What’s a Panda Bear?
The sharply contrasting black and white coloration, added to the stocky characteristic shape of a bear, makes the Giant Panda one of the most recognizable animals in the world. The head, top of the neck and rump are white, while small patches of fur around the eyes, ears, shoulders, front legs, and rear legs are black. The head is quite large in relation to it's body. The panda’s thick, wooly coat keeps it warm in the cool forests of its habitat. Giant Pandas have large molar teeth and strong jaw muscles for crushing bamboo. Many people find these chunky, lumbering animals to be cute, but they can be as dangerous as any other bear. For many years the Giant Panda was thought to be a type of raccoon, like the similarly named Red Panda. However genetics testing and observation have revealed that the Giant Panda is indeed a bear.
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How big is a Panda?
Adult giant pandas range in body length from 64 to 76 inches, and stand 2 to 3 feet tall at the shoulder. Males are slightly larger, have stronger forelegs, and are 10 to 20 % heavier. Males weigh from 190 to 275 lbs and females from 155 to 220 lbs.
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Where do they live?
Although once more widespread Giant Pandas can only be found in six tiny regions in southwest China, along the Tibetan Plateau. Combined, these areas are less that 5,400 square miles of very high altitude (4,000 to 11,500 ft) mountain forests grown thick with patches of more than 30 species of bamboo. Like most bears they are solitary animals with a range of 1.8 to 3.3 miles. The territory of the males often overlap those of several females.
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What do they eat?
More than 99% of the food consumed consists of the branches, stems, and leaves of at least 30 species of bamboo, the species eaten vary from region to region. Adults consume about 30 lbs of food a day when feeding on leaves and stems. However, when feeding on new bamboo shoots, they are capable of eating up to 85 lbs a day which can be 40% of their body weight. They feed mainly on the ground but are capable of climbing trees as well. They are usually active at twilight and at night.
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What about cubs?
Giant Pandas reach sexual maturity from 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 years of age and mate in the spring. Newborn pandas weigh between 3 and 5 ounces and liters consist of 1, 2 and sometimes three cubs. Normally only one cub is raised. Cubs are usually weaned at about 9 months, they remain with their mothers for up to 18 months.
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How long do they live?
Scientists aren’t sure how long giant pandas live in the wild, but they are sure it’s shorter than life spans in zoos. Chinese scientists have reported pandas as old as 35. The Giant Panda is listed as endangered in the World Conservation Union’s (IUCN’s) Red List of Threatened Animals. It is one of the most critically endangered species in the world. There are only about 1,600 left in the wild, and about 160 living in zoos and breeding centers around the world, mostly in China.
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