute, while their metabolic rate drops by 50 percent.

Asiatic black bears have a keen sense of smell, excellent vision and hearing. While there have been few studies of Asiatic black bears’ communicative behaviors, it can be inferred from studies of others in the Ursidae family that these bears utilize a series of vocalizations. These calls include the cries of cubs when separated from their mother, clicking the teeth together when showing aggression, and producing a low guttural sound when apprehensive.

Bears frequently communicate with one another using visual signals. Dominant bears convey their status by walking or running towards their opponent, while subordinate bears walk away, sit, or lie on the ground. Asiatic black bears also leave scent markings through urination, defecation, and rubbing against trees.

Feeding Habits

Asiatic black bears are omnivorous, though they are primarily vegetarians. They feed on fruits, seeds, grasses, roots, tubers, honey, acorns, mushrooms, insects, small prey and carrion. In the fall, a large portion of their diet is from the nuts of Fagaceae trees, which include beeches and oaks. Their keen sense of smell allows them to seek out insects up to three feet beneath the earth. When food is scarce, these bears will eat anything, including domestic animals and produce, and sometimes even strip the bark off of trees. The bears often risk death by farmers, who kill them to protect their crops and livestock.

Conservation

Deforestation from logging, agriculture, dams, and roadways is threatening the habitat of the Asiatic black bear. Due to the Asiatic black bears’ dependence on seasonal foods, a diversity of habitats is required for them to thrive. Yet habitat fragmentation continues to isolate bear populations; even protected areas do not have the variety of habitats needed to fully support these bears.
See Asiatic Black Bears on These China Adventures
Admin Note : Repeater Settings
Current Settings: trip
Edit Settings
Know Before You Go

Send Me Travel Emails

Get the Inside Scoop on the

World of Nature Travel

Our weekly eNewsletters highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Me Travel Emails
Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Privacy Policy
Thank you for joining our email list

Look for a special welcome message in your inbox, arriving shortly! Be sure to add naturalhabitat@nathab.com to your email contacts so you don’t miss out on future emails.

Get Weekly Updates

Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more.

Privacy Policy
We're Proud of the Reputation We’ve Earned
Voted "World's Best Travel Company" by Outside Magazine
Travel & Leisure logo
Voted "Top Tour Operator" in Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards
Newsweek logo
Voted "Best Adventure Travel Company" in Newsweek Reader's Choice Awards
VIEW MORE AWARDS

View Our 2025/2026 Digital Catalog

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Nathab 2024 Catalog

Together, Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund have teamed up to arrange nearly 100 nature travel experiences around the planet, while helping to protect the magnificent places we visit and their wild inhabitants.

Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Logos
Request Your 2025/26 Catalog
Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Continued - Page 2 of 2
To help us customize your catalog request, please tell us more about your travel needs:
Thank you for requesting a catalog
We’ve received your request. If you have any questions about our trips, please feel free to contact an Adventure Specialist today by calling 800-543-8917.

Get Weekly Updatess

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Me Travel Emails
Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Privacy Policy
Thank you for joining our email list!

Look for a special welcome message in your inbox, arriving shortly! Be sure to add naturalhabitat@nathab.com to your email contacts so you don’t miss out on future emails.

Send Us a Message

Send Us a Message

Have a question or comment? Use the form to the right to get in touch with us.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Us a Message
Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Thank you for your message

We’ll be in touch soon with a response.

Refer a Friend

Refer a Friend,
Get $250 Off
Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.
Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Refer a Friend

Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.

Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Thank you for the referral!

We've received your friend's information.

View Our 2025/2026 Digital Catalog

View Our 2025/2026

Digital Catalog

Help us save paper! We offer a digital version of The World's Greatest Nature Journeys. If you'd prefer a mailed copy, please provide your contact details here. To view our digital catalog, please enter your info in the form to the right.
Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
View Digital Catalog
Text Messaging Policy Message and data rates may apply. You can unsubscribe from SMS at any time by texting STOP. Reply HELP for help. 2-4 promotional msgs/month. Informational msg frequency varies.
Happy browsing!

Thanks for requesting access to our digital catalog. Click here to view it now. You’ll also receive it by email momentarily.

Our Trips

Polar Bear Tours

Polar Bear Tours

African Safaris

African Safaris

Galapagos Tours

Galapagos Tours

Alaska Adventures

Alaska Adventures

U.S. National Parks Tours

U.S. National Parks Tours

Canada & the North

Canada & the North

Europe Adventures

Europe Adventures

Mexico & Central America Tours

Mexico & Central America Tours

South America Adventures

South America Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Photography Expeditions

Photography Expeditions

Adventure Cruises

Adventure Cruises

Women's Adventures

Women's Adventures

Family Adventures

Family Adventures

New Adventures

New Adventures

Questions? Call 800-543-8917

Contact Us

Have a question or comment?
Click any of the buttons below to get in touch with us.

Hours
Mountain Time

  • 8 am to 5 pm, Monday - Friday
  • 8 am to 3 pm on Saturday
  • Closed on Sunday
Call 800-543-8917
Questions? Click to Chat
Questions? Click to Chat
/know-before-you-go/asia-the-pacific/china/wildlife-guide/asiatic-black-bear/