Bears of the World There are 8 bear species in the world, click a photograph below to learn more about that species. Polar Bear American Black Bear Giant Panda Asiatic Black Bear Andean Bear Brown Bear Sun Bear Sloth Bear To view distribution maps of each species, click on the links below: Ailuropoda melanoleuca – Giant Panda Helarctos malayanus – Sun Bear Melursus ursinus – Sloth bear Tremarctos ornatus – Andean bear Ursus americanus – American black bear Ursus arctos – brown bear Ursus maritimus – polar bear Ursus thibetanus – Asiatic black bear