Sun Bear Climbing Dipterocarp Tree for Honey

Green moss rests on the rough, gray bark of a towering dipterocarp trunk rising steeply into the wet season canopy. A sun bear scales the vertical wood, its dark fur damp and matted from recent rain. White patches on the chest glow softly against the gloom of the overcast sky. Wind whips the hanging vines and sways the broad leaves above, blurring the background foliage into a wash of deep greens. The low angle emphasizes the bear's muscular grip on the trunk as it reaches for a honeycomb nest tucked in a high branch. Raindrops bead on the bark, and the wet ground below reflects the muted light filtering through the dense forest ceiling. one drop of sap glistens on a lower branch.