This week we are looking at the giant panda, which is a
bear, I never thought of them as being part of the bear family.
Giant pandas belong to the bear family, whereas red pandas
are in their own family, and they are more closely related to raccoons.
Interestingly, giant pandas are more closely related to polar bears than to red
pandas.
Giant pandas are typically 4 to 6 feet long and stand 2 to 3
feet tall at the shoulder. They can weigh between 220 and 330 pounds, with
males tending to be larger than females, Newborn pandas are very
small, about the size of a stick of butter.
Giant pandas live in the mountain ranges of
southwestern China, specifically in the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and
Gansu. They inhabit bamboo forests at elevations between 5,000 and 10,000
feet. Their habitat is characterized by humid, wet conditions and is often
shrouded in mist and clouds.
A panda's daily
diet consists almost entirely of the leaves, stems and shoots of various
bamboo species. Bamboo contains very little nutritional value so pandas must
eat 12-38kg every day to meet their energy needs.
Scientists are not sure how long giant pandas live in the
wild, but they are sure it is shorter than lifespans in zoos. They estimate
that lifespan is about 15-20 years for wild pandas and about 30 years for
those in human care. Chinese scientists have reported zoo pandas as old as 35.
Pandas are dependent on their mothers for the first few
months of their lives and are fully weaned at 8 to 9 months. Most pandas leave
their mothers when she becomes pregnant again, usually at about 18 months. Gestation
takes from 95-160 days. Pandas normally give birth to single young. Twins
seem to be born more frequently in captivity, when artificial insemination is
used. The reproductive rate is about 1 cub every 2 years.
They are friendly
and cheerful, Pandas have bundles of energy and warmth. They are confident and
love trying out new things. Sociable and party-loving, they enjoy seeing
friends and often put their friends' feelings ahead of their own.
While pandas are known for their clumsy and lazy behaviour
often observed in captivity or during feeding, they are actually proficient
tree climbers and swimmers.
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