The Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus) is a bear distributed in forests from East Asia, including Japan, to the Himalayan region. It is well known for its black fur and a white, crescent-shaped marking on the chest, although some individuals have less conspicuous markings. Skilled at climbing trees, it is omnivorous and changes its diet with the seasons: young leaves and grasses in spring, fruits and insects in summer, and acorns and other nuts in autumn. In cold regions it spends winter, when food is scarce, in a den, and females give birth during hibernation. In forests it helps disperse seeds of fruits, but in years when hard mast crops fail it may expand its range and appear near human habitation. Globally, forest development, hunting, and trade targeting body parts threaten the species, and it is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List.