Giant Panda Facts

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Unfortunately, the beautiful and much-loved Giant Panda is considered an endangered species due to habitat loss and low birth rate. It is found only in central western and south western China. The Giant Panda is classified as a carnivore, but has adapted to a vegetarian diet. It feasts on 25 species of bamboo; in fact, 99% of the diet is bamboo! Males weigh an average of 253 lbs. and females an average of 220 lbs. Its life span ranges from 20 to 30 years.

Amazing Fact: A Giant Panda may consume 26 to 83 lbs. of bamboo a day to meet its energy requirements.

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Detailed Information about the Panda

Common Name: Giant panda

Scientific Name: Ailuropoda melanoleuca

Habitat: Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests in Southwest China (Gansu, Shaanxi, and Sichuan Provinces) to the east of the Tibetan plateau.

Population: Approximately 1,600 of which 980 are on the 50 panda reserves that have been established by the Chinese government. The 50 reserves represent 4,000 square miles and 45% of the giant panda habitat. Encroaching population and poaching remain threats. For articles on the success of endangered animal programs, go to: Success in Saving Animals!

Description and Diet: Pandas have a white coat with black fur around their eyes, on their ears, muzzle, legs and shoulders. The unique physical features of the species include broad, flat molars and an enlarged wrist bone that functions as an opposable thumb - both of these adaptations are used for holding, crushing and eating bamboo. Giant panda bears have a massive head, heavy body, short tail, rounded ears and plantigrade feet (both heel and toe make contact with the ground when walking in a manner similar to humans). They walk through the bamboo forest with a rolling gait. Unlike many other bears, pandas do not walk on their hind legs and only climb trees when threatened. Pandas area generally solitary animals, even avoiding contact with others of its kind. Giant pandas have very good eyesight. While other bears have round pupils, the giant pandas pupils are vertical slits similar cat's eyes. The Chinese people call the panda "Da Xiong Mao," which means "giant bear cat" in Chinese.

Female pandas are called sows, males are called boars, and the young are called cubs. Female giant pandas mature at about 5 to 7 years of age. Mating begins in the spring with the panda bears attracting each other with calls and odors. When cubs are born they are blind and pink in colour with little white hair. Their coat begins to darken about a month after their birth. The cub when born is as big as a common mouse at about 28 inches long and weighing about 6 ounces (85-100gm). Panda cubs cry when they are hungry. They start eating bamboo when they are about 6 months old and are fully weaned from their mother at about 9 months. At one year of age, the cubs normally weigh about 75 pounds. Panda cubs stay with their mother for one to two years. They are fully grown in 2-4 years.

Bamboo provides 99% of the Giant Panda's diet. The Panda has a carnivore digestive tract, so it cannot digest cellulose which is why Bamboo gives very little nutrition to the animal. They eat constantly because of the Bamboo's low nutritional value, so they can eat up to 84 pounds of Bamboo. They have developed a specialized digestive tract allowing for them to eat a large amount bamboo. There are 25 different species of the Bamboo plant that Giant Pandas have access to and eat in the wild. Giant Pandas get the most nutritional protein from the leaves of Bamboo. Because Bamboo flowers and dies so quickly, the Pandas must have more than one species flowering in its territory so it doesn't starve. Giant Pandas prefer new shoots as opposed to leaves and stems. They try and find the new shoots when available, and when they are not available they will eat leaves and stems with no leaves. Pandas drink water at least once a day to keep from dehydrating. They usually live near streams so it isn't a problem finding water.Pandas live mainly on the ground but have the ability to climb trees as well. While the species does not hibernate, it often relocates to lower altitudes in the winter and spring.The giant panda does not hibernate during the winter. Due to their leaner diets, they do not build up the excess fat needed to hibernate. They also live in a habitat zone where food is available on all year round.

The panda is an important part of the Chinese culture. It is symbol of peace and pride in China. The Chinese government has taken major steps to protect these endangered animals, and partners with organizations such as World Wildlife Fund and Pandas International.

Sources: www.bioweb.edu/bio203/s2007/barger_rach/nutrition.htm, www.wwf.org, www.wikipedia.org, www.pandasinternational.org