Abstract: The food habits of sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), diet were studied in Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamilnadu by analyzing 567 fresh scats from five different habitat types between March, 1990 and February, 1991. Fruit was the major food, irrespective of vegetation types. Ants and termites appeared consistently in the diet. The percent occurrence of various diet items varied seasonally. Animal material dominated the second wet season. The fruits of Syzygium cumini, Cassia fistula and Ziziphus mauritiana formed the dominant diet component in most of the habitats. Utilization of plant and animal material differed significantly between seasions. Though density of fruit trees varied across vegetation types, use of fruits did not, except in the thorn forest. There was no variation in the use of animal materials between vegetation types. Availability of ripe fruits varied significantly between seasons and therefore utilization.