The Giant Panda is a very special animal that only lives in the wild in China. The panda has a very recognizable appearance and looks very friendly and cuddly. In reality, they can still be quite aggressive animals.
General Information
- Latin name: Ailuropoda Melanoleuca
- Class: Mammal belonging to the bear family
- Type: Carnivore
- Where are they found: Only in central and southwestern China
- How old do they get: In the wild, they live to be about 20 years old, in captivity they can live to be about 30 years old.
History
The Giant Panda, together with the dragon, is seen as the national symbol of China. The panda is therefore depicted on various national monuments and coins.
Reading Suggestions: Purebred dog: Tibetan mastiff
Power Supply
The Giant Panda may officially belong to the carnivores, yet 99% of its food consists of bamboo. Pandas in the wild also eat grasses, birds, or rodents. Pandas living in captivity, such as in zoos, eat:
- honing
- Eggs
- vis
- leaves of certain plant species
- bananas
- Specially prepared food.
A Panda can eat 9 to 14 kilos of bamboo per day. This is a large amount because bamboo has a low nutritional value so pandas have to eat more of it to get enough.
Living Habits
The panda lives in the high mountains of Central China in the provinces of Sichuan, Gansu, and Shaanxi. The panda once lived in the lowlands of China, but now the habitat of the Giant Panda is getting smaller due to the cutting down of the forests, the emergence of more and more cities, and agriculture. Because of this, the Giant Panda has retreated to live in the mountains. They are now on the list of animals in danger of extinction.
Characteristics Of The Body
A panda has a very recognizable appearance: it has white fur with black spots around its eyes and ears. Its front and back legs including a stretch from its front legs and around its belly and back are also black. An adult panda grows to be between 1.20 and 1.8 meters long and males can weigh up to 150 kilos. 
The females are slightly lighter and weigh about 125 kilos. The Giant Panda has large front teeth and strong jaw muscles to eat the strong bamboo. The tail of a panda is about 15 centimeters long, which is quite long for a bear species.
Reproduction
Giant pandas mainly live alone and mark their territory by scratching trees with their claws or leaving their urine behind. Only in the breeding season does a panda look for a mate. After reproduction, the male leaves the female and leaves it to her to raise the young (usually only 1).
Other Types:
In addition to the Giant Panda, which has its clear black and white color, there is also the Qinling Panda, which lives in the Qinling Mountains. However, this panda has brown fur.
