Sadly sloth bears are classified as vulnerable on the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) red list, which tells us how rare an animal is.

There are thought to be around 10,000 sloth bears left in the wild. Sadly the biggest threats they face are poaching and habitat loss.

When their habitat shrinks they are pushed into close proximity with humans.

Sloth bears have a fearsome reputation for being aggressive and people often fear them which means often they are hunted or chased away.