Buffalo bears have declined 60% in the last 30 years. A rare sighting is sparking hope for the species

Buffalo bears have declined 60% in the last 30 years. A rare sighting is sparking hope for the species

Buffalo bears have declined 60% in the last 30 years. A rare sighting is sparking hope for the species Officials celebrated on May 12 when their trail cameras at Si Phang Nga National Park — on the southern peninsula of Thailand — captured rare footage of Asiatic bears roaming the land.  Asiatic black bears, also known as “buffalo bears” or “moon bears,” are slightly smaller than American black bears, with a mane-like ruff on both sides of their faces and a light, crescent-shaped patch on their chests.  Asiatic black bears are found in forests throughout Eastern Asia, everywhere from Afghanistan to Vietnam, but they are classified as “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.  According to the IUCN, the Asiatic black bear has declined by 60% in the past 30 years, largely due to the devastating impacts of the bear bile farming industry.  The Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus) is a rare subspecies of the Asiatic black bear. Image…