Few animals have captured the hearts of people throughout history such as the giant panda. Clumsy and plump in its design while sporting an attractive coloration, the panda is considered one of the most loveable of all animals. It is also one of the more unique bear species, as it thrives on a primarily herbivorous diet while also possessing a very shy and docile nature. Due to its fame, this bear is also one of the most popular representatives for endangered species, with very few pandas remaining in the wild. Deforestation has left this gentle, solitary giant with very little natural space, and though it is now a protected species, the panda remains vulnerable to extinction. Yet this beautiful animal’s plight has certainly been heard. With many now aware of the panda’s fragile status in the wild, this beloved species has plenty of hope for survival. However, the proper management of a species requires knowledge of its biology and ecological relationship with its environment, and the giant panda has proven to be a surprisingly elusive and mysterious animal. However, as scientists continue to study these creatures, more information is attained concerning their needs and their roles in the wild. Many people recognize the panda simply as a pretty sight in a zoo, but it is now necessary to understand what these creatures really are and study the gentle giants in their world.

Though it is among the smallest of bear species, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is still a fairly large creature. Male pandas generally weigh from 175 to 250 lbs while the females weigh from 150 to 225 lbs. Both sexes attain lengths of 5 to 6 feet, though males are often slightly longer. Males are also taller, reaching a height of 2 to 3 feet while on all four legs while females measure in at half a foot shorter.[1] The panda possesses a stocky body with a rotund head and a short tail. One of their characteristic traits is their coloration, with their limbs, eyes, ears, and shoulders exhibiting a black color while the rest of their body possesses a white coloration. An enlarged shoulder and neck region and small back end provide pandas with an ambling gait. Pandas also have features which allow them to carry out their mainly herbivorous lifestyle more easily. Their large sagittal crests are quite wide and deep, resulting in very powerful jaws. Furthermore, their molars and premolars are wider and flatter than those of other bear species and also possess extensive ridges and cusps which aid in the grinding of tough bamboo. Yet a much more notable trait exists in these animals in order to assist them with their diet; an extra opposable digit on the panda’s paw known as “the panda’s thumb.” Not actually a thumb, this digit is really just a pad of skin overlying a radial sesamoid structure, or wrist bone.[2] The purpose of this specialized wrist bone is to help the panda pluck bamboo stalks and other foods as if it were a true thumb.[3]

The panda is one of the most popular of animals due to its docile nature and colorful design. Photograph Credit: Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology

Though pandas once occurred throughout both mountainous and lowland regions in central-western and south-western China, deforestation and other threats have severely reduced their populations and natural distribution. Panda bears are now found only in the mountains of central China, in Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces.[4] They commonly reside within bamboo forests and prefer a cool and wet environment, sometimes climbing up as high as 13,000 feet in order to avoid the warmer temperatures brought by the summer season.[5]

There is very little variety in a panda’s diet. These bears consume all parts of the bamboo, including its stalks, leaves, shoots, and roots. There is just one problem with this diet. Not only is bamboo highly fibrous, it is also low in nutrition. To make matters worse, pandas digest a very low percentage of what they eat. This means that pandas must consume large quantities (around 30 to 45 lbs) of these plants in order to obtain the nutrition they need.[6] This diet results in the panda having to relieve itself dozens of times every single day, an unsurprising side effect.[7] Even panda cubs eat large amounts of bamboo, as it is normal for them to consume as much as 5-10 lbs of bamboo daily. For better or for worse, these bears begin their unusual diet very early on in their lives. Yet their taste for bamboo is quite helpful for bamboo forests. This may sound odd considering that pandas spend much of their time feeding on the bamboo, yet as they move around and eat their favorite meal, the bears aid in the distribution of bamboo seeds. Thus, the panda actually assists in the reproduction of the bamboo trees. Although this bamboo makes up nearly 95% of the panda bear’s diet, they will occasionally feed on other food items as well. Tubers, bark, and the roots of other plants also have a place in a panda’s diet, as well as wild yams whenever they are available. It is not unusual for pandas to graze on grass, either.[8] Pandas are capable of consuming animal matter just as well, as animal bones have been discovered in the digestive systems of deceased panda bears. Small animals such as birds, as well as carrion, will be taken by these bears from time to time.[9]

Pandas spend much of their time eating and often lead nonchalant lives. Photograph Credit: Stolz, Gary M – USFWS

Since pandas gain little nutrition from their diet, they usually avoid using up unnecessary energy. In other words, they lead rather slow and relaxed lives. They are solitary animals which prefer not to bother with other pandas unless breeding season has arrived. These bears spend much of their time simply eating in a calm sitting posture, with their legs stretched out before them. However, they are both skillful climbers and excellent swimmers, and will carry out these tasks should the need arise.[10]

Natural threats are quite rare for an adult panda, which is fortunate considering the species’ low population. Younger bears, however, are vulnerable to attacks from snow leopards. These powerful felines will eagerly attack and kill cubs which wander too far from their mother. However, the cubs are quite safe if they remain close to their mother. A mother panda will vigorously defend her young from potential threats and is more than strong enough to kill a snow leopard.[11]

Both male and female pandas generally become sexually mature at the ages of close to 6 years. Once the breeding season (which takes place from March to May) arrives, female pandas enter estrous for 1-3 days. They become less active, restless, lose their appetites, and their vulva swells. Their scent markings increase and they become more vocal during this time. While this process takes place in the females, male panda bears begin their search for potential mates. Should more than one male encounter the same female, the two bears will compete for access to the female. This is a rather high level of activity for these normally nonchalant creatures, but it allows only the strongest bears to pass down their genes to future generations. Eventually, a bear emerges victorious and mates with his hard-won female. There actually tends to be a delay in implantation which can last anywhere from 1.5-4 months. This is possibly due to climactic conditions so that the young is born at a more stable time. Most of the young, however, are born in the months of August and September after an embryonic development lasting 1.5 months. Like most newborn bears, the cubs are blind and completely helpless, though panda cubs are unique in that they are born with a thin layer of fur. These defenseless cubs are initially 85-140 grams in weight. The mother carefully positions them to suckle immediately after birth. The suckling takes place about 14 times a day and lasts for about 30 minutes each time. As they continue to feed, the cubs develop and grow, opening their eyes for the first time after 3 weeks. It is only at the age of 3-4 months that the cubs are able to move around on their own. They are not weaned until the age of about 46 weeks and will remain with their mothers for up to 18 months. It is interesting to note that mother pandas share a playful relationship with their young. The purpose of this behavior is not always to appease the young, though; the mother pandas also enjoy playing with their young and will sometimes actually wake up their cubs in order to play with them.[12] Despite this surprising parental behavior, pandas are known for their reluctance to breed in captivity. This is due to their apparent requirement for social interaction prior to mating.[13] This is a rather unusual and very human-like behavior that nonetheless makes breeding pandas somewhat difficult and time consuming.

Despite their seemingly sluggish nature, pandas are skilled at both climbing and swimming. Photograph Credit: David Blank

Pandas are fortunately better off than many other endangered species. Their popularity has provided them with protection from hunting, which was one of the original causes of their endangered status. However, the continuous loss and degradation of their natural environment continues to threaten these unique bears. Logging operations (many of which are illegal) cause the panda’s range to shrink more and more as land is cleared for farming and vegetation harvesting. This may soon stress the small remaining populations of these animals since they are already hemmed in by the cultivation occurring around them. Furthermore, although giant pandas are no longer hunted, they are sometimes killed by poacher snares set for musk deer. Another threat to the panda is the result of its reliance on bamboo for nourishment. Bamboo stands are subject to periodic large-scale die-offs, leaving the bears with little to no food. In the past, pandas easily avoided starvation by migrating to other areas. However, with their vastly reduced habitat in modern times, pandas are left with few options in modern times when bamboo dies off.[14] Indeed, the unique bears loved by countless people around the world are still in a rough situation. However, as more and more people become aware of difficulties these creatures face and the need to provide them with greater protection, the panda’s survival becomes more and more possible.

Pandas enjoy calm lives demanding as little energy as possible. Photograph Credit: David Blank

The giant panda is among the most loved of all animals by people. Their unique design among bears makes them an interesting creature to study for scientists, their colors and relaxed, playful nature make them fascinating for children, and their plump bodies and clumsy nature make them humorous and likable creatures for most others. Simply put, pandas are wonderful animals. However, past and ongoing dangers continue to threaten their future. Their numbers and natural habitat have been drastically reduced in recent times, pushing the bears near the edge of extinction. Fortunately, the love people possess for these interesting animals has been paying off in their protection, and as more people become aware of the needs of these animals, the more hope we can have that the giant panda will live on and continue to fascinate people around the world.