Pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) are iconic bear species native to China, known for their distinctive black-and-white fur and gentle demeanor. Here’s a quick guide to their biology and conservation:

Key Features

  • Appearance: Round face, black patches around eyes, and a unique "thumb" for grasping bamboo 🌿
  • Diet: Primarily herbivorous, feeding on bamboo (up to 12-38 kg/day) 🥕
  • Habitat: Bamboo forests in central China’s Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces 🌲
  • Lifespan: 20-30 years in the wild, 40+ in captivity 🐻

Conservation Status

  • IUCN Status: Vulnerable (since 2016) 🚨
  • Protected Areas: Over 100 nature reserves dedicated to panda preservation 🌍
  • Breeding Success: China’s breeding programs have increased wild populations by 17% since 2014 📈

For deeper insights into panda behavior and ecology, visit our animal facts section.

Giant Panda
Panda Bamboo