A japanese "Kung Fu Bear" video has been circulating. I got curious about this history of this animal and managed to unearth a few tidbits. I may have some details wrong as I relied on google translate and there are multiple bears talked about on the same page at the Asa Zoological Park (in english).

In September 2002, about 70km(?) northwest of Hiroshima a mother Asiatic Black Bear with two cubs were marauding crops. Unavoidably the sow had to be shot. The surviving 13kg cub was too small to survive on his own and at the request of Hiroshima Prefecture was handed over to Asa Zoological Park for protection where he was christened Cloud [Kumo].

Cloud's staff work appears to have been entirely self taught, being obsessed with sticks since he arrived at the Zoo. Although he had let go of the sticks for a time, he recently picked up the habit again.

The poster of this particular video is (attempting to) use it as a get rich quick scheme, just turn off the annotation using the contol at the bottom right. As there are other videos of the same animal and his antics from other sources I don't think the scammy nature of this particular presentation detracts from the wonder or legitimacy of Cloud.

Sources

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghgg_fukbvU\

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poEwkIPKn3w\

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVjAQqZrGcg\

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txxqSD-7Ca4\

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax86tiUTFDY\

http://www.asazoo.jp/news/cloud/boum...aikai2010.html\

http://www.asazoo.jp/doubutu/zoostar.../tukikuma.html\

http://www.myfma.net/video/asiatic-b...twirling-stick\

http://www.greatbear.org/asiaticblackbear.htm\

http://translate.google.com/