PANDA

Red Panda

Giant Panda

Red Panda

Giant Panda

Giant Panda

Giant Panda

Giant Panda

Red Panda

Red Panda

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:

• Broad, flat molar teeth
• Enlarged wrist bone that functions as an opposable thumb

Both of these physical attributes help the panda to hold, crush and eat bamboo.

Size

• Giant pandas are about 150cm long from nose to rump, with a 10-15cm tail.
• A large adult panda can weigh about 100-150kg, with males 10% larger and 20% heavier than females.

Colour

• Distinctive black and white coat.