Asian black bear
Biologically and morphologically, Asiatic black bears represent the beginning of the arboreal specializations attained by sloth bears and sun bears. Asiatic black bears have karyotypes nearly identical to those of the five other ursine bears, and, as is typical in the genus, they have 74 chromosomes. From an evolutionary perspective, Asiatic black bears are the least changed of Old World bears, with certain scientists arguing that it is likely that all other lineages of ursine bear stem from this species. Scientists have proposed that Asiatic black bears are either a surviving, albeit modified, form of "Ursus etruscus", specifically the early, small variety of the Middle Villafranchian (Upper Pliocene to Lower Pleistocene) or a larger form of "Ursus minimus", an extinct species that arose 4,000,000 years ago. With the exception of the age of the bones, it is often difficult to distinguish the remains of "Ursus minimus" with those of modern Asiatic black bears.
Wellington Zoo
In May 2001, arrangements were made for Malayan sun bear Madu to be sent to the National Zoo in Australia but he died following surgery on a broken tooth. An autopsy revealed he had a hole in his heart. His twin, Arataki, was sent instead. Bakti died in August 2001, leaving the zoo without a breeding male. In September 2004, a seven-year-old male named Sean, arrived from Perth Zoo. He had been rescued as a cub from outside a restaurant in Cambodia by the Free the Bears Foundation. Chomel gave birth to a female cub in September 2006, named Sasa. At that time, Wellington Zoo was the only zoo in Australasia to successfully breed a sun bear. Chomel died in September 2009, following a stroke.