The sloth bear's skull differs from other bears in one specific way: adults lack the upper middle incisors, leaving a gap in the front tooth row. The palate is domed, the lips are long and mobile and can be protruded into a tube, and the nostrils can be closed voluntarily. Together these form a working suction apparatus.
Feeding follows a set sequence. The bear uses claws up to about eight centimetres long to break into a termite mound or ant nest, blows away loose soil and dust, then applies its lips and inhales. The resulting sound carries far through quiet forest and is a standard field cue for the species. Fruit, honey and flowers supplement the insect diet seasonally.
The name is a historical accident. Early European specimens reached naturalists with long curved claws and shaggy fur, and were described as a kind of sloth, Bradypus ursinus, before the mistake was corrected. The bear is not closely related to sloths and is not slow. Its reputation for dangerous encounters in India is real, though the causes, poor visibility and startled defensive charges, are often misreported as unprovoked aggression.