giant panda

DESCRIPTIONS OF GIANT PANDA

Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus and species: Ailuropoda melanoleuca

Physical description

The giant panda, a black-and-white bear, has a body typical of bears. It has black fur on ears, eye patches, muzzle, legs, and shoulders. The rest of the animal's coat is white. Although scientists do not know why these unusual bears are black and white, some speculate that the bold coloring provides effective camouflage into their shade-dappled snowy and rocky surroundings. The panda's thick, wooly coat keeps it warm in the cool forests of its habitat. Giant pandas have large molar teeth and strong jaw muscles for crushing tough bamboo. Many people find these chunky, lumbering animals to be cute, but giant pandas can be as dangerous as any other bear.

Habitat
Pandas live mainly bamboo forests high in the mountains of western China. Most of the wild population being distributed between the Qinling and Minshan Mountains

Size

About the size of an American black bear, giant pandas stand between two and three feet tall at the shoulder (on all four legs), and reach four to six feet long. Males are larger than females, weighing up to 250 pounds in the wild. Females rarely reach 220 pounds.

PANDA CUBS Many facts contribute to the plight of the endangered panda. Panda cubs are born in small litters, often only one. Where they live and the robustness of their habitat determines their survival. Since the mother’s reproduction rate is limited, specie propagation is fragile. The more information and facts we know about baby pandas the better we can insure their survival. Panda bear cubs are born to play. But the survival skills they learn from their mother are critical. With proper skills and a favorable environment, cubs can mature to adulthood and continue the cycle of reproduction to save the species. The owl is an enemy of panda babies. FACT ABOUT GIANT PANDA

• ·     Communication: Methods include calls, tree scratching, and scent markings.
• ·     Climbing ability: Giant panda bears are good climbers.
• ·     Hibernation: One of the more unique panda facts is that the bears do not hibernate. Their main food supply is available all year around. However they may head to lower elevations during the cold season.
• ·     Live Span: Exact statistics on natural age in the wild are one of the more difficult giant panda facts to determine.