AnAge entry for Melursus ursinus

Classification (HAGRID: 02249)

Taxonomy: Kingdom: Animalia
    Phylum: Chordata
        Class: Mammalia (Taxon entry)
            Order: Carnivora
                Family: Ursidae
                    Genus: Melursus
Species: Melursus ursinus
Common name: Sloth bear
Synonyms: Bradypus ursinus

Maximum longevity: 33.3 years (captivity)
Source: ref. 671
Sample size: Medium
Data quality: Acceptable
Observations: It has been reported that these animals can live up to 40 years in captivity [0434], which has not been verified. Record longevity in captivity belongs to one wild born female that was 33.3 years of age when she died [0671].

[1142] Kohler et al. (2006), Comparative mortality levels among selected species of captive animals
[0671] Richard Weigl (2005), Longevity of Mammals in Captivity; from the Living Collections of the World
[0036] Savage et al. (2004), The predominance of quarter-power scaling in biology
[0434] Ronald Nowak (1999), Walker's Mammals of the World
[0455] Virginia Hayssen et al. (1993), Asdell's Patterns of Mammalian Reproduction: A Compendium of Species-Specific Data
[0448] Woodland Park Zoo