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| Red Panda |
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| Giant Panda |
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| Red Panda |
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| Giant Panda |
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| Giant Panda |
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| Giant Panda |
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| Giant Panda |
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| Red Panda |
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| Red Panda |
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| Giant Panda Common Name Giant Panda (En); Panda Géant (Fr); Panda gigante (Sp); Scientific Name Ailuropoda melanoleuca Habitat Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests of Southwest China Status Endangered …. The major factors contributing to habitat loss and fragmentation — the most pressing threats to the giant panda — are: ~conversion of forests to agricultural areas, ~medicinal herb collection, ~bamboo harvesting, ~poaching, and ~large-scale development activities such as road construction, hydropower development, and mining. The illegal wildlife trade and the natural phenomenon of bamboo die-back are also threats. Because of China's dense and growing human population, many panda populations are isolated in narrow belts of bamboo no more than 1.2km wide — and panda habitat is continuing to disappear as settlers push higher up the mountain slopes. Population 1,600 in the wild (2004) Height Upto 150cm for adults Weight 100 to 150 kg Life Cycle ~A newborn panda cub weighs only 90-130gr. and is about the size of a stick of butter. ~The panda cub is 1/900th the size of its mother, one of the smallest newborn mammals relative to its mother's size. ~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 conceives again, usually at about 18 months. ~A panda's average life span in the wild is 14-20 years (but a panda can live up to 30 years in captivity). Natural Enemies and Predators Adult pandas have very few natural enemies. The few animals that will prey on pandas are: ~jackals, ~leopards, ~and the yellow-throated marten (a relative of the weasel that sometimes eats giant panda cubs) Defences: Can pandas fight back? As cuddly as they may look, a panda can protect itself as well as most other bears by using: ~Physical strength They can grow to be 1.5m long from nose to rump, and weigh about 150kg - that's almost 2x heavier than most adult humans ~Strong jaw muscles and large molar teeth Although used mainly for crushing bamboo, a panda bite can be very nasty Additionally giant pandas can also count on other natural skills. ~Panda cubs start to climb trees when they are only 6 months old, and as adults the pandas make excellent climbers. ~They can also swim and, unlike most other bears, do not sleep for months at time in hibernation Physical Description Pandas have a white coat with black fur around their eyes, on their ears, muzzle, legs and shoulders. Unique physical features:
Both of these physical attributes help the panda to hold, crush and eat bamboo. Size
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