The Giant Panda
By J.C.
Description
- In the Bear family. (Tracey 15)
- Black and white fur color.
- Waterproof coat.
- Panda cubs have white fur when they are born.
- Males weigh about 200-240 lbs.
- Female pandas are about 40 lbs lighter than males.
- Pandas of both genders are about 120-180 cm.
- Pandas communicate using sounds.
- Pandas are able to climb trees.
- Pandas are hunted by the Golden Cat, Tiger, Panther, Jackal, Wolf, and the Yellow-throated Marten.
- The Panda's scientific name is Aliuropoda melanoleuca. (Travelchinaguide.com)
- Pandas have a 10-20 cm tail.
- Pandas live 15-20 years in the wild and 30 years in captivity.
- There are currently about 2,000 pandas in the wild. (Defenders.org)
- Pandas reproduce every March-May season and give birth to 1-2 cubs at a time.
Food Chain and Habitat
- Pandas eat stems, leaves, and fresh shoots of bamboo as well as berries, fruits, flowers, fungi, grass, bark, bird's eggs, insects, fish, birds, and rodents. (Angelfire.com)
- The Giant Panda eats 10-20 kg of bamboo every day.
- Pandas are classified as carnivores.
- Bamboo and other plants consist of 99% of the Panda's diet. (Travelchinaguide.com)
- Pandas are predators and hunt fish, small birds, and rodents.
- Pandas enjoy living by streams and in trees.
- Pandas live on the continent of Asia and live in china.
- Pandas inhabit forests and live in cold, wet, and cloudy climates.
- Pandas also live on mountain ranges.
- Pandas sometimes sleep at the bottoms of trees.
- Pandas eat for up to 14 hours a day.
- Pandas also live in Myanmar and Vietnam.
Adaptations
- Pandas have a sixth thumb/toe to help them hold bamboo better and to help them to pull shoots and leaves off of bamboo stems. (Bioweb.edu)
- Pandas have a larger head to eat bamboo.
- Pandas have strong jaw muscles to chew on bamboo.
- They have a larger head to accommodate larger jaw muscles.
- Pandas have large and smooth molars to chew through tough bamboo.
- Pandas have a specialized digestive system for eating bamboo.
- Pandas have a special esophagus lining so It doesn't tear when bamboo goes down.
- Pandas have a strong and muscular stomach to avoid digestion problems.
- Pandas have a large colon to hold food and waste and also to accommodate for the large amount of food a panda eats.
- Pandas move on four strong legs because they are always moving around.
Reasons for Endangerment & Critical Information
Reasons for endangerment (Pressnall 25-68)
- Pandas are hunted for science and research.
- Pandas are considered a prized trophy among hunters.
- Pandas are also victims of poaching.
- Pandas are also endangered because of habitat loss.
- Loss of plants for food because the plants are used for fuel and housing.
- Pandas are also trapped and killed by poachers and hunters.
- Tourism causes pollution and waste that damages pandas and their environment.
- Buildings for holding adult and baby pandas before releasing them into the wild to prevent starvation.
- Supervision of pandas while they grow.
- Pandas are also being moved and supplied to help with their survival.
- Publicizing rescue efforts to save pandas are also being used.
- Prohibiting the cutting of bamboo prevents the starvation of pandas.
- Expansions and creations of animal reserves.
- Reestablishing habitats.
- Panda breeding is also being done.