What are general characteristics of the giant panda?

The giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, is a medium sized bear with black and white fur (1,3). The giant panda lives in the temperate forests of southwest China. It is a symbol of peace in China (6). The panda has lived in a bamboo forest for millions of years. When pandas stand on all four legs they can reach 1 meter tall and 2.5 meters long. They can weigh up to 115 kg. The males weigh more than the female pandas so the female pandas rarely reach 110 kg.

The anatomy of the giant panda is linked to their function. Their front paws have thumbs that extend from the wrist that allow them to easily grab bamboo (their main food source) (3). They also have flat molar teeth to help them crush the bamboo once it’s in their mouth. They have a white coat, which is covered with black fur around their eyes, legs, shoulders, and ears. The fur keeps them well adapted to their environment. The fur is very coarse to keep the panda warm, but it is also oily which helps get rid of water to cool the panda (4). They have small eyes and poor vision (2).

99% of a panda’s diet is bamboo, but they also eat flowers, honey, leaves, sugarcane, carrots, apples, and the occasional rodent (1,3,5,6). Pandas eat different parts of the bamboo based on the season. For example, in May they consume mainly old stems, whereas in October they eat mainly leaves. They consume easily 28 pounds of bamboo per day. They need to eat a lot of bamboo because most of it is passed as waste, therefore they need a lot for nutrients. They get a lot of water from bamboo, but the panda also drinks from water and streams (5). Lack of bamboo is a reason for endangerment that will be discussed more in the following blog.

Unlike most other bears, pandas do not hibernate. In the winter they move to elevations that are lower in order to stay warm, but during the winter they move to higher elevations to attempt to stay cool (1). Pandas are lonely animals. Males and females only meet during breeding season (5). They can sense another panda by "scent marking" (tracing the smell) (6). Pandas are good tree climbers and swimmers (1). They use their skills to escape predators (2). They move well silently in order to get away from their predators easily. They move by walking, but they can also trot very quickly (6). Panda’s are endangered on the Red List. There are an estimated 2,000 pandas in the wild (1), and more than 160 pandas that live in zoos (5). They can live to be 18-20 years old in the wild and up to 30 years old in captivity (6). Since pandas are endangered, I will discuss reasons for endangerment in the next blog topic.