Sun bears are brilliant climbers. They use their short, powerful legs and curved claws to scale trees in search of honey, fruit, and insects. Unlike many bears in colder countries, they do not hibernate because Borneo's jungle provides food all year round. They tend to be active during the day, though they sometimes rest in the midday heat.
The sun bear's most impressive tool is its enormously long tongue — up to 25 centimetres, which is about the length of a ruler. It pushes that long tongue deep into beehives and termite mounds to lick up the contents. Sun bears are also known to make sleeping platforms high in trees by bending and folding branches — like building a leafy hammock.
Sun bears are quite shy and spend most of their time alone. They communicate with each other through sounds — grunts, squeals, and barks — and by leaving claw marks on trees. Despite their small size (they are about the size of a large dog), they play an important role in the forest by breaking open logs to find insects, which helps other animals feed too.