Asia's Endagered Animals
Giant Panda -Ailuropoda Melanoleuca
Giant Pandas are Endangered
Habitat
A giant panda in Ocean Park Hong Kong
Predator
The Snow leopard, another endangered species, sometimes attack young pandas.
Food
The giant panda eating stalks of bamboo
Photo 1 Credit: Enoch Lau Photography via Wikimedia CC
Photo 2 Credit: Trisha Shears Photography via Wikimedia CC
Photo 3 Credit: Chen Wu Photography via Wikimedia CC
Description
Color:
- Back and body – white
- Black ears, limbs, shoulders, patches over eyes
Body:
- Male is a little larger and heavier than female
- Large head and jaws; teeth are flatter than other bears to grind bamboo
- Have thumbs to better grasp objects (Ex: bamboo)
Has a carnivorous digestive system (stomach)
Characteristics:
- Length: 150 -190 cms
- Tail length: 10-15 cm
- Male weight: 85-125 kgs
- Female weight: 70-100 kgs
Mating:
- Mating season: March – May
- Males (call for mate): makes calls (very loud)
- Females (call for mate): make bleats and moans
Reproduction:
- Female gives birth once every 2 years during July – Sept.
(RL)
Food Chain
- Leopards kill pandas for food
- Humans kill pandas for fur
- Also deforestation by humans destroy the pandas' main food source: bamboo
Below the giant panda (prey)
- Eats mostly bamboo (about 99%)
- Eats small amount of plants and meat (from animals that are already killed by others) when bamboo is unavailable or out of reach
- Needs about 10-18 kg food daily to survive
Habitat
Description:
- Mild temperatured and mountainous forests
- Densely packed with bamboo
- Previously found in hilly ravines at lower elevations
- Descend to lower elevations in winter
- Sometimes take shelter in hollow trees, rock crevices, and caves
Location:
- Elevation: 1,200 – 4,100 meters
- Range: south – central China
- Mountain ranges: Minshan, Qinling, Qionglai , Liangshan, Daxiangling, and Xiaoxiangling (total of about 30,000 sq. km)
(RL)
Below is the giant pandas' range:
Photo Credit: WTCA Photography via Wikimedia CC
Adaptations
- Previously lived in hilly ravines (in lower elevations)
- Forced into higher mountains because of lack of bamboo and pachers
- Has flat teeth to chew bamboo
- Unlike other bears, has an opposable thumb to grab bamboo
- They don't not hibernate because bamboo is available for them during winter
Threats
Habitat Loss:
- Forests destroyed for agriculture, timber, and firewood
- Livestock grazing prevents regenerating of forests.
- Giant panda depends on bamboo immensely for food
Poaching:
- Poaching was a bigger problem in the past
- Still are sometimes kill in illegal snares
- Set for other animals.
How you can help
Why we should help the giant panda:
- Giant pandas are one of many species that are becoming extinct, and if we don't start to save species, the normal rate at which a species would become extinct would tremendously increase.
- We must make sure that this rate of extinction stays where it is, and does not become faster. Saving the giant pandas would help lower this rate.
- Giant pandas are also part of the food chain. If they were to become extinct there would be a large disturbance in the chain causing many more problems to arise.
What is being done currently:
- Currently, the giant panda is under the highest level of protection under China’s Wildlife Protection Law.
- New forests are being created for the giant panda
- Already existing forests are being protected and improved
- There are also many captive breeding programs
What you can do:
Many people are already helping save the giant panda! Read below and help your allies save the innocent animals!
- You can donate to organizations that help endangered animals such as WWF. Thousands of people have already done so!
- Spread the word about the giant panda and organizations that can help, so we can get more people to support them!
- Choose not to travel to giant panda tourism sites in China (the government is trying to stop them from effecting the pandas)
Other Endangered Asian Animals
Dhole: https://www.smore.com/eab2
Cover Page: https://smore.com/jj5c
Works Cited: https://www.smore.com/2paq