The giant panda, also known as panda bear or simply panda, is a bear native to south central China. It is easily recognized by the large, distinctive black patches around its eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. The name "giant panda" is sometimes used to distinguish it from the unrelated red panda. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the giant panda's diet is over 99% bamboo. Giant pandas in the wild will occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents, or carrion. In captivity, they may receive honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, or bananas along with specially prepared food.
Q: How tall and how heavy is a giant panda?
The adults can reach to 1.6 to 1.8m tall, and their bodies weigh from 60 to 160kg. The male panda have a larger body size, and weigh 10 to 20% heavier than females.
Q: What is the appearance of a giant panda?
They have broad face and short nose. Their eyes, ears, limbs and shoulders are covered with black fur. While the other parts of the body are white. Their heads are big, the body is round and they have vertical eye-slits, like the cat.
Q: Why the giant pandas are black and white in color?
Scientists believed that the black and white color avoid them to contact from each other. However, on the other hand, they can find each other easily by this color pattern during mating season.
Q: Is the panda fur soft?
The fur of the giant panda is short and dense, quite hard but elastic. Also, the oily nature of the fur can prevent the penetration of water which makes it adaptive to humid environment.
Q: How is the sense of visual, listening and smelling of giant pandas?
Their visual sense is quite weak. However, their listening and smelling sense are very strong.